PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Farboleous Ricard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pedro Rodriguez had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Rodriguez
vs
Ricard

225 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
17
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pedro Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Farboleous Ricard!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Alyssa Summers and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ricard.
Rodriguez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Ricard moves out of range.
Ricard shoots for a takedown but Rodriguez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rodriguez seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Rodriguez lands with a slapping head kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Rodriguez lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Ricard has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Ricard and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ricard shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rodriguez as he avoids it easily.
Ricard shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rodriguez as he avoids it easily.
Pedro Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Farboleous Ricard.
Rodriguez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rodriguez shoots for a takedown but Ricard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Ricard gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ricard can't break the clinch.
Rodriguez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ricard after a bit of a struggle.
Ricard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodriguez keeps control of Ricard as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ricard pulls guard.
Ricard working a defensive guard here.
Rodriguez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ricard is wriggling around but Rodriguez manages to pass to half guard.
Ricard is trying to stand.
Ricard is trying to control but can't.
Ricard might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rodriguez haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rodriguez trying to mount his opponent but Ricard defends it.
Ricard trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ricard wants to control the action here but instead Rodriguez manages to pass to full mount!
Ricard is wriggling around trying to escape.
Rodriguez trying to control but Ricard is having none of it.
You get the feeling that Ricard really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Ricard wants to control but Rodriguez is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ricard can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ricard flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Rodriguez raining down shots from the mount!
Rodriguez lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ricard hang on?
Ricard is looking to improve his position but Rodriguez isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ricard keeps trying to improve his position.
Rodriguez controlling the position easily from mount.
Ricard is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rodriguez controlling from the full mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ricard is looking to escape.
Ricard wants to control but Rodriguez is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Rodriguez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ricard shoots in but no luck this time.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Ricard moves out of range.
Rodriguez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ricard circles away.
Ricard throws a head kick that misses.
Rodriguez looks to land a combination but Ricard avoids it well.

Ricard gets a clinch.
Ricard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodriguez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rodriguez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ricard gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodriguez keeps control of Ricard as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez is looking to break free of the clinch but Ricard has double underhooks.
Rodriguez jumps guard but Ricard turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ricard slows down the pace here.

Ricard gets control of Rodriguez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ricard will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ricard had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rodriguez defends it easily.
Rodriguez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ricard keeping moving, preventing Rodriguez from controlling successfully.
Rodriguez stopping the sweep attempt from Ricard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rodriguez advances to half guard.
Rodriguez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ricard can do to turn this around?
Ricard is looking to improve his position.

Ricard looking for submissions off his back.
Rodriguez is keen to just control but Ricard is a slippery customer.
Ricard is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Ricard tries to get to full guard but Rodriguez has control of the leg.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ricard keeps working.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ricard throws a wild body kick that Rodriguez sees coming a mile off.
Ricard fails with a takedown attempt.

Rodriguez drives through with a takedown into Ricard's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ricard trying to keep a closed guard but Rodriguez is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pedro Rodriguez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rodriguez trying to control but Ricard is working from the bottom.
Ricard is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ricard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodriguez won't allow Ricard to get back to his feet.

Ricard pushes Rodriguez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Ricard clinches up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Farboleous Ricard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ricard dives in and scores a takedown into Rodriguez's guard.
Ricard trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ricard looking to sit in guard and control but Rodriguez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ricard looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rodriguez passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodriguez decides to stand back up. Rodriguez steps back and let's Ricard get back to his feet.
Rodriguez is looking to clinch but Ricard is avoiding it.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez dives in for a single leg takedown but Ricard sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Ricard! But no joy.
Rodriguez shoots in and drives through. Ricard sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rodriguez gets tackled into the cage by Ricard. Ricard maintains the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Ricard's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ricard is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to score a body lock takedown but Ricard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ricard has Rodriguez pressed against the cage, preventing Rodriguez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ricard's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Rodriguez manages to pull guard.
Ricard wanted to stand there but Rodriguez had control of the position.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Ricard from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricard wants to stand but Rodriguez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ricard is looking to advance position but Rodriguez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Ricard wants to control but Rodriguez is having none of it.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Rodriguez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Ricard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rodriguez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ricard wants to hold on but Rodriguez pushes him away.
Rodriguez with good strikes from the mount here!
Ricard tries to lock up and control but Rodriguez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ricard is just holding on here. Rodriguez manages to take his back.
Ricard is trying to stand back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodriguez is working the ground and pound. Can Ricard escape?

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro Rodriguez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rodriguez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pedro Rodriguez!