PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gio Naza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Naza
vs
Rodriguez

185 cm
21
176 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

St. Paul's Apparel
Bushido Clothing

TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gio Naza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rodriguez tests Naza's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice takedown defense from Rodriguez. No joy for Naza on that attempt.
Rodriguez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naza shoots in looking for a takedown. Rodriguez tries to sprawl out of it but Naza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rodriguez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rodriguez!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a nice looking combination but Naza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice sprawl there from Rodriguez as Naza shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Naza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Naza tries for a takedown but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

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

Naza shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.

Rodriguez looking for submissions off his back.
Rodriguez is trying to stand back up but Naza is controlling him
Rodriguez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Naza scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Naza stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Rodriguez to get to his feet.
Rodriguez scores with a one two! Naza had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rodriguez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Naza fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a right and a left that Naza avoids nicely.
Naza fails to land the takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Naza fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Rodriguez will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rodriguez drives through and clinches with Naza against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rodriguez lands a shoulder strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Rodriguez breaks from the clinch.
Rodriguez throws a nice looking combination but Naza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naza shoots for a double leg takedown but Rodriguez sprawls well. He's pushed Naza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up.
Rodriguez swinging wilding here.
Rodriguez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Naza shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense.
Matt Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Nice sprawl there from Rodriguez as Naza shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Naza closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rodriguez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Naza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodriguez keeps working.
Rodriguez can't do much from the bottom here.
Rodriguez holding on.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Naza is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naza working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Naza is working Rodriguez over with some ground and pound from side control.
Naza scoring with punches and elbows.
Naza works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Naza is working Rodriguez over with some ground and pound from side control.
Rodriguez is not content to let Naza control the position.
Naza scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rodriguez to see if he's OK.
Naza working the head and body with strikes.
Naza wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodriguez keeps working.
Naza working away.
Rodriguez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Naza. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Naza lands a nice forearm strike.

Rodriguez is rocked!
Rodriguez taking a bit of punishment here - Naza scoring with strikes.
Rodriguez is still in real trouble! Can Naza finish him?

Naza decides to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws out a loose jab but Naza uses good head movement to avoid it.

Naza shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Naza was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Naza scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rodriguez seems to have recovered his senses.
Naza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
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.
Naza wants to control the pace but Rodriguez is squirming around nicely.
Naza is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rodriguez can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gio Naza dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rodriguez wants to clinch up but Naza keeps it at a distance.
Naza circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rodriguez swinging wilding here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Naza moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naza tries for a takedown but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Naza shoots in for a double leg but Rodriguez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rodriguez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rodriguez connects with a nice looking jab.
Rodriguez scores with a jab to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rodriguez stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gio Naza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Naza circles away quickly and effectively.
Rodriguez lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Horrible takedown by Naza or perhaps it was just good defense by Rodriguez which made him look bad.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Naza swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Matt Rodriguez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Rodriguez. No joy for Naza on that attempt.
Rodriguez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Naza shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Naza was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Naza postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rodriguez looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Naza lands with some strikes.
Naza sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodriguez tries to hold on but Naza pushes him away.
Naza looking to control but Rodriguez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The referee warns Rodriguez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Naza looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rodriguez wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gio Naza showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Naza has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gio Naza!