PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josh Rodriguez (ranked 5453 p4p, 5575 weight class) and Jose Souza (ranked 578 p4p, 586 weight class). Jose Souza struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 187.0lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Josh Rodriguez looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Rodriguez
vs
Souza

183 cm
25
183
0 - 1 - 0

187 cm
25
198
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Josh Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Souza!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Topper Green and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Souza shapes to counter with a head kick.
Souza looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rodriguez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Souza looks for a takedown but Rodriguez sprawls well.
Rodriguez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Souza pinned against the cage. Souza gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Souza tries a head kick but it misses.
Souza throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza looks for a takedown but Rodriguez sprawls well.

Souza darts in and clinches Rodriguez up against the cage.

Souza gets control of Rodriguez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Souza will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez prevents Souza from getting back to his feet.
Rodriguez is looking to pass into half guard but Souza pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Souza is in guard.

Souza trying to control but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Souza decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rodriguez, up you get!
Rodriguez slaps away a takedown attempt from Souza, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Josh Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Souza.

Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Souza napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rodriguez definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez trying to control the action but Souza is working from the bottom.
Rodriguez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Souza on the ground.
Souza wants to control but Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez trying to control the action but Souza is working from the bottom.
Souza regains half guard.
Souza moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza trying to control the position.
Rodriguez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Souza manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodriguez manages to get himself to full guard.

Souza 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 keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza stands up from Rodriguez's guard - Souza perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rodriguez tries a head kick but it misses.
Souza tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rodriguez sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Souza somewhat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rodriguez sprawls well. Rodriguez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
Rodriguez is looking to counter with a body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Souza dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Souza clinches up with Rodriguez and pushes him back against the cage.

Souza breaks from the clinch.

Souza has taken the fight to the clinch.

Souza is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Rodriguez can't fight it off and eventually Souza manages to take the fight to the floor. Rodriguez looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza sitting in guard here, content to control.
Souza wants to control from the top but Rodriguez keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Souza passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rodriguez wants to improve his position but Souza is controlling well.
Jose Souza has got the better of the ground game so far.
Souza trying to control the action but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Souza thows a huge punch but Rodriguez dodges it nicely.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Rodriguez stuffs the takedown.

Souza looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Souza passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Rodriguez!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Souza.

Souza throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Rodriguez has his hands clasped together but Souza breaks the hold and Rodriguez is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Souza!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jose Souza!