PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Mike (ranked 4270 p4p, 5432 weight class) and Lopez Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez Rodriguez is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Mike
vs
Rodriguez

183 cm
18
155
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
150
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Mike!
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, Lopez Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Frank Dennis and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodriguez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mike to the mat! Mike manages to get full guard.
Mike will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rodriguez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rodriguez looking to pass the guard.
Rodriguez content to stall in guard here.
Rodriguez wants to control from the top but Mike keeps moving.
Mike manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rodriguez manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mike stopping the sweep attempt from Rodriguez.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mike wants to get up but he can't break Rodriguez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
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 content to control rather than advance.
Mike tries to get to full guard but Rodriguez has control of the leg.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, if Rodriguez is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Mike trying to control but Rodriguez postures up.
Mike is trying to get back to full guard.
Mike is refusing to be controlled, as Rodriguez sits in half guard.
Rodriguez wants to free his trapped foot but Mike is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mike is looking to control Rodriguez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mike avoid being mounted?

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mike checks a leg kick.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Mike swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Mike throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rodriguez was covering up waiting for the punch and Mike finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Mike got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rodriguez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mike has managed to get both his arms back between Rodriguez's legs - danger averted.
Rodriguez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mike trying to control but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Mike wanted to stand there but Rodriguez had control of the position.

Rodriguez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mike doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mike manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rodriguez wants to sweep here but Mike controlling him for the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lopez Rodriguez dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Mike shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mike showed some decent athleticism there.
Rodriguez wants to stand back up but Mike manages to pass into side control.
Rodriguez manages to get back to half guard.
Mike trying to pass the guard but Rodriguez defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rodriguez wants to get back to full guard but Mike has mounted him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mike controlling from mount.
Rodriguez gets back to half guard.
Mike trying to control the action but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Rodriguez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Rodriguez trying to hold on to Mike's head to control him but Mike postures up.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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.
Mike prevents Rodriguez from improving his position.
Mike is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rodriguez wants to control but Mike is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rodriguez is trying to stand up here but Mike is controlling him well.
Rodriguez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Rodriguez is controlling Mike's trapped leg to prevent Mike from advancing to side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Mike changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rodriguez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Mike is working for a submission of some sort.
Rodriguez is controlling Mike's trapped leg to prevent Mike from advancing to side control.
Rodriguez trying to control but Mike postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Mike takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rodriguez trying to hold on to Mike's head to control him but Mike postures up.
Mike missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rodriguez desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rodriguez trying to hold on to Mike's head to control him but Mike postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodriguez is staying active underneath Mike, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Mike dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rodriguez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mike defends well and Rodriguez ends up having to push Mike into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Mike shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Mike showed some decent athleticism there.
Rodriguez wants to control but Mike is keeping busy.

Mike is working for a submission of some sort.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez trying to control from the bottom.

Mike is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Rodriguez gets full guard.
Rodriguez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mike pushing down on Rodriguez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Jimmy Mike overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rodriguez trying to control from the bottom.
Rodriguez is pressing down on Mike's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mike throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
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 scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rodriguez tries to pass to full mount but Mike defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez controlling the action here.
Rodriguez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Mike is looking to control Rodriguez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mike avoid being mounted?

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Mike shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mike pulls his head out easily.
Rodriguez is looking for a sweep. Mike is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Mike looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Mike sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rodriguez defending well though.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jimmy Mike.
I think Mike has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Lopez Rodriguez!