PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hito Rama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hito Rama has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rama
vs
Rhodes

188 cm
18
215 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
210 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Non-Stop Nutrition
Non-Stop 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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hito Rama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tony Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rama moves out of range as Rhodes throws a body kick.
Rama ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rhodes moves away.
Rama misses with a series of wild punches.
Rama fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rhodes swats away the attempt to clinch by Rama.

Rama gets caught flat footed, as Rhodes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rhodes wants to pass the guard but Rama is keeping the position.
Rhodes preventing the sweep.

Rama keeping busy on the bottom but Rhodes has passed one foot through into half guard.
Rhodes wants to stand up but Rama is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rama avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Rhodes.
Rama is looking to improve his position.
Rama wants to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Rhodes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rhodes prevents Rama from standing back up.

Rama looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rhodes wants to work for an arm triangle but Rama is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rama is looking to improve his position.
Rhodes wants to pass the guard but Rama is defending well.
Rhodes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rama keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes stands up from half guard.
Rama swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rama doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rhodes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rama won't be happy with that.
Rama is looking to regain half guard here but Rhodes keeps moving and retains side control.

Rhodes tries for a kimura but Rama is defending well.
Rhodes looks gassed!
Rama is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rama is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rama sneaks back into half guard.
Rhodes trying to control from half guard but Rama is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rama doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Rhodes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hito Rama. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rama throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rhodes escapes and throws Rama's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Rhodes passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Rama!
Rhodes dominating with strikes here.
Rama wants to hold on but Rhodes pushes him away.
Rama sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rama keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Rhodes stands up out of the half guard.
Rama misses with a takedown attempt

and Rhodes counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rhodes trying to control but Rama is working from the bottom.
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 is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Rama looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rhodes postures up and lands a big shot to Rama's brow.
Rhodes forces his way into half guard.
Rhodes trying to pass the guard but Rama defending well.

Rama looking for submissions off his back.

Rama looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rhodes slows the pace down in half guard.
Rama is pressing down on Rhodes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Rhodes dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rama tries for a takedown but Rhodes circles away easily

and Rhodes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rhodes controlling the action here.
Rhodes works his way into side control.
Rama is trying to control Rhodes's posture but Rhodes avoids it.
Rhodes wants to control but Rama is keeping him busy.
Rhodes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Rama wants to get back to his feet.

Rhodes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rama shoots and misses

and Rhodes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rama's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rama is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rama working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Rhodes has passed into half guard!

Rhodes decides to stand and escape the position.
Rhodes shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rama makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hito Rama is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rama misses with a takedown

and Rhodes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rama!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hito Rama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rama working to try and regain half guard.
Rhodes wants to take Rama's back here but Rama is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Rama looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is hanging on to Rama's back as he tries to escape.
Rhodes doesn't have the hooks in and Rama manages to turn into his guard.
Rhodes is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rhodes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rama's guard.
Rhodes is looking to stand up but Rama won't let him.
Rama is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rama keeping moving, preventing Rhodes from controlling successfully.
Rhodes advances to half guard.
Rhodes is looking to take a break and control but Rama is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rama on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Rhodes decides to stand and escape the position.
Rhodes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rama circles away.
Rama misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rama to the mat! Rama manages to get full guard.
Rhodes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rhodes wants to pass the guard but Rama is keeping the position.
Rhodes stopping the sweep attempt from Rama.
Rama keeping moving, preventing Rhodes from controlling successfully.
Tony Rhodes has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rhodes stands up from Rama's guard - Rhodes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rama throws a head kick but Rhodes moves out of range.
Rhodes lands a front kick.
Rama looks to clinch

and Rhodes counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rama!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes looking to control but Rama is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rhodes thowing shots but they're missing.
Rama tries to hold on but Rhodes pushes him away.
Rhodes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rama really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rama wants to hold on but Rhodes pushes him away.
Rhodes fails to take his opponent's back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rama tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rama manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Rama is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rama pushes Rhodes off and gets back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Rama throws a one two combo.
Rama misses with a takedown attempt

and Rhodes counters with a single leg into guard. Rama didn't expect that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Rhodes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rama tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Rhodes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rama tries to get to full guard but Rhodes has control of the leg.

Rhodes seems to be working for a kimura but Rama defends the submission attempt.
Rama wants to control but Rhodes is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rama actively working from the bottom here.

Rama is defending against the submission attempts here by Rhodes.
Rama moves into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rhodes trying to control but Rama is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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

Rama tries to keep at a distance but Rhodes has taken the fight into the clinch.

Rhodes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Rhodes decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Rhodes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rama looks to clinch

and Rhodes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rama blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rhodes.
Rhodes tries to stand and escape but Rama is controlling the position.
Rama moves into full guard.

Rhodes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Rama working for a triangle but Rhodes defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rama pushes Rhodes away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Rhodes gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Rama can't do much from the bottom here.

Rama sneaks out the side door and pushes Rhodes away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Rama gets the takedown into side control.
Rhodes is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rhodes is in trouble now - Rama has advanced to mount!
Rhodes tries to hold on but Rama pushes him away.

Rama goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rhodes turns into him and now he's in Rama's guard.
Rhodes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rama had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Rhodes is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rama Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Rhodes's back instead.
Rhodes has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Rhodes trying to control the hands but Rama breaks the grip.
Rhodes looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Rama looking for the RNC.
Rama is controlling the position but Rhodes somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Rhodes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rhodes.

That's four 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.

Rama postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rhodes is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rama, into his guard.
Hito Rama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rhodes wants to control from the top but Rama keeps moving.

Rama is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Rama has an active guard here but Rhodes has managed to pass into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rama manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Rhodes preventing the sweep.

Rama is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rhodes tries to free his leg and advance position but Rama is retaining full guard.

Rhodes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Rama throws his legs up looking for a submission but Rhodes uses it to pass to side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Rhodes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rhodes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

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