PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Korey Livingston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hector Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Hector Rodriguez was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Livingston
vs
Rodriguez

186 cm
18
193 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
25
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Korey Livingston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Hector Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Ben Hemmingworth and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Livingston swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Livingston throws a series of punches but Rodriguez avoids them all with ease.
Rodriguez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Rodriguez gets a double leg takedown into Livingston's guard.
Rodriguez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Livingston is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodriguez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rodriguez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Livingston looks like he's trying to stand up.
Livingston blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rodriguez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Livingston wants to get back to his feet.
Livingston flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rodriguez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Livingston wants to get back to his feet.
Rodriguez lands strikes from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodriguez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Livingston defending well though.
Rodriguez working Livingston over with strikes.
Livingston is looking to improve his position.
Rodriguez wants to pass to mount but Livingston is defending the position.
Livingston landing rabbit punches to the side of Rodriguez's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rodriguez connects with a nice short shot to Livingston's temple.
Livingston wants to control but Rodriguez is keeping busy.
Rodriguez throws a strike but Livingston avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Livingston escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rodriguez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rodriguez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Livingston working a defensive guard here.
Rodriguez preventing the sweep.
Rodriguez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Livingston might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rodriguez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rodriguez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Livingston avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Livingston has momentary wrist control but Rodriguez slips an elbow through the middle.
Rodriguez postures up in Livingston's guard and throws a big left but Livingston blocks it.
Rodriguez looks winded!
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rodriguez scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez won't allow Livingston to get back to his feet.
Livingston striking off his back but it's not causing Rodriguez any problems.
Rodriguez scoring with punches to the head and body.

Rodriguez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Livingston has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rodriguez has managed to get both his arms back between Livingston's legs - danger averted.
Rodriguez advances position into side control!
Livingston gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Livingston keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Livingston connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Rodriguez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Livingston tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rodriguez drops an elbow to the side of Livingston's head.
Livingston is trying to maintain the position but Rodriguez is very close to passing his half guard.

Rodriguez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Livingston sees it coming and defends easily.
Livingston throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Rodriguez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Livingston is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rodriguez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rodriguez's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hector Rodriguez dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rodriguez tries to keep at a distance but Livingston has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rodriguez gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rodriguez lands a nice short elbow.
Livingston is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rodriguez scores with a couple of nice shots.
Rodriguez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Livingston flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Livingston is looking to control Rodriguez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Livingston avoid being mounted?
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Livingston wants to get back to his feet.
Hector Rodriguez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Livingston trying to control but Rodriguez postures up.

Rodriguez is working for a kimura but Livingston is defending it quite comfortably.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.
Livingston flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez passes to side control.
Livingston taking punishment in the form of punches.

Rodriguez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Livingston, who protects the arm well.
Rodriguez working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Livingston manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Livingston missing with punches from the bottom.
Rodriguez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Livingston's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Livingston lands a couple of sideways elbows.

Livingston has one foot on Rodriguez's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Rodriguez gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Livingston to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Livingston is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rodriguez punching from the bottom - just letting Livingston know he's still in a fight.
Rodriguez trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Livingston showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rodriguez throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livingston trying to control but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Rodriguez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Livingston has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Livingston shoots in and bounces Rodriguez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Livingston controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Rodriguez working for a triangle but Livingston defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Livingston drops back looking for a leg! Rodriguez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rodriguez manages to kick Livingston off! Livingston jumps back into Rodriguez's guard.

Rodriguez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Livingston can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rodriguez has an active guard here but Livingston has managed to pass into half guard.
Rodriguez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Livingston is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Korey Livingston will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rodriguez gets a double leg takedown into Livingston's guard.
Rodriguez is looking to work some ground and pound but Livingston has wrist control.
Rodriguez throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriguez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Livingston wants to control but Rodriguez postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sloppy strikes there by Rodriguez.
Livingston on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Livingston wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Rodriguez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Livingston misses with a strike from the bottom.
Livingston holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Livingston bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Livingston keeps the fight on the outside.

Rodriguez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Livingston is trying to stand back up but Rodriguez is controlling him
Livingston trying to hold on to Rodriguez's head to control him but Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rodriguez throwing shots but Livingston is blocking nicely.
Livingston trying to control from the bottom.
Livingston tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Livingston misses with some strikes from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rodriguez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Livingston connecting with a few gentle strikes.
Livingston lands with a few short shots to the body.
Rodriguez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Livingston with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Rodriguez is trying to work for a kimura but Livingston is defending well.
Livingston landing rabbit punches to the side of Rodriguez's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.

Rodriguez seems to be looking for submissions.
Livingston missing with punches from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Livingston shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rodriguez napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Livingston decides to stand back up.
Livingston looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.

Rodriguez feints and as Livingston raises his hands in defense, Rodriguez changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rodriguez pushing down on Livingston's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rodriguez blocks the strikes from Livingston.
Livingston punching from the bottom.
Rodriguez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Livingston blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rodriguez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rodriguez with the ground and pound but Livingston uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Rodriguez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rodriguez throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriguez postures up in Livingston's guard and throws a big left but Livingston blocks it.
Livingston wants to get back to his feet but Rodriguez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Livingston can't keep his opponent in guard - Rodriguez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rodriguez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Livingston is concentrating on defense, preventing Rodriguez from advancing position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hector Rodriguez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rodriguez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

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