PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between shaun london (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dusty Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rhodes has chosen Freebird as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

london
vs
Rhodes

179 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
259 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Crocodile Steak and Ale House

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, shaun london!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dusty Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

london shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than london was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rhodes 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.
Rhodes working to try and regain half guard.
Rhodes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rhodes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rhodes can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rhodes blocking the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
london tries to control but Rhodes wriggling away.
london has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
london thowing shots but they're missing.
Rhodes can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes suckers london into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! Rhodes is now in london's guard!
Rhodes with a nice head shot there.
london controls Rhodes momentarily but Rhodes frees himself.
Rhodes throwing strikes but missing.
Rhodes postures up.
Rhodes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rhodes looking to pass the guard.
Rhodes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
london lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rhodes!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
london tries to control but Rhodes wriggling away.
london is looking to work his way around to Rhodes's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
london trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rhodes doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Rhodes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with london. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
london trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of london's lack of action.
london throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Rhodes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rhodes wants to control but london is keeping him busy.
london trying to hold on to Rhodes's head to control him but Rhodes postures up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rhodes connects with a nice short shot to london's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes throwing shots but london is blocking nicely.
Rhodes is thwarting london's attempts to control the position.
london is staying active underneath Rhodes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rhodes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
london manages to get to full guard.
london keeping moving, preventing Rhodes from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
london looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rhodes puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rhodes fakes the leg kick and cracks london in the body.
Dusty Rhodes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - london looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rhodes has london up against the cage in a clinch.
london throws a head punch that misses.
Rhodes trying to land knees to the body.
Rhodes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like shaun london has been cut.
Rhodes prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rhodes crunches a lovely knee into london's ribcage.
Rhodes scores with a knee to the head.
Rhodes lands a damaging elbow.
Rhodes misses with a knee to the head.
Rhodes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Rhodes lands an elbow inside.
Rhodes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
london is looking to control Rhodes's arms but Rhodes gets an underhook and turns him. Now london has his back to the cage.
Rhodes lands an elbow that stopped london in his tracks for a moment.
Rhodes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rhodes lands a damaging elbow.
Rhodes taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Rhodes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Rhodes.
Rhodes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rhodes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rhodes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

shaun london's cut is getting worse.
london takes an elbow to the forehead.

Rhodes is trying to trip london. He has hold of a leg but london is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rhodes persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
london is looking to stand up but Rhodes isn't so interested in that idea.
Rhodes scoring with some ground and pound.
london wants to stand but Rhodes is controlling the position.
Rhodes with a nice head shot there.
london being controlled here, momentarily.

Rhodes got a little sloppy there for a moment and london has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rhodes has managed to get both his arms back between london's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of london's head.
Rhodes lands a couple of digs.
london keeping moving, preventing Rhodes from controlling successfully.
Rhodes won't allow london to sweep him here.
Rhodes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rhodes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rhodes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now london is on top in guard.
london trying to control but Rhodes is working from the bottom.
Rhodes seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

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.
london wants to control from the top but Rhodes keeps moving.
Rhodes looking for a sweep. Not yet Rhodes, not yet.
london looking to pass the guard.
london trying to control but Rhodes is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rhodes misses with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dusty Rhodes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on shaun london's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

london avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Rhodes darts in and clinches london up against the cage.
Rhodes working london over with knees to the body.
london takes an elbow to the temple.
london is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rhodes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
london tries to land a knee to the head but Rhodes blocks with his arms.
Rhodes scores with a shot to the side of london's head.
Rhodes lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
london's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
london takes an elbow to the forehead.
london takes a knee right on the jaw!
Rhodes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rhodes comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

shaun london's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Rhodes crunches a lovely knee into london's ribcage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rhodes has london pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rhodes pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending london tumbling to the mat - Rhodes dives into london's guard.

london pushes Rhodes off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
london shoots for a takedown but Rhodes saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Rhodes clinches up against the cage.
Rhodes with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
london tries to pull guard but Rhodes holds him up against the cage and eventually london drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for shaun london. That's going to take a lot out of him.
london takes an elbow to the temple.
london wants a takedown but no success here.
Rhodes creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through london's defenses.
Rhodes lands a knee to the head.
london blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rhodes lands a nice elbow.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rhodes.
Rhodes unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Rhodes has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed london clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Rhodes lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
london trying to control the position but Rhodes manages to sink in the hooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is taking a good look at london as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Rhodes!
london looking very determined here, making life difficult for Rhodes.
Rhodes cracks london with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing london from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Rhodes is punishing london with strikes - can he finish him?!
Rhodes is not going to allow london to sit and survive in this position.
Rhodes scores with punches from the back.
london trying to control the hands but Rhodes breaks the grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Rhodes. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
london covers up after that shot from Rhodes.
london looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Rhodes is landing with strikes from the back.
london looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Rhodes connects with a big shot to the side of london's head.
london trying to control the hands but Rhodes won't let him.
Dusty Rhodes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rhodes has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of london's body.
london trying to control the hands but Rhodes breaks the grip.
london rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
london won't allow Rhodes to pass to mount.
shaun london has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rhodes winds up and cracks london with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dusty Rhodes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rhodes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dusty Rhodes!