PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eric Burke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dennis Rodman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodman is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: M.A.A.D. City. Dennis Rodman will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Burke
vs
Rodman

151 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

198 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Burke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dennis Rodman!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Emerson Jorge and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Burke misses with the combination.
Rodman misses with a two punch combination.
Rodman's coach down at !!!!!cheapest gym in rio!!!!!! was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Rodman's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Burke dodges the punch combination from Rodman.
Rodman tries to close the distance and clinch but Burke swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rodman tries to clinch up
and Burke counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodman gets the takedown into side control.
Burke controls the position for a moment.
Rodman creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Burke sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Burke might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rodman trying to control the action but Burke is working from the bottom.
Burke is trying to control Rodman's posture but Rodman avoids it.
Burke tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rodman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Burke manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rodman's best efforts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ground and pound from Rodman.

Rodman seems to be working for a kimura but Burke defends the submission attempt.

Burke pushes Rodman off and gets back to his feet.

Burke gets caught napping as Rodman dives in and scores a takedown. Burke manages to retain guard.

Burke is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Rodman presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Rodman looks winded!
Burke could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rodman is looking to break free of the clinch but Burke has double underhooks.
Rodman is trying to break the clinch but Burke is controlling him.

Rodman pulls guard successfully.
Burke stands up over Rodman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Rodman looking for subs off his back but Burke has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodman on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Burke there.
Burke wants to stand up but Rodman has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Burke decides to stand up.

Burke scores with a takedown into Rodman's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodman controls Burke momentarily but Burke frees himself.
Burke lands a couple of digs.
Burke lands a couple of elbows.

Burke stands up and waves to Rodman to follow him.

Burke shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rodman's guard.
Burke stands up over Rodman, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Burke dominated that round.
That's time! Burke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Burke drives through with a takedown into guard.
Eric Burke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rodman is trying to control the position but Burke postures up.

Rodman has his foot on Burke's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Burke works his way back into a safe position though.
Burke trying to control but Rodman is working from the bottom.
Burke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Burke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Burke postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rodman is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodman is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Burke defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Burke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Burke gets to his feet - Rodman follows without any prompting.
Rodman throws a left and a right that both miss
and Burke counters with a straight right hand.

Burke drives through with a takedown into Rodman's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Burke works over Rodman with some ground and pound from guard.
Burke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Burke content to stall in guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodman has a closed guard, preventing Burke from standing up.
Rodman really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Burke. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Burke lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Burke postures up and lands a big shot to Rodman's brow.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Burke's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Burke thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Burke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodman isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Burke stacks Rodman on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Burke!
Burke lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Burke is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rodman has escaped the position, nice work there.

Burke stands up.
Dennis Rodman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burke fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rodman sprawls well initially but Burke persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rodman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rodman is trying to maintain the position but Burke is very close to passing his half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burke is nestled in close to Rodman, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Burke dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Burke manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rodman on his heels. He'll look to pass Rodman's guard now, I'm sure.
Burke working some strikes from top position.

Burke is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Rodman looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Burke won't allow Rodman to get back to his feet.
Rodman takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Burke stands up and waves to Rodman to follow him.
Dennis Rodman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Burke shoots in looking for a takedown. Rodman tries to sprawl out of it but Burke keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rodman manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Burke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rodman can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodman goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Rodman gets caught flat footed, as Burke shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Burke is standing up over Rodman. Rodman looks to escape but Burke dives into side control.

Rodman is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Burke stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burke bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Burke working the ground and pound from side control.
Rodman seems a little lost for a moment, as Burke dominates the positioning.

Burke decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Burke misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Burke shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rodman manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Rodman has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Burke off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burke bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rodman tries to improve position but can't.
Burke content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Burke is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rodman is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burke scoring with punches and elbows.
Burke advances nicely into full mount.
Burke dominating with strikes here.

Burke wants to finish this one by submission but Rodman is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Burke.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Burke breaks from Rodman's wrist control and lands an elbow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Burke showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Burke, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Burke!