PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jordan Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michel Rodalgo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Houston kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Colour it in. Rodalgo has chosen Ace of Spades - By Motorhead as his entrance music. Michel Rodalgo told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Houston
vs
Rodalgo

170 cm
31
156 lbs
22 - 9 - 1

172 cm
28
156 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

GR Design - Top quality, from $10 to $150 !

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jordan Houston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Michel Rodalgo!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Patrick Alders and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Houston with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Houston moves into the clinch.
Houston tries a body shot but Rodalgo blocks it.

Houston has clasped his hands together around Rodalgo's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rodalgo wants to control but Houston postures up.
An elbow from Houston crashes against the mat.
Houston wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodalgo keeps working.
Rodalgo struggling a bit here.
Houston 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.
Rodalgo sneaks back into half guard.
Rodalgo gets back to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Houston tries to free his leg and advance position but Rodalgo is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodalgo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Houston defends it easily.
Houstonis looking to pass into half guard but Rodalgo pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rodalgo is in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rodalgo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rodalgo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Houston looking for a sweep. Not yet Houston, not yet.
Rodalgo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Houston's head.
Houston keeping moving, preventing Rodalgo from controlling successfully.
Rodalgo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rodalgo wants to control from the top but Houston keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston keeping full guard, as Rodalgo tries to pass.
Rodalgo postures up in Houston's guard and throws a big left but Houston blocks it.
Rodalgo won't allow Houston to sweep him here.
Rodalgois looking to pass into half guard but Houston pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Houston is in guard.
Houston sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rodalgo has his hands on Houston's head, controlling the position.
Houston preventing the sweep.
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!
Houston wants to control from the top but Rodalgo keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rodalgo stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Houston staying out of range there.
Michel Rodalgo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Houston tries to close the distance and clinch but Rodalgo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Houston dives in and scores a takedown into Rodalgo's guard.

Rodalgo working for a triangle but Houston defends it easily.
Rodalgo keeping full guard, as Houston tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Houston won't allow Rodalgo to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodalgo is looking for a triangle but Houston pushes his legs off easily.
Rodalgo keeping moving, preventing Houston from controlling successfully.
Rodalgo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Houston got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rodalgo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Houston has managed to get both his arms back between Rodalgo's legs - danger averted.
Houston wants to pass the guard but Rodalgo is keeping the position.
Rodalgo looking to control but Houston passes into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houston not doing much here.
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 Jordan Houston will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rodalgo tries to move into range but Houston moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Houston misses the body punch
and Rodalgo counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rodalgo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Houston manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Houston scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Houston takes the fight into the clinch.
Rodalgo blocks a body shot from Houston.
Houston blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rodalgo misses with a punch to the body.
Houston lands a left hand.
Houston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rodalgo has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rodalgo swings wildly with an uppercut but Houston uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rodalgo lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Rodalgo.
Rodalgo misses with a hook to the ribs.
Houston throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rodalgo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Houston's elbow.
Rodalgo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Houston blocking some punches.
Rodalgo misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Houston throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Rodalgos head.
Houston is leaning against Rodalgo and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rodalgo cracks Houston with a nice body shot.
Houston is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Rodalgo tries a body shot but Houston blocks it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rodalgo.
Rodalgo is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Rodalgo fails to land.
Houston tries to land knees in the clinch but Rodalgo avoids the damage to the body.
Rodalgo doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
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!
Houston wants to stall.
Houston prevents a body shot from Rodalgo.
Rodalgo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Houston works on Rodalgo's body with a couple of short punches.
Rodalgo misses with a body punch.
Houston taking a breather.
Houston blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rodalgo is looking for a takedown.
Jordan Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michel Rodalgo.
Houston lands a right hand.
Houston lands a body punch in the clinch.
Houston is trying to maintain a safe position but Rodalgo gets an underhook and turns Houston into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodalgo blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Houston looking to slow down the pace here.
Rodalgo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A right handed body shot lands from Houston.
A short body shot lands from Houston as the two fighters clinch.
Still in the clinch, Rodalgo scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rodalgo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Houston stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Houston lands with a light punch inside.
Rodalgo blocking some punches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Houston misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rodalgo's elbow.
Rodalgo struggles to land a body shot inside as Houston controls his hands.
Houston can't find room to land a body shot as Rodalgo controls the action.
Houston can't find room to land a body shot as Rodalgo controls the action.
Rodalgo cracks Houston with a nice body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodalgo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Houston blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Houston stalls.
Rodalgo lands with a short head shot on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houston trying to control the position but instead, Rodalgo has worked for underhooks and has pushed Houston into the cage.
Rodalgo lands a nice shot to the body.
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 Jordan Houston will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Left hook, right uppercut from Rodalgo.

Houston clinches with his opponent.
Rodalgo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Houston pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nice shot by Rodalgo.
Houston fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Houston lands with a good body shot.
Houston misses with a hook.
Rodalgo loads up on a big right hand but Houston slips the punch.
Rodalgo misses with a body shot.
Rodalgo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rodalgo throws a lazy right hand but Houston sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Houston. Rodalgo does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rodalgo doesn't seem bothered though.
Rodalgo looks to score with a jab to the body but Houston is just out of range.
Rodalgo throws an overhand right that lands on Houston's shoulder, as Houston tries to avoid the shot.
Rodalgo misses with a right hand
and Houston counters with a nice uppercut.
Rodalgo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rodalgo doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Houston lands with an overhand left.
Rodalgo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Houston.
Rodalgo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Houston as he jumps to the side.
Rodalgo throws a lazy right hand but Houston sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Houston throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Houston misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rodalgo.

Rodalgo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Houston was covering up waiting for the punch and Rodalgo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Houston looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Michel Rodalgo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodalgo looking to sit in guard and control but Houston gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rodalgo keeping moving, preventing Houston from controlling successfully.
Houston wants to pass the guard but Rodalgo is keeping the position.
Houston trying to control but Rodalgo is working from the bottom.
Rodalgo pulls Houston in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodalgo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jordan Houston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jordan Houston just wasn't active enough.
Nice sprawl there from Houston as Rodalgo shoots in.
Jordan Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michel Rodalgo.
Houston uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rodalgo.
Some wild striking there from Houston.
Houston misses with an uppercut
and Rodalgo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rodalgo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rodalgo misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jab by Rodalgo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Houston closes the distance and clinches.
Houston blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rodalgo misses with the head strike.
Houston's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Houston lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rodalgo backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rodalgo.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Houston makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Houston blocking some punches.
Houston tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rodalgo's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rodalgo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jordan Houston showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Houston, 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jordan Houston!
Jordan Houston seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.