PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Harper (ranked 2740 p4p, 3664 weight class) and Pablo Rodriguez (ranked 275 p4p, 321 weight class). Harper comes into the arena with Al Compás De Mi Caballo blaring out of the sound system. 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.

Harper
vs
Rodriguez

168 cm
27
150
13 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
150
13 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Miguel Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Pablo Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Wagner Zegers and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper lands with an uppercut that bounces Rodriguez off the cage and back into range.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Harper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rodriguez circles away.
Rodriguez avoids the body shot from Harper.
Rodriguez shapes to counter with a head kick.
Harper throws a body punch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.
Harper digs a good hook to Rodriguez's body.
Harper shoots for a double leg takedown but Rodriguez sprawls well. He's pushed Harper's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Horrible takedown attempt by Harper or perhaps it was just good defense by Rodriguez, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Harper or perhaps it was just good defense by Rodriguez, which made it look bad.
Rodriguez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Harper lands a nice shot to the body.
Harper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rodriguez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.
Rodriguez has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Harper punishes Rodriguez's body with a nice straight punch.
Harper lands a nice hook to Rodriguez's body. Rodriguez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Harper scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rodriguez circles away.
Harper shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rodriguez throws a big counter head kick but Harper avoids it with no problem.
Harper throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Harper swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rodriguez counters with a head kick.
Pablo Rodriguez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harper shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rodriguez pinned against the cage. Rodriguez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
Rodriguez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harper throws out the jab.
Rodriguez raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Harper throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Harper throws a body shot but no joy.
Harper throws a body punch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.
Harper scores with a jab to the head.
A jab from Harper finds it's way through Rodriguez's defenses.
Good exchange - Harper coming out on top.
Harper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rodriguez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Harper fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper throws a body shot but no joy.
Harper takes a swing at Rodriguez's ribcage but misses.
Harper throws a hook to the side of Rodriguez's head but Rodriguez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
Rodriguez stuffs the takedown.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
Harper scores with a shot to the body.
Rodriguez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Harper.
Rodriguez raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Harper changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rodriguez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harper throws out the jab.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Harper.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Harper dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rodriguez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rodriguez throws a big counter head kick but Harper avoids it with no problem.
Harper definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rodriguez slips a jab from Harper.
Rodriguez shapes to counter with a head kick.
Rodriguez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Harper.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.
Harper misses with a looping left.
Harper moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromRodriguez.
Harper throws an overhand right that lands on Rodriguez's shoulder, as Rodriguez tries to avoid the shot.
Harper misses with a straight right.
Rodriguez shapes to counter with a head kick.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Rodriguez might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Harper has got the better of the exchanges.
Rodriguez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez ducks under a wild hook from Harper.
Rodriguez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.

Harper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rodriguez is trying to maintain the position but Harper is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rodriguez wants to control but Harper is keeping busy.
Harper not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rodriguez is holding on to half guard well.
Rodriguez is looking to control Harper's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rodriguez avoid being mounted?
Rodriguez is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rodriguez is continuing to stall.
Harper prevents Rodriguez from improving his position.
Rodriguez trying to control from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Rodriguez is pressing down on Harper's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rodriguez is pulling down on Harper's head to control his posture.
Harper trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Harper ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez moves away from the strike by Harper.
Rodriguez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Harper jabs at Rodriguez's body.
Harper shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rodriguez raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Rodriguez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Harper.
Rodriguez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Harper swings for the body but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Harper tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rodriguez defends well and Harper ends up having to push Rodriguez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rodriguez shapes to counter with a head kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez lands with a right to the head.
Harper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rodriguez as Harper tries to tie him up.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper lands with a left to the head.
Rodriguez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rodriguez lands a right hand.
Harper blocks an uppercut.
Harper gets through Rodriguez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rodriguez has a couple of punches blocked by Harper.
Harper is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rodriguez is defending well.
Rodriguez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rodriguez lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harper scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Harper has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rodriguez after a bit of a struggle.

Harper lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Harper trying to control the action but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Harper is thwarting Rodriguez's attempts to control the position.
Rodriguez keeps control of the position for the meantime.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Harper dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Harper works the jab nicely.
Nice body punch from Harper.
Harper swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Harper dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Harper comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper loads up on a big right hand but Rodriguez slips the punch.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
Harper is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rodriguez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rodriguez looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Harper is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rodriguez can do to turn this around?
Rodriguez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper misses with a hook. Rodriguez ducked under it nicely.
Rodriguez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Harper throws a body punch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Rodriguez raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Harper connects with the punch.
Harper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rodriguez but Rodriguez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rodriguez is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Harper lands with an uppercut that bounces Rodriguez off the cage and back into range.
Harper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rodriguez circles away.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper scores with a nice head shot.
Miguel Harper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rodriguez looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Rodriguez slips a jab from Harper.
Rodriguez shapes to counter with a head kick.
Pablo Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harper shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rodriguez looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Miguel Harper is winning the standup battle so far.
Harper misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws a fast counter high kick but Harper manages to duck under it in time.
Rodriguez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Harper slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Harper changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rodriguez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rodriguez wants to control but Harper postures up.
Rodriguez tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez being controlled for a moment.
Rodriguez stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Rodriguez prevents Harper from moving into mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez can't do much from the bottom here.
Rodriguez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Harper trying to control from half guard but Rodriguez is working away.
Rodriguez trying to control here.
Rodriguez keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Harper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rodriguez has his hands clasped together around Harper's back. He's all about the action.
Rodriguez wants to control but Harper is keeping busy.
Rodriguez is controlling Harper's trapped leg to prevent Harper from advancing to side control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Rodriguez trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harper fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.

Harper looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Rodriguez!

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Harper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harper, 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

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