PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dominick Thayler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manuel Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thayler
vs
Rodriguez

169 cm
20
172 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

174 cm
20
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dominick Thayler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Manuel Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rodriguez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thayler looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thayler swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Thayler tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rodriguez counters with a single leg into guard. Thayler didn't expect that.
Rodriguez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rodriguez looking to pass the guard.
Rodriguez controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
I looks like Rodriguez might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodriguez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rodriguez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Thayler could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Despite being in the dominant position, Manuel Rodriguez just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Thayler moves out of range.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches.
Rodriguez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Thayler prevents it.
Rodriguez tries to stall but Thayler uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thayler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez scores with a hook to the body.

Rodriguez turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rodriguez manages to end up in side control.
The referee asks Rodriguez politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Rodriguez prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Manuel Rodriguez just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rodriguez pushes Thayler up against the cage in a clinch.
Thayler prevents the takedown attempt.
Dominick Thayler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manuel Rodriguez.
Rodriguez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Thayler pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manuel Rodriguez dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rodriguez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A bone on bone clash there as Thayler blocks the leg kick.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Thayler moves out of range.
Rodriguez dips to his left and cracks Thayler with an uppercut!

Rodriguez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez prevents Thayler from improving his position.
Rodriguez slows the pace down in half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Manuel Rodriguez just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodriguez looks to clinch
and Thayler counters with an inside leg kick.
Rodriguez tries to clinch

and Thayler counters with a shoot takedown. Rodriguez fights it but they end up in guard.
Rodriguez has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Thayler has passed into side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rodriguez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rodriguez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Thayler's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rodriguez is pressing down on Thayler's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez trying to control the position.
Rodriguez wants to sweep but no luck.

Rodriguez is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Rodriguez can't get the takedown.

Rodriguez lands a takedown into guard.
Thayler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rodriguez is controlling him.
Rodriguez content to stall in guard here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rodriguez stops Thayler from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rodriguez passes Thayler's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rodriguez not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rodriguez postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Thayler to stand up.
Thayler avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rodriguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Thayler counters with a body kick that stops Rodriguez in his tracks momentarily.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manuel Rodriguez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rodriguez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rodriguez showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Rodriguez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Manuel Rodriguez just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodriguez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut. Thayler saw that one coming.
Thayler shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up

and Thayler counters by clinching up.
Rodriguez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Thayler fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Thayler is looking to clinch.
Dominick Thayler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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 shoots in for a double leg but Thayler sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Thayler throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rodriguez's waist but Rodriguez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Thayler off to one side.
Thayler tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rodriguez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Manuel Rodriguez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rodriguez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thayler struggling a bit here.
A lull in the action here as Rodriguez stalls from top position.
Rodriguez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four 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.
Thayler being controlled for a moment.
Dominick Thayler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thayler can't do much from the bottom here.
Rodriguez is staying tight to Thayler's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Rodriguez decides to stand back up.
Thayler tries a head kick but it misses.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manuel Rodriguez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rodriguez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

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