PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paulo rodrigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Totoy Magtanggol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

rodrigo
vs
Magtanggol

180 cm
23
165 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

170 cm
28
162 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo rodrigo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Totoy Magtanggol!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Magtanggol walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. rodrigo checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
rodrigo throws a head kick but Magtanggol moves out of range.
rodrigo looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Magtanggol is fending him off so far but rodrigo persists. Nope, Magtanggol circles away and we're back to standing.

Magtanggol lands a left and a right that send rodrigo crashing to the mat, dazed. Magtanggol thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

rodrigo is rocked!
rodrigo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

rodrigo clinches.
Magtanggol wants to get back to striking at distance but rodrigo won't allow it.

Magtanggol pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
rodrigo avoids the head kick by Magtanggol.
rodrigo looks to throw the jab but Magtanggol is out of range.
Some wild striking there from Magtanggol.
rodrigo slips a jab from Magtanggol.
Magtanggol swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Magtanggol looking to land some kicks to the body here.

rodrigo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - rodrigo lands in his opponent's guard.
Magtanggol keeping moving, preventing rodrigo from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rodrigo won't allow Magtanggol to sweep him here.
rodrigo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Magtanggol works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Magtanggol avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
rodrigo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
rodrigo with a flurry of punches that miss.
rodrigo postures up.
Magtanggol is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Magtanggol wants to sweep here but rodrigo controlling him for the moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
rodrigo looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

rodrigo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and rodrigo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
rodrigo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
rodrigo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Magtanggol is keeping the position for now.

rodrigo postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Magtanggol is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of rodrigo, into his guard.
Magtanggol must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
rodrigo keeping moving, preventing Magtanggol from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
rodrigo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Magtanggol!
Magtanggol is working to get back to half guard.
Magtanggol avoids a series of strikes thrown by rodrigo.
Magtanggol wants to try and get back to his feet.
rodrigo prevents Magtanggol from getting the reversal.

rodrigo jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Magtanggol is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Magtanggol and rodrigo has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Magtanggol can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rodrigo working the ground and pound.
Magtanggol is trying to get back to half guard.
rodrigo 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.
rodrigo working away.

rodrigo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
rodrigo trying to control the action but Magtanggol is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Totoy Magtanggol will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Magtanggol throws a low kick but it's checked well by rodrigo.
Magtanggol misses with a leg kick.
rodrigo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

rodrigo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

rodrigo breaks the clinch.
Magtanggol does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Magtanggol tried to score with a low kick but rodrigo checks it.
Magtanggol looks to land a left hand but rodrigo moved out of range nicely.
A head kick misses from Magtanggol.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magtanggol moves out of range as rodrigo throws a body kick.
rodrigo misses with a body shot.
rodrigo shoots for a takedown but Magtanggol saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Magtanggol swings and misses with a shot to the body

and rodrigo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Magtanggol escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rodrigo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
rodrigo shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
rodrigo bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
rodrigo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Magtanggol.
rodrigo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Magtanggol sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That kick from Magtanggol tenderised rodrigo's leg. rodrigo is trying to keep his angry face on.
Magtanggol looks to score with a jab to the body but rodrigo is just out of range.
Magtanggol pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Paulo rodrigo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Magtanggol throws a right and a left that rodrigo avoids nicely.
rodrigo gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Magtanggol counters with a nice low kick that buckles rodrigo's knee momentarily.
Magtanggol moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Magtanggol keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Magtanggol throws a low kick, looking for rodrigo's leg but rodrigo calmly moves out of range.
Magtanggol moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Magtanggol tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Magtanggol walks into a jab.
rodrigo lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
rodrigo fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo rodrigo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Magtanggol swinging wildly here.
Magtanggol misses with a low kick.
Totoy Magtanggol seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Magtanggol connects with a solid leg kick.
Magtanggol misses with a straight left.
rodrigo blocks a head kick by Magtanggol.
Magtanggol moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A telegraphed right hand from Magtanggol misses the target.
Magtanggol throws a series of punches but rodrigo avoids them all with ease.
Magtanggol is breathing heavily.
rodrigo keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

rodrigo drives through with a takedown into guard.
rodrigo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Magtanggol swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Magtanggol wants to sweep here but rodrigo controlling him for the moment.
Magtanggol wants to get back to his feet but rodrigo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
rodrigo wants to control from the top but Magtanggol keeps moving.
rodrigo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
rodrigo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Magtanggol swivels though and keeps the full guard.
rodrigo wants to control from the top but Magtanggol keeps moving.
Magtanggol pulls rodrigo in close to his closed guard and prevents rodrigo from doing any damage or advancing position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Magtanggol tries a head kick but it misses.
rodrigo moves out of range of the body kick from Magtanggol.
rodrigo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Magtanggol gets off balance looking for a body kick
and rodrigo counters with a right hand to the body.
rodrigo scores with a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Totoy Magtanggol will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Magtanggol misses with a combination
and rodrigo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Magtanggol defends well against a solid takedown attempt from rodrigo.
Magtanggol fails to land with a series of punches.
A clash of legs there as rodrigo blocks the low kick.
rodrigo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A looping hook to the body misses from rodrigo. Magtanggol does a little dance to reset his feet.
rodrigo thuds a left hand into Magtanggol's body.
Magtanggol throws a predictable looking body shot
letting rodrigo counter with a right hand.
Magtanggol lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Magtanggol takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
rodrigo moves out of range as Magtanggol strikes.
Magtanggol wants to land a leg kick but rodrigo is out of range.
Magtanggol bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps rodrigo's head backwards.
rodrigo is looking to wear down Magtanggol with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

rodrigo looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Magtanggol!
Magtanggol tries to lock up and control but rodrigo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magtanggol is working to get back to half guard.

rodrigo with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
rodrigo manages to capitalize on a mistake by Magtanggol to take his back!

rodrigo working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Magtanggol is doing well to defend. rodrigo seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Magtanggol is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Paulo rodrigo!