PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Darren Hall (ranked 24195 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Rodrigues (ranked 5789 p4p, 519 weight class). Paulo Rodrigues will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Hall
vs
Rodrigues

159 cm
19
177 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

177 cm
18
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Darren Hall!
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, Paulo Rodrigues!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodrigues scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hall could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Hall wants to control but Rodrigues postures up.
Rodrigues throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hall tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rodrigues tries to stand but Hall is controlling his head.
Hall struggling a bit here.
Hall is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rodrigues not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rodrigues throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rodrigues is keen to just control but Hall is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall trying to hold on to Rodrigues's head to control him but Rodrigues postures up.
Hall is looking for a sweep. Rodrigues is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rodrigues not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hall gets full guard.
Rodrigues won't allow Hall to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues wanted to stand there but Hall had control of the position.
Rodrigues really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hall. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hall manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodrigues manages to get himself to full guard.

Rodrigues wants to stand up but Hall is controlling him.
Rodrigues utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hall prevents Rodrigues from getting back to his feet.
Rodrigues trying to keep a closed guard but Hall is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hall with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hall accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hall chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Hall has passed into side control.
Rodrigues wants to control but Hall postures up.
Rodrigues tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.

Hall working for a guillotine from mount but Rodrigues is in no mood to give up.
Rodrigues wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Hall looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rodrigues is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues tries to hold on but Hall pushes him away.
Hall lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rodrigues wants to hold on but Hall pushes him away.
Rodrigues wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Rodrigues is trying desperately to improve position.
A nice elbow there by Hall.
Rodrigues wants to hold on but Hall pushes him away.
Rodrigues tries to reverse the position but Hall maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues gets back to half guard.
Hall scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Hall is working for a submission of some sort.
Rodrigues is trying to stand back up but Hall is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rodrigues wants to land a leg kick but Hall is out of range.
Rodrigues misses with a series of wild punches.
Rodrigues misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hall.
Hall appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Rodrigues shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rodrigues showed some decent athleticism there.
Hall keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rodrigues lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall trying to control but Rodrigues postures up.

Rodrigues is looking for a kimura but Hall is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rodrigues to get the leverage.
Hall trying to hold on to Rodrigues's head to control him but Rodrigues postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall manages to get to full guard.
Darren Hall overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hall managing to control the position.
Rodrigues throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rodrigues missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hall bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodrigues's guard.

Rodrigues is trying to keep Hall in close.
Hall scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rodrigues trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues wriggles free and stands up.
Hall shoots in but no luck this time.
A right-left combo lands from Rodrigues.

It looks like Darren Hall has been cut.

Hall looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hall looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rodrigues with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Rodrigues is defending against the submission attempts here by Hall.
Rodrigues pushes Hall off but Hall dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is looking to regain half guard here but Hall keeps moving and retains side control.
Rodrigues is trying to get back to his feet.
Hall has control of an arm but Rodrigues manages to advance to Hall's back!
Oooh a big shot gets through from Rodrigues. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Rodrigues throwing damaging strikes from the back! Hall could be in trouble here!
Hall just trying to survive but Rodrigues is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Hall is in bad spot here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodrigues lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Hall.
Rodrigues struggling to land strikes to the head as Hall covers up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is hanging on to Hall's back as he tries to escape.

Hall defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Rodrigues's arms.
Hall manages to reverse the position and now he's in Rodrigues's guard. Nice work there by Hall.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hall is standing up over Rodrigues. Rodrigues looks to escape but Hall dives into side control.
Rodrigues is trying to get back to his feet.
Hall gets to mount! Rodrigues was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Rodrigues wants to control but Hall is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Rodrigues showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Darren Hall's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rodrigues misses with a body kick.
Hall has a takedown stuffed.
Rodrigues fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Hall is out of range.
Hall slips a jab and a cross from Rodrigues.

Hall shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Hall was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Hall looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rodrigues is wriggling around trying to escape but Hall has hooked up a rear naked choke! Is it over??? Is it... you're damn right it is! Rodrigues taps out and Hall picks up the big win! Great work there by Hall!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Darren Hall!