PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Carioni (ranked 300 p4p, 378 weight class) and Bofur Widenose (ranked 35 p4p, 44 weight class). Rodrigo Carioni had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Carioni
vs
Widenose

188 cm
29
202
15 - 9 - 0

150 cm
32
185
26 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Fast

NARCOS
Brooklyn Apothecary

Conviction
Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

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 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rodrigo Carioni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bofur Widenose!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carioni throws a hook to the side of Widenose's head but Widenose sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Widenose tries to clinch but Carioni moves out of range.
Carioni throws a lazy uppercut

and Widenose counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Carioni!
Widenose with the ground and pound but Carioni regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

Widenose is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Carioni defends it well.
Widenose missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Widenose is looking to advance position but Carioni won't allow it.
Carioni is trying to stand back up but Widenose is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Widenose sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Carioni defending well though.
Widenose is looking to advance position but Carioni won't allow it.
Carioni is trying to stand up here but Widenose is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Widenose misses with a head shot. Carioni uses the momentum to regain guard.
Widenose throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Carioni works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

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.
Carioni keeping full guard, as Widenose tries to pass.
Carioni will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Widenose lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Carioni keeping moving, preventing Widenose from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Widenose fails in his attempt to clinch.
Carioni with a hook.
Widenose slips under a jab.
Widenose feints the counter takedown.
Carioni misses with a hook.
Widenose with the counter takedown but Carioni avoids it easily.
Widenose slips a straight right by Carioni.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carioni pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
And Widenose tries to counter it with a takedown but Carioni pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Widenose clinches.
Widenose looking for a takedown.
Widenose is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Carioni pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Carioni prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodrigo Carioni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bofur Widenose.
Carioni tries to circle away but Widenose has him pinned against the cage.
Carioni is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Widenose gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Widenose has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Carioni looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Widenose throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Carioni to regain full guard.
Carioni wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Widenose manages to pass to side control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Widenose lands a nice short elbow.

Widenose is working for a submission of some sort.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Widenose looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bofur Widenose will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Carioni digs a good hook to Widenose's body.
Carioni looks to score with a jab to the body but Widenose is just out of range.
Widenose tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Widenose uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Carioni.
Carioni misses with a looping left.
And Widenose tries to counter it with a takedown but Carioni pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Widenose fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Some wild striking there from Carioni.
And Widenose tries to counter it with a takedown but Carioni pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Carioni lands a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Widenose uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carioni.
And Widenose tries to counter it with a takedown but Carioni pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Widenose keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Carioni.

Widenose fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Carioni, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carioni escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rodrigo Carioni is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Widenose slips a jab from Carioni.
Carioni jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Carioni is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Widenose can do to turn this around?
Carioni misses with a looping left.
A big left from Carioni misses.
Carioni cracks Widenose with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Widenose darts in and clinches Carioni up against the cage.

Widenose gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Widenose not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Carioni is looking to escape.
Widenose is trying to control the action in half guard but Carioni is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Widenose with the ground and pound but Carioni uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Carioni wants to stand and escape but Widenose is having none of it.
Widenose with a flurry of punches that miss.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Widenose passes Carioni's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Bofur Widenose has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Widenose thows a huge punch but Carioni dodges it nicely.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Widenose working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Widenose trying to control the pace.
Widenose is looking to take a break and control but Carioni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carioni wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Carioni scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Carioni throws a poor cross that misses

and Widenose decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carioni's guard.
Widenose wants to control from the top but Carioni keeps moving.
Widenose prevents Carioni from getting back to his feet.
Carioni avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Widenose lands a couple of digs.
Widenose stops Carioni from standing up.
Widenose wants to control from the top but Carioni keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Widenose fails in his attempt to clinch.
Carioni misses with a hook. Widenose ducked under it nicely.
Widenose with the counter takedown but Carioni avoids it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Widenose scores with a takedown into Carioni's guard.

Carioni pushes Widenose off and gets back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Carioni dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Carioni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Carioni lands a jab.
Carioni throws out a loose jab but Widenose uses good head movement to avoid it.
Widenose feints the counter takedown.
Widenose shoots for a takedown but Carioni saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Widenose is trying hard to land a takedown here. Carioni sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Carioni throws an off balance right hand

and Widenose counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Carioni is trying to escape back to his feet but Widenose uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Widenose.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Widenose tries to advance to mount but can't.
Widenose is working Carioni over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Widenose is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Carioni knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Widenose throwing strikes but Carioni manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Widenose tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Carioni wants to stand but Widenose has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Widenose is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Widenose trying to control the position.
Carioni trying to stand up but can't free himself from Widenose's guard.

Widenose is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Carioni is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Widenose escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Carioni gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Carioni has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Widenose working for submissions but it's allowed Carioni to get to half guard.
Widenose trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Widenose is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Widenose is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Carioni stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Widenose showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Carioni.
Carioni misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Widenose.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Carioni looks to land a left hand but Widenose moved out of range nicely.
Carioni throws an overhand right that lands on Widenose's shoulder, as Widenose tries to avoid the shot.
Carioni scores with a jab to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodrigo Carioni showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Carioni 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rodrigo Carioni!
A relieved looking Rodrigo Carioni thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.