PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kyrie Irving (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Irving
vs
Rodriguez

187 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Pitt Nutrition 160Q!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kyrie Irving!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jackson Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Irving closes the distance and pushes Rodriguez back into the cage.
Rodriguez digs a right hand into Irving's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Irving's gas tank.
Irving tries to pull guard but Rodriguez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Irving goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rodriguez prevents it.
Rodriguez lands a shot to the body.
Irving blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Irving is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rodriguez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyrie Irving. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez stops a takedown attempt from Irving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rodriguez lands with a short shot to the head.
Irving is trying to pull guard but Rodriguez turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rodriguez working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irving is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rodriguez gets underhooks to prevent Irving's takedown attempt.
Rodriguez gets underhooks to prevent Irving's takedown attempt.

Rodriguez manages to break the clinch.
Rodriguez lands a really nice looking cross but Irving seems unphased.
Irving throws a head kick but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Irving needs to keep his hands up - Rodriguez had a free shot at his head there.
Rodriguez takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Rodriguez catches Irving napping and connects with a big right hand that sends Irving to the canvas!

Irving is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rodriguez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Irving is keeping the position for now.
Irving trying to keep a closed guard but Rodriguez is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Rodriguez is looking to pass into half guard but Irving pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Irving is in guard.

Irving stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodriguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Irving stands up from Rodriguez's guard - Irving perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rodriguez lands a jab to the nose.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irving fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rodriguez tries to score with a low kick but Irving moves his leg out of the way.
Rodriguez lands with a shot to the body.
Jackson Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rodriguez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Irving, pushing him back against the cage.

Rodriguez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rodriguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Irving tries to clinch but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Irving on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Rodriguez drives through and clinches with Irving against the cage.
Irving wants to take the fight to the mat but Rodriguez manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Irving is breathing heavily.
Irving looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodriguez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a head punch that misses.
Rodriguez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rodriguez prevents a takedown attempt there.
Irving misses with a punch on the inside.
Rodriguez misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Rodriguez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Rodriguez. No joy for Irving on that attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rodriguez clinches.

Rodriguez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rodriguez lands a slapping body shot.
We've been informed that Rodriguez has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Irving avoids the body shot from Rodriguez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Rodriguez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Irving throws a right hand that misses
and Rodriguez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Rodriguez forces Irving back against the cage and clinches.
Irving drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rodriguez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A shot in the inside from Rodriguez.
Irving fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Irving content to slow the pace in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez keeps control of Irving as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rodriguez is stalling here.
A shot in the inside from Rodriguez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irving drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rodriguez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyrie Irving. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez avoiding damage as Irving throws knees to the body.
Irving trying to land knees to the body.
Rodriguez cracks Irving with a nice body shot.
Rodriguez lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rodriguez slowing the pace effectively.
A short right from Rodriguez.
Irving is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rodriguez stops a takedown attempt from Irving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Jackson Rodriguez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rodriguez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Irving is trying to maintain a safe position but Rodriguez gets an underhook and turns Irving into the cage.
Irving jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rodriguez walks away with a smile on his face. Irving gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rodriguez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rodriguez stuffs the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rodriguez moves into range and clinches up with Irving.
Irving looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Irving misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rodriguez.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rodriguez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irving has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rodriguez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rodriguez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rodriguez lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rodriguez tries to work over Irving's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Irving.
Rodriguez throws out a counter right but Irving avoids it with no problem.
Rodriguez scores with a body shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Rodriguez. That snapped Irving's head back.
Rodriguez misses with a jab, cross combination.

Rodriguez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rodriguez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kyrie Irving is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irving avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rodriguez has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Rodriguez scores with a hook to the body. Irving takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodriguez lands the left hand.

Rodriguez throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Irving tumbling to the canvas!
Oh Irving is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez content to stall in guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodriguez's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Irving looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Irving seems to have got his legs back now.
Rodriguez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Irving has his foot on Rodriguez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rodriguez works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Rodriguez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rodriguez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Rodriguez throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Irving tumbling to the canvas!
Rodriguez is looking to stand up but Irving won't let him.
Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but instead Irving has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Irving seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
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!

Rodriguez is working an open guard so Irving takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Irving misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Rodriguez finds it's way through Irving's defenses.
Rodriguez misses with a hook.
Irving avoids the body shot from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws a hook but Irving avoids it easily.
Irving scores with a body shot.
Nice uppercut there from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez looks to throw the jab but Irving is out of range.
Irving appears to be looking for a big counter.
Rodriguez's jab looks to have found its range, popping Irving under the eye.
Irving with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rodriguez counters with a huge overhand right that connects right on the temple, sending him crumpling, face first to the floor! This one is all over! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Jackson Rodriguez!
Jackson Rodriguez is the new middleweight champion!
After the fight, Jackson Rodriguez was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.