PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Rodriguez (ranked 3833 p4p, 5034 weight class) and Ludko Struja Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Struja Jr has chosen Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M. as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rodriguez
vs
Struja Jr

190 cm
29
220
12 - 12 - 0

192 cm
21
212
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Brooklyn Threads

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 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nick Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ludko Struja Jr!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Struja Jr jabs at Rodriguez's body.
Ludko Struja Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Struja Jr throws a big shot that misses.
Rodriguez throwing a counter right hand but Struja Jr manages to avoid it.
Struja Jr comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Struja Jr has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Rodriguez is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Good exchange - Struja Jr coming out on top.
Struja Jr avoids the body shot from Rodriguez.
Struja Jr now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Struja Jr misses with a double jab.

Struja Jr looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rodriguez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Rodriguez has his foot on Struja Jr's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Struja Jr works his way back into a safe position though.
Struja Jr makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Struja Jr postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Struja Jr connects with a couple of short punches.
Struja Jr distracts Rodriguez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez controls Struja Jr momentarily but Struja Jr frees himself.
Struja Jr preventing the sweep.
Rodriguez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rodriguez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rodriguez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Struja Jr is looking to improve his position.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Struja Jr keeps working.
Struja Jr tries to roll over but Rodriguez keeps him under control.
Rodriguez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Struja Jr knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rodriguez is trying to control the action in half guard but Struja Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Struja Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Struja Jr trying to control from the bottom.
Struja Jr missing with punches from the bottom.
Struja Jr wants to improve his position but Rodriguez is controlling well.
Rodriguez is taking a breather. Struja Jr says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Rodriguez passes the guard and advances to mount!
Struja Jr regains half guard.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Struja Jr keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodriguez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rodriguez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Struja Jr's head.
Struja Jr wants to get back to full guard.
Rodriguez trying to control from half guard but Struja Jr is working away.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rodriguez connects with a nice short shot to Struja Jr's temple.
Rodriguez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rodriguez is trying to control the action in half guard but Struja Jr is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rodriguez 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.
Struja Jr is trying to maintain the position but Rodriguez is very close to passing his half guard.
Rodriguez trying to pass the guard but Struja Jr defending well.
Rodriguez is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez trying to control the action but Struja Jr is working from the bottom.
Struja Jr wants to control but Rodriguez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Struja Jr slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Struja Jr looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Struja Jr is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rodriguez defends well.
Rodriguez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Struja Jr trying to control the position.
Rodriguez landing with the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ludko Struja Jr will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Struja Jr lands with a nice combination. Rodriguez backs away looking to recover.
Struja Jr swings widly with a right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez moves away from the strike by Struja Jr.
Rodriguez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Struja Jr slips under a jab.
Struja Jr missing with a left hand there. Rodriguez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Struja Jr takes one on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Struja Jr throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rodriguez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Struja Jr throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rodriguez. Struja Jr does a little dance to reset his feet.
Struja Jr with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Struja Jr works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Rodriguez avoids the body shot from Struja Jr.
Rodriguez appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Struja Jr drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Struja Jr throws a strike aimed at the side of Rodriguez's head but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Rodriguez tries to buck Struja Jr off but Struja Jr is having none of it.
Struja Jr is putting a hurting on Rodriguez here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ludko Struja Jr has got the better of the ground game so far.

Struja Jr is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rodriguez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rodriguez is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Struja Jr working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Struja Jr wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rodriguez is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Sloppy strikes there by Struja Jr.
Rodriguez is not content to let Struja Jr control the position.
Rodriguez taking a bit of punishment here - Struja Jr scoring with strikes.
Struja Jr is looking to take a break and control but Rodriguez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rodriguez gets back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Struja Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Rodriguez wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Struja Jr has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Rodriguez has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Struja Jr can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Struja Jr lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Struja Jr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Struja Jr stands up over Rodriguez, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Struja Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodriguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Struja Jr passes Rodriguez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rodriguez trying to hold on to Struja Jr's head to control him but Struja Jr postures up.
Rodriguez is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Struja Jr takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Struja Jr working over Rodriguez with some ground and pound. Rodriguez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rodriguez works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rodriguez has momentary wrist control but Struja Jr slips an elbow through the middle.

Rodriguez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Struja Jr wants to control from the top but Rodriguez keeps moving.
Struja Jr cracks Rodriguez with a solid left hand.
Rodriguez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ludko Struja Jr 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!

Nice defenses there by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez slips a jab from Struja Jr.
Struja Jr dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rodriguez throws a body punch but Struja Jr moves out of range.
Struja Jr looks to score with a jab to the body but Rodriguez is just out of range.
Struja Jr misses with a shot to the body
and Rodriguez counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Struja Jr gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rodriguez counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Struja Jr throws a right hand that Rodriguez ducks under and follows up with a left that Rodriguez also avoids with ease.
Struja Jr throws an off balance right hand
and Rodriguez counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rodriguez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Struja Jr.
Rodriguez was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Struja Jr fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rodriguez manages to avoid it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Struja Jr.
Donk. Struja Jr catches Rodriguez right on the button with a cross.
Rodriguez misses with a body shot
letting Struja Jr counter with a right hand.
Rodriguez moves out of range as Struja Jr strikes.
Rodriguez lands a two punch combo.
Struja Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rodriguez moves away.
Rodriguez looks to throw the jab but Struja Jr is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a poor cross that misses
and Struja Jr counters with a nice body shot.
Struja Jr lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A jab from Struja Jr finds it's way through Rodriguez's defenses.
Struja Jr connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rodriguez's hands.
Struja Jr uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rodriguez has time to react.
Struja Jr connects with a body shot that sends Rodriguez's belly button to the back.
Struja Jr lands with an overhand left.
Rodriguez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Struja Jr sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Struja Jr throws a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Rodriguez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rodriguez jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rodriguez defending well as Struja Jr loads up on a big left hand.
Rodriguez was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Struja Jr scores with a crisp jab that stopped Rodriguez in his tracks.
Rodriguez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Rodriguez throws a shot from downtown. Struja Jr moves away and avoids it.
Struja Jr pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ludko Struja Jr seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Struja Jr shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rodriguez counters with a nice uppercut.
Rodriguez slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Struja Jr tries to bum rush Rodriguez with a series of wild strikes but Rodriguez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Struja Jr lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Struja Jr throws a lazy right hand but Rodriguez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Rodriguez on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ludko Struja Jr is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Struja Jr scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Struja Jr connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Struja Jr gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rodriguez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nick Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ludko Struja Jr.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rodriguez missing with a left hand there. Struja Jr was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nick Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Left hook, right uppercut from Struja Jr.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ludko Struja Jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Struja Jr has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ludko Struja Jr!
Ludko Struja Jr decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.