PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Fernando Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Monsoon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Fernando Rodrigues
vs
Monsoon

180 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luiz Fernando Rodrigues!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Monsoon!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodrigues lands a glancing blow to the side of Monsoon's head.
Rodrigues tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Monsoon swivels and escapes.
Monsoon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rodrigues counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Monsoon won't allow Rodrigues to pass to mount.
Monsoon is looking to improve his position.
Rodrigues sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Monsoon defending well though.
Rodrigues is trying to control. Monsoon wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Monsoon wants to get back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Monsoon can do anything to dispel that myth.
Monsoon has a hand on Rodrigues's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Rodrigues takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Rodrigues tries to control but Monsoon wriggling away.
Rodrigues avoids the attempt from Monsoon to control.
Rodrigues wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues looking to control but Monsoon is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Monsoon tries to lock up and control but Rodrigues gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Monsoon keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Monsoon really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rodrigues. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rodrigues looking to control but Monsoon is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Monsoon is looking to get to half guard.
Monsoon is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rodrigues breaks from Monsoon's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon is trying to escape the mount.
Rodrigues lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Monsoon hang on?
Rodrigues trying to control but Monsoon is having none of it.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rodrigues is really struggling to control Monsoon but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Rodrigues prevents Monsoon from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon wants to hold on but Rodrigues pushes him away.
Monsoon is looking to improve his position but Rodrigues isn't that keen on the idea.
Rodrigues is breathing heavily.
Monsoon wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Monsoon rolls, trying to escape but Rodrigues keeps control of the position.
Monsoon rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Monsoon wants to improve his position but Rodrigues is controlling well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Monsoon misses with a takedown attempt

and Rodrigues moves into the clinch.
Rodrigues misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Monsoon.
Monsoon prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodrigues is trying to drag Monsoon to the mat but Monsoon just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Luiz Fernando Rodrigues. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rodrigues is fighting off a takedown attempt but Monsoon is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rodrigues to the mat. Rodrigues regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon distracts Rodrigues with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rodrigues has momentary wrist control but Monsoon slips an elbow through the middle.
Monsoon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rodrigues's head.
Monsoon landing some decent shots from guard.
Monsoon trying to control but Rodrigues is working from the bottom.
Monsoon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Monsoon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Monsoon drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Monsoon jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luiz Fernando Rodrigues dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Monsoon looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Monsoon working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rodrigues has hold of Monsoon's hands but Monsoon slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Monsoon scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodrigues is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Monsoon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Monsoon's back!
Monsoon controlling Rodrigues 's hands.
Monsoon trying to control the hands but Rodrigues breaks the grip.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monsoon wants to escape the position.
Rodrigues somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Monsoon is in bad spot here.
Rodrigues tries to keep control of the position but Monsoon is staying busy.
Monsoon trying to control the position but Rodrigues manages to sink in the hooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rodrigues is striking from the back but Monsoon escapes and manages to recover to half guard.

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

Monsoon fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rodrigues sprawls well initially but Monsoon persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ray Monsoon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rodrigues pushes Monsoon off looking to stand but Monsoon dives back in and keeps control.
Monsoon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Rodrigues is not content to let Monsoon control the position.
Rodrigues wants to improve his position but Monsoon is controlling well.
Rodrigues taking some punishment here, with Monsoon in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Monsoon working over Rodrigues with some ground and pound. Rodrigues looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Monsoon landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Monsoon prevents Rodrigues from standing back up.
Monsoon is pressing down on Rodrigues's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rodrigues is holding on for now.
Monsoon wants to control but Rodrigues is keeping him busy.
Monsoon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rodrigues wants to control but Monsoon is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodrigues with a poor takedown

and Monsoon counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rodrigues won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Monsoon working the ground and pound.
Monsoon is looking to take a break and control but Rodrigues is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rodrigues is looking to reverse the position.
Monsoon working away.
Rodrigues tries to buck Monsoon off but Monsoon is having none of it.

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

Monsoon gets the takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Monsoon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Monsoon gets the takedown into side control.
Rodrigues is trying to buck Monsoon off.
Rodrigues is trying to improve his position.
Monsoon landing a few strikes.
Monsoon scoring with punches and elbows.
Monsoon working the ground and pound from side control.
Rodrigues prevents Monsoon from improving position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodrigues is looking to regain half guard here but Monsoon keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monsoon controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monsoon lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rodrigues down.
Monsoon is looking to take a break and control but Rodrigues is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monsoon connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Rodrigues some visible discomfort.
Rodrigues wants to control but Monsoon postures up.
Monsoon lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Monsoon working the ground and pound.
Monsoon cracks Rodrigues with a big elbow.
Monsoon connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Rodrigues some visible discomfort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Monsoon thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Monsoon lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Monsoon throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Monsoon landing strikes.
Monsoon working the ground and pound from side control.
Monsoon cracks Rodrigues with a big right hand but Rodrigues just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Monsoon working the head with strikes.
Rodrigues is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rodrigues is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monsoon is looking to take a break and control but Rodrigues is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monsoon working the body and head with strikes.
Rodrigues is trying to improve his position.
Monsoon lands a few punches from side control.
Monsoon is looking to take a break and control but Rodrigues is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monsoon grinds an elbow into Rodrigues's temple.

That's four 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.
Rodrigues takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Monsoon cracks Rodrigues with a big elbow.
Rodrigues tries to buck Monsoon off but Monsoon is having none of it.
Monsoon working the ground and pound.
Rodrigues struggling a bit here.
Rodrigues is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Monsoon asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Monsoon trying to control the position but Rodrigues is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Monsoon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Monsoon 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Monsoon!