PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lunchbag Rodriguez (ranked 2621 p4p, 2777 weight class) and Valto Joki (ranked 300 p4p, 316 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rodriguez
vs
Joki

195 cm
20
215
4 - 2 - 0

187 cm
20
216
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

BANZAI NUTRITION

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lunchbag Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Valto Joki!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Bruno Lombardi and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joki with a hook.
Joki thuds his shin into the meat of Rodriguez's side.
Joki throws a hook to the side of Rodriguez's head but Rodriguez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rodriguez has his takedown stuffed
and Joki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Joki dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Joki fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rodriguez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Joki pinned against the cage. Joki gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joki bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Rodriguez has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lunchbag Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Joki connects with a body shot.
Rodriguez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rodriguez misses with a takedown
and Joki counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Joki slips under a jab from Rodriguez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joki thuds a left hand into Rodriguez's body.
Rodriguez throws a right hand that misses
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Joki tests Rodriguez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rodriguez takes a jab right on the kisser.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joki ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rodriguez moves away.
A swing and a miss from Rodriguez.
Joki scores with a leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Joki.
Rodriguez slips under a jab from Joki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez misses with an uppercut
and Joki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rodriguez chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Joki can pounce on him.
Rodriguez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Joki sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rodriguez somewhat.
Rodriguez throws a sloppy head kick and Joki moves out of range easily.
Joki is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Rodriguez had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Joki misses with a head kick.
Joki throws a leg kick which misses Rodriguez's front leg but catches the back leg as Rodriguez tries to avoid it.
Rodriguez has his takedown stuffed
enabling Joki to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Rodriguez misses
and Joki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rodriguez tries to move into range but Joki moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Rodriguez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Joki has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
Valto Joki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Joki fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Rodriguez on the side of the head.
Joki throws a nice outside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joki throws out a loose jab but Rodriguez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rodriguez defending well as Joki loads up on a big left hand.
Joki lands a jab.
Rodriguez misses with a lunging right hand
and Joki counters with a slapping leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valto Joki dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rodriguez misses the jab.
Valto Joki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Joki works the jab nicely.
Rodriguez shoots for a takedown but Joki saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Joki lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Rodriguez takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Rodriguez throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rodriguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Joki stuffs the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joki listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Rodriguez might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Joki jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rodriguez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rodriguez walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joki throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rodriguez wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Joki swinging wildly here.
Joki cracks Rodriguez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Nice defenses there by Rodriguez.
Joki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rodriguez on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Joki loads up on a big right hand but Rodriguez slips the punch.
Rodriguez thows a leg kick but Joki checks it
and Joki counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodriguez darts in looking for a takedown but Joki gets double underhooks and turns Rodriguez into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lunchbag Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is trying to force a seperation but Joki has the dominant position.
Joki lands a hook that snaps the head of Rodriguez backwards.

Joki breaks the clinch.
Rodriguez throws an off balance right hand
and Joki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rodriguez takes a jab right on the kisser.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joki just misses with a punch to the body.
Joki throws a hook to the side of Rodriguez's head but Rodriguez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A nice leg kick from Joki, right into the meat of the thigh.
Rodriguez takes a jab right on the kisser.
Rodriguez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Joki throws out the jab.
Valto Joki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joki feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rodriguezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Joki paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Joki misses the jab.
Rodriguez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Joki sprawls and moves away.
Rodriguez takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Joki fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Rodriguez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Rodriguez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Joki counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rodriguez doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Joki counters with a one-two to the body.
A slow jab from Joki misses its intended target.
Rodriguez swings widly with a right hand
and Joki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Joki digs a good body shot into Rodriguez's ribs.
Joki throws the left hand but Rodriguez avoids the punch easily.
Rodriguez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Joki.
Joki scores with a hook to the body. Rodriguez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rodriguez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Joki.
Rodriguez tries to counter with a takedown but Joki is quick to defend against it.
Rodriguez ducks under a wild hook from Joki.
Rodriguez half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Rodriguez looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Joki lands a body shot.
The crowd cheers as Joki lands an impressive looking overhand right. Rodriguez doesn't seem phased though.
Nice uppercut lands for Joki. That snapped Rodriguez's head back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valto Joki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rodriguez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Joki.
Rodriguez attempts a counter takedown but Joki avoids it well and moves away.
Joki just misses with a punch to the body.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rodriguez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Joki lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rodriguez's sensitive parts.
Jab from Joki.
Joki staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joki smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Jab by Joki.
Joki pushes Rodriguez away with a front kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joki jabs Rodriguez right on the nose. Rodriguez blinks but takes it well.
Rodriguez misses with a left hand
and Joki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Rodriguez is rocked!
Rodriguez with a poor takedown

and Joki counters with a nice right hand that sends Rodriguez toppling to the canvas! Rodriguez scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Joki finish him?!
Oh Rodriguez is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Joki lands a leg kick that knocks Rodriguez off balance momentarily.
Joki throws an overhand right that drops Rodriguez like a sack of potatoes! Joki dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Valto Joki!