PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodolfo Mcclain (ranked 5302 p4p, 5145 weight class) and Lars Gunnar Ekberg (ranked 515 p4p, 507 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mcclain
vs
Ekberg

190 cm
19
220
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
19
210
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rodolfo Mcclain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lars Gunnar Ekberg!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Jonathan Paton and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mcclain throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Ekberg shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ekberg controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mcclain looking to control.
Ekberg is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ekberg stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mcclain swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ekberg controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekberg looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mcclain working for a triangle but Ekberg defends it easily.

Ekberg is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mcclain is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mcclain has escaped and now he's on top!

Mcclain looking to sit in guard and control but Ekberg gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcclain trying to control the position.
Ekberg is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Mcclain seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Mcclain trying to control the position.
Ekberg wants to pass the guard but Mcclain is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekberg content to stall in guard here.
Ekberg is pushing down on Mcclain's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mcclain is fighting to maintain full guard but Ekberg has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ekberg is looking to advance position but Mcclain won't allow it.
Ekberg is controlling the pace.
Ekberg trying to mount his opponent but Mcclain defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lars Gunnar Ekberg seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Ekberg darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ekberg slows the pace down in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mcclain regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Ekberg.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Gunnar Ekberg dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ekberg has his takedown stuffed
and Mcclain counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Ekberg is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A good leg kick by Mcclain.
Mcclain is looking to slow Ekberg down with leg kicks.
Ekberg pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mcclain takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Ekberg should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Mcclain takes one to the chin there.

It looks like Rodolfo Mcclain has been cut.
Lars Gunnar Ekberg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ekberg throws a combination that misses
and Mcclain counters with a good low kick that Ekberg was not able to check.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekberg doesn't manage to clinch there - Mcclain circles away.
Ekberg cracks Mcclain with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Ekberg has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ekberg misses with a combination
and Mcclain makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcclain tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ekberg with the counter takedown but Mcclain avoids it easily.

Ekberg instigates a clinch.
Mcclain tries to land a knee to the head but Ekberg blocks with his arms.
Mcclain has had enough of the clinch but Ekberg keeps him there for the moment.
Mcclain tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ekberg avoids it.
Ekberg changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mcclain fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Ekberg closes the distance and pushes Mcclain back into the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ekberg takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ekberg wants to get back to striking at distance but Mcclain won't allow it.
Mcclain tries to land a knee to the head but Ekberg blocks with his arms.
Mcclain stops a takedown attempt from Ekberg.
Rodolfo Mcclain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lars Gunnar Ekberg.
Ekberg on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Mcclain stops a takedown attempt from Ekberg.
Mcclain tries to land a knee to the head but Ekberg blocks with his arms.
Mcclain misses with a knee strike.
Ekberg is trying to break the clinch but Mcclain is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcclain wants to stall.

Ekberg works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ekberg is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Ekberg passes Mcclain's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ekberg not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ekberg moves into full mount! Mcclain won't be happy about that!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekberg dominating with strikes here.
Ekberg raining down hammerfists from mount.
Ekberg controlling from mount.
Mcclain tries to hold on but Ekberg postures up.
Ekberg thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ekberg swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Mcclain is now in Ekberg's guard. A big mistake from Ekberg there, giving up the dominant position!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lars Gunnar Ekberg will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Rodolfo Mcclain's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mcclain leaves Ekberg with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Mcclain half committed to a counter leg kick.
Ekberg blocks a head kick by Mcclain.
Ekberg misses with an uppercut
and Mcclain counters with an outside leg kick.
Ekberg swings widly with a right hand
and Mcclain counters with a low kick, right behind Ekberg 's knee.
Mcclain with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Ekberg moves into the clinch.
Ekberg can't get the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mcclain gets underhooks to prevent Ekberg's takedown attempt.
Rodolfo Mcclain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lars Gunnar Ekberg.
Mcclain prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ekberg wants to break free but Mcclain has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ekberg tightens his grip and picks Mcclain up, before dumping him to the ground. Mcclain manages to land in guard.
Mcclain tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Mcclain looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lars Gunnar Ekberg has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ekberg won't allow Mcclain to get back to his feet.
Ekberg trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mcclain keeping moving, preventing Ekberg from controlling successfully.
Ekberg slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Nice takedown defense from Mcclain. No joy for Ekberg on that attempt.
Mcclain is looking to counter with a body kick.
Mcclain turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Mcclain. Ekberg shrugs it off though.
Ekberg swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Mcclain lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Ekberg misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekberg jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rodolfo Mcclain is winning the standup battle so far.
Ekberg misses with a lunging right hand
and Mcclain counters with a nice body kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Mcclain.
Ekberg throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mcclain connects with a high kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Mcclain.
Ekberg tries to close the distance and clinch but Mcclain swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mcclain tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Ekberg manages to circle out of the way.
Ekberg shoots in looking for a takedown. Mcclain tries to sprawl out of it but Ekberg keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mcclain manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekberg tries to clinch up but Mcclain circles away and keeps his distance.
A thudding body kick lands there by Mcclain!
Mcclain fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ekberg.

Ekberg shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mcclain is defending against the submission attempts here by Ekberg.
Mcclain is looking to control Ekberg's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mcclain avoid being mounted?

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodolfo Mcclain showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ekberg has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lars Gunnar Ekberg!