PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Silvio Crespo (ranked 1317 p4p, 164 weight class) and Rudy Rhod (ranked 321 p4p, 42 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Crespo
vs
Rhod

170 cm
33
155 lbs
22 - 12 - 0

180 cm
28
162 lbs
15 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Groove Gear
Freebok (85% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Silvio Crespo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 1, fighting out of New York, Rudy Rhod!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crespo misses with a combination
and Rhod counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Crespo throws a lazy head kick
and Rhod counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Crespo moves in looking to clinch but Rhod pushes him off.
Crespo throws a shot from downtown. Rhod moves away and avoids it.
A shot to the body from Crespo misses
and Rhod counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Silvio Crespo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crespo digs a good body shot into Rhod's ribs.
Rhod has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Rhod misses with an uppercut. Crespo saw that one coming.

Crespo gets a double leg takedown into Rhod's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crespo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rhod utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Crespo is fighting to break Rhod's control of his arms but Rhod is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Crespo postures up in Rhod's guard and throws a big left but Rhod blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crespo trying to control the position from guard on top but Rhod is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Crespo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rhod controlling Crespo's posture.
Crespo throws an elbow that misses. Rhod uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Crespo's guard. Nice move by Rhod!

Crespo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rhod is controlling him.
Rhod stopping the sweep attempt from Crespo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rhod is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Crespo wriggles free and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhod uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Crespo.
Crespo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rhod unleashes a big counter combination but Crespo bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Crespo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rhod lands a nice hook to Crespo's body. Crespo takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Crespo misses with a lunging right hand
and Rhod counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rhod with a nice cross.
Some wild striking there from Crespo.
Rhod stuns Crespo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rhod lands with a hook. Crespo tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rhod takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Crespo goes for a double leg but Rhod avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rhod continues to drive forward.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhod misses with a hook. Crespo ducked under it nicely.
Crespo is looking for a counter combo.
Crespo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rhod wants to counter the offense by Crespo and move into the clinch position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crespo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Crespo misses with an uppercut
and Crespo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Crespo bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rhod's head.
Crespo darts in trying to clinch
and Rhod counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rhod throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Crespo wants to clinch.
Crespo looks to score with a jab to the body but Rhod is just out of range.
Crespo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Crespo takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rhod scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudy Rhod dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Crespo throws a head kick that misses.
Crespo misses with a hook to the body
and Rhod counters with a left to the body.
Rhod bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rhod darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Crespo swings and misses with a hook to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short uppercut from Rhod.
Rhod lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Crespo throws a head punch that misses.
Rhod works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Crespo creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rhod stalls.
Rhod stalling in the clinch but Crespo improves position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rhod.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crespo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rhod lands a hook that snaps the head of Crespo backwards.
Rhod lands an uppercut.
Crespo fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Rhod.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rhod creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rhod.
Crespo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Crespo landing knees to the body.
A short uppercut from Rhod.
Rhod avoiding damage.
Rhod misses with some punches.
Still in the clinch, Rhod scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rhod tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Crespo's elbow.
Rhod lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rhod lands a nice shot to the body.

Rhod's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rhod tries to clinch up.
Crespo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Crespo lands with a shot to the body.
Crespo fails with the takedown.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Crespo tries to bum rush Rhod with a series of wild strikes but Rhod uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Crespo gets a double leg takedown into Rhod's guard.
Crespo looking to sit in guard and control but Rhod gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Crespo has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rhod seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhod's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rhod prevents Crespo from getting back to his feet.

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.
Rhod engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Rhod won't allow Crespo to sweep him here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rudy Rhod showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rhod defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Crespo.
Rhod connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Crespo's hands.
Rhod cracks Crespo with a right hand to the side of the head.

Crespo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Crespo is trying to ground and pound but Rhod uses the momentary lack of control by Crespo to regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhod is trying to control but can't.

Crespo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rhod regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Crespo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhod preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rhod preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Crespo lands a couple of digs.
Crespo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rhod is adopting a defensive guard.
Rhod utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Crespo chips away with some ground and pound.
Crespo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Crespo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rhod has momentary wrist control but Crespo slips an elbow through the middle.
Crespo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rhod seems keen to control Crespo's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhod trying to keep a closed guard but Crespo is proving a slippery customer.
Rhod utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Crespo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Crespo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rhod is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rhod working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Crespo.
Crespo throwing strikes but missing.
Crespo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Crespo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Crespo cracks Rhod with a solid left hand.
Rudy Rhod is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Crespo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Crespo throwing strikes from guard but Rhod blocks nicely.
Crespo trying to control but Rhod is working from the bottom.
Silvio Crespo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crespo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Crespo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Crespo lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Crespo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rhod avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Crespo trying to control the position from guard on top but Rhod is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Crespo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rhod looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhod can't do much from the bottom here.
Crespo is trying to ground and pound but Rhod uses the momentary lack of control by Crespo to regain half guard.
Crespo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rhod's head.

Crespo is working for a submission of some sort.

Crespo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Crespo lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Silvio Crespo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rhod has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rudy Rhod!
Rudy Rhod thanked the fans post fight for their support.