PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elie Bergeron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bergeron has chosen It's My Life as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. This should be fireworks!

Rodriguez
vs
Bergeron

185 cm
22
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Non-Stop Nutrition

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

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodriguez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez controlling the action here.

Rodriguez is working for a kimura but Bergeron is defending it quite comfortably.

Rodriguez is working for a kimura but Bergeron is defending it quite comfortably.
Bergeron is looking for a sweep. Rodriguez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Bergeron is concentrating on defense, preventing Rodriguez from advancing position.
Bergeron wants to get back to his feet.
Rodriguez is looking to take a break and control but Bergeron is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bergeron knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bergeron shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rodriguez pinned against the cage. Rodriguez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Rodriguez gets the takedown into side control.
Rodriguez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bergeron on the ground.
Bergeron manages to get back to half guard.
Bergeron looks like he's trying to stand up.

Rodriguez is looking for a kimura here.
Bergeron looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rodriguez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bergeron's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bergeron does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bergeron tries to kick Rodriguez off but Rodriguez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rodriguez stalks Bergeron and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bergeron's face. Bergeron staggers backwards, shaken.
Bergeron looks gassed!
Rodriguez shoots in but no luck this time.
Rodriguez looks for a takedown but Bergeron sprawls well.
A combination from Bergeron does no damage.
Rodriguez shoots for a double leg takedown but Bergeron sprawls well. He's pushed Rodriguez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez swats away the attempt to clinch by Bergeron.
Bergeron throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rodriguez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Bergeron moves in looking to clinch but Rodriguez pushes him off.
Bergeron misses with a series of wild punches.
Rodriguez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bergeron lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rodriguez backs up against the cage.
Matt Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Bergeron moves into the clinch successfully.
Bergeron wants to break free but Rodriguez has control.
Bergeron tries to work over Rodriguez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rodriguez avoiding damage as Bergeron throws knees to the body.

Bergeron's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bergeron but Bergeron pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bergeron moves in looking to clinch but Rodriguez pushes him off.

Rodriguez gets a takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez trying to control from half guard but Bergeron is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bergeron regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rodriguez won't allow Bergeron to sweep him here.
Bergeron keeping moving, preventing Rodriguez from controlling successfully.

Bergeron is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bergeron bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodriguez's guard.
Bergeron tries to free his leg and advance position but Rodriguez is retaining full guard.

Rodriguez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bergeron gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Bergeron from controlling successfully.
Rodriguez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Rodriguez dominated that round.
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 looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Bergeron is staying active underneath Rodriguez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rodriguez winds up and cracks Bergeron with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bergeron is staying active underneath Rodriguez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Bergeron is trying to stand.
Bergeron keeping hold of Rodriguez's head, controlling as best he can.
Bergeron wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rodriguez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rodriguez shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bergeron fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Rodriguez checks it well.

Bergeron gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bergeron is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bergeron manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodriguez manages to get himself to full guard.

Bergeron stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Bergeron tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rodriguez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bergeron tries to avoid it but Rodriguez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bergeron to the ground. Bergeron escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez fails with the takedown.
Bergeron throws a one two combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Bergeron does no damage.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bergeron as he jumps to the side.
Rodriguez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bergeron pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bergeron is looking to clinch.
Rodriguez swats away the attempt to clinch by Bergeron.

Bergeron gets caught flat footed, as Rodriguez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rodriguez throws a strike but Bergeron rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rodriguez is looking for a triangle here but Bergeron uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Bergeron decides to stand back up. Bergeron steps back and let's Rodriguez get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands an overhand right.
Bergeron misses with a jab, cross combination.

Rodriguez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bergeron knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Bergeron holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Rodriguez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rodriguez prevents Bergeron from standing back up.
Rodriguez prevents Bergeron from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bergeron defending well though.
Bergeron pushes Rodriguez off looking to stand but Rodriguez dives back in and keeps control.
Rodriguez is tying to control. Bergeron wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Bergeron gets caught flat footed, as Rodriguez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Bergeron keeping full guard, as Rodriguez tries to pass.

Bergeron pushes Rodriguez off and scrambles back to his feet.
Rodriguez shoots for a double leg takedown but Bergeron sprawls well. He's pushed Rodriguez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bergeron throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Matt Rodriguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bergeron tries to clinch but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Rodriguez misses with a wild combination.
Bergeron misses with a combination

and Rodriguez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bergeron's guard now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Rodriguez dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Rodriguez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rodriguez prevents Bergeron from getting back to his feet.

Rodriguez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Bergeron is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Bergeron is on top in guard.

Bergeron gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bergeron jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Bergeron takes the fight into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bergeron working aggressively here.
Bergeron tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bergeron wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bergeron has Rodriguez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rodriguez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Bergeron is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rodriguez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bergeron pulls his leg out and moves away.

Rodriguez shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bergeron's guard.
Rodriguez trying to control but Bergeron is working from the bottom.
Bergeron is looking to stand up but Rodriguez isn't so interested in that idea.
Bergeron not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bergeron is keeping the position for now.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Bergeron is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matt Rodriguez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bergeron working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez looking to sit in guard and control but Bergeron gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rodriguez is working an open guard so Bergeron takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Rodriguez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Bergeron won't allow Rodriguez to pass to mount.

Rodriguez is looking for a kimura here.

Rodriguez is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bergeron pushes Rodriguez off looking to stand but Rodriguez dives back in and keeps control.

Rodriguez is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Bergeron has managed to free his arm - good work.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bergeron keeps working.
Rodriguez controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bergeron throws a sloppy head kick and Rodriguez moves out of range easily.
Matt Rodriguez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rodriguez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bergeron to the mat! Bergeron manages to get full guard.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Bergeron is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodriguez won't allow Bergeron to get back to his feet.
Bergeron thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rodriguez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Bergeron wants to stand but Rodriguez is controlling the position.
Elie Bergeron has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rodriguez preventing the sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Rodriguez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rodriguez, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

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