PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jacob Durkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kevin Rhodes acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Durkin
vs
Rhodes

200 cm
19
210 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

192 cm
24
203 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jacob Durkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kevin Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durkin works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Rhodes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Rhodes prevents Durkin from improving his position.
Durkin is working hard here to advance position.
Durkin trying to control here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Durkin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body kick there by Rhodes.
Rhodes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Durkin.
A punch combination from Durkin misses.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Durkin but Durkin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A punch combination from Durkin misses.
Rhodes stuffs the takedown.
Rhodes is looking to land body kicks.
Rhodes throws a series of punches but Durkin avoids them all with ease.
Rhodes gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Durkin counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Durkin throws a jab when Rhodes was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Durkin tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rhodes is in Durkin's guard.
Rhodes looks gassed!
Rhodes stopping the sweep attempt from Durkin.
Rhodes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Durkin is keeping the position for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Durkin wants to stand but Rhodes is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kevin Rhodes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Durkin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rhodes.
Durkin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rhodes.
Durkin throws a looping overhand right but Rhodes ducks down to avoid it.

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into Durkin's guard.
Durkin looking for a sweep. Not yet Durkin, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A slow jab from Durkin misses its intended target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Durkin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Durkin checks a leg kick nicely.
Kevin Rhodes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rhodes shoots in but Durkin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Horrible takedown by Durkin or perhaps it was just good defense by Rhodes which made him look bad.
Durkin on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rhodes thuds his shin into the meat of Durkin's side.
Rhodes takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Durkin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Durkin wants it to stay on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jacob Durkin will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Durkin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rhodes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Durkin looks to land a combination. Rhodes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Rhodes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Rhodes stands up from half guard.
Durkin looks to land a body kick but Rhodes moved away.
Durkin's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Durkin duly obliges.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes closes the distance and clinches up with Durkin, looking for a takedown. Rhodes pushes Durkin against the cage but Durkin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Durkin tries to land a front kick but Rhodes steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Durkin throws a shot from downtown. Rhodes moves away and avoids it.
Durkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rhodes looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rhodes lands with a nice body kick.
Durkin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rhodes as he jumps to the side.
Rhodes slips a jab from Durkin.
Some wild striking there from Durkin.
Rhodes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Durkin sprawls well initially but Rhodes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Durkin is trying to stand up here but Rhodes is controlling him well.
Durkin is looking to control Rhodes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Durkin avoid being mounted?
Durkin wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jacob Durkin just wasn't active enough.
Durkin tries to bum rush Rhodes with a series of wild strikes but Rhodes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Durkin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Durkin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhodes has control of an arm but Durkin manages to advance to Rhodes's back!
Rhodes staying busy and making it hard for Durkin to control.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Durkin keeps control of the position as Rhodes tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes looking very determined here, making life difficult for Durkin.
Durkin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rhodes is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Kevin Rhodes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rhodes manages to reverse the position and now he's in Durkin's guard. Nice work there by Rhodes.
Rhodes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Durkin is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Jacob Durkin has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Durkin misses with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jacob Durkin will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Nice body punch from Durkin.
Durkin misses with a looping left.
Durkin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rhodes counters with a nice kick to the body.
Jacob Durkin is winning the standup battle so far.
Durkin cracks Rhodes with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Rhodes swinging wildly here.
Durkin misses with a combination
and Rhodes counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Durkin is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rhodes lands a high kick!
Durkin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rhodes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
No joy there for Durkin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durkin misses with a double jab.

Rhodes has Durkin up against the cage in a clinch.
Durkin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rhodes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Durkin tries to break free but Rhodes pushes him back against the cage.
Durkin working hard to break the clinch.
Durkin tries to break the clinch but Rhodes is controlling the position.

Rhodes ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rhodes no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durkin wants to stand but Rhodes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rhodes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Durkin is one step ahead there.
Durkin wants to stand but Rhodes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rhodes pulls Durkin in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes looking for a sweep. Not yet Rhodes, not yet.
Durkin looking to sit in guard and control but Rhodes gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Durkin is looking to stand up but Rhodes isn't so interested in that idea.
Jacob Durkin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jacob Durkin just wasn't active enough.
Durkin moves out of range of the body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durkin misses with a hook.
Horrible takedown by Rhodes or perhaps it was just good defense by Durkin which made him look bad.
Rhodes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Durkin.
Rhodes throws a series of punches but Durkin moves out of range.
Durkin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Rhodes's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Durkin connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rhodes scrambles back to his feet.

Rhodes takes the fight into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rhodes has had enough of the clinch but Durkin keeps him there for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jacob Durkin.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Durkin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacob Durkin!