PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bruno Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos has chosen Rocky Balboa Theme as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rodrigues
vs
Santos

195 cm
21
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

203 cm
18
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruno Rodrigues!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Santos!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Seu Braga and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Santos throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Santos throws a head kick that misses.
Santos tries to clinch up.
Santos throws a head kick but Rodrigues moves out of range.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rodrigues swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Santos moves in looking to clinch but Rodrigues pushes him off.

Rodrigues looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rodrigues takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Santos is looking for a sweep. Rodrigues is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Santos works his way to full guard. Good work.

Rodrigues avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rodrigues not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Rodrigues defends easily.

Santos looking for a guillotine here but Rodrigues defends easily.
Santos looks gassed!
Santos wants to stand up but Rodrigues is controlling him.
Santos looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rodrigues controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rodrigues seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Santos for as long as he can get away with.
Rodrigues stands and throws Santos's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rodrigues moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodrigues looks up at the clock and then as Santos takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rodrigues smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Santos wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Rodrigues controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Bruno Rodrigues just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Rodrigues takes the fight into the clinch.
Rodrigues lands an elbow inside.

Rodrigues gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rodrigues controlling the pace.
Santos is looking to escape.
Rodrigues perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Rodrigues dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Santos closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rodrigues counters with a shoot takedown. Santos fights it but they end up in guard.
Santos is looking to stand up but Rodrigues isn't so interested in that idea.
Rodrigues looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Santos has his foot on Rodrigues's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rodrigues works his way back into a safe position though.
Rodrigues controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rodrigues stops Santos from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Bruno Rodrigues just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rodrigues shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Santos pinned against the cage. Santos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Santos shoots and misses

and Rodrigues counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Santos wants to stand and escape but Rodrigues is having none of it.
Rodrigues slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rodrigues looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rodrigues controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bruno Rodrigues overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Santos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rodrigues is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues forces his way into half guard.
Rodrigues frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rodrigues controlling from mount.
Santos really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Santos is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Santos is looking to get to half guard.
Rodrigues controlling the pace for now.
Santos keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodrigues takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Santos is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Santos is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Rodrigues dominated that second round.
That's time! Rodrigues's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rodrigues gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rodrigues fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rodrigues with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Santos goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rodrigues prevents it.
Rodrigues lands a damaging elbow.
Rodrigues lands a knee to the head.
Rodrigues tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Santos smiles and moves away.
Santos closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rodrigues counters with a slapping leg kick.
Santos throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Santos tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rodrigues was well out of range. Poor timing from Santos.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodrigues shoots for a takedown but Santos saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruno Rodrigues. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodrigues swats away the attempt to clinch by Santos.
Santos stuffs the takedown.
Lucas Santos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rodrigues but Rodrigues pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Santos moves into the clinch.
Rodrigues wants a takedown.
Santos has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rodrigues is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Rodrigues decides to pull guard.
Rodrigues seems keen to control Santos's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santos stops Rodrigues from standing up.
Rodrigues is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodrigues knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Santos on the ground.
Santos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rodrigues pulls Santos in to control the position.
Santos would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rodrigues controlling Santos's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Bruno Rodrigues just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rodrigues fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Rodrigues swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Rodrigues shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rodrigues is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Rodrigues gets to his feet. Santos looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Rodrigues shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rodrigues was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rodrigues controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santos is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rodrigues sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodrigues's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruno Rodrigues showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rodrigues, 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruno Rodrigues!