PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Mills (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafal Szymanski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Mills
vs
Szymanski

155 cm
18
214 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

191 cm
18
201 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rodrigo Mills!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rafal Szymanski!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mills takes the fight into the clinch.
Szymanski is looking for a takedown.
Szymanski is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mills drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Szymanski gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Szymanski blocks an uppercut.

Mills escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Szymanski walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Mills checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Mills tries to counter with a takedown but Szymanski is quick to defend against it.
Szymanski shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mills as he jumps to the side.
Rodrigo Mills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafal Szymanski.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Szymanski misses with the body kick

and Mills counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Szymanski's face as Mills controls the position.
Szymanski is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mills landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Mills really is a fat lump.
Mills taking a breather here.
Mills trying to control the action but Szymanski is working from the bottom.
Mills just content to control the position.

Mills thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mills working away.

That's two 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.
Mills controls the position.
Szymanski gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Mills prevents Szymanski from improving his position.
Szymanski is doing well to control the position and prevent Mills from advancing to side control.
Szymanski tries to kick Mills off but Mills keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Mills is working for a kimura but Szymanski is defending it quite comfortably.

Mills is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mills prevents Szymanski from improving his position.
Mills with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Szymanski shoots in but no luck this time.
Horrible takedown attempt by Szymanski or perhaps it was just good defense by Mills, which made it look bad.
Szymanski misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Szymanski looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Szymanski clinches up against the cage.
Mills has Szymanski pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Szymanski manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Mills breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Szymanski shoots in for a takedown but Mills shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Szymanski tries a head kick but it misses.
Mills is looking to counter punch.
Szymanski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mills feinted with a counter takedown.
Szymanski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rafal Szymanski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Szymanski tries for a takedown but Mills sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Szymanski tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Mills counters with a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Mills dominated that round.
That's time! Mills's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mills moves into the clinch successfully.
Szymanski trying to land knees to the body.

Mills breaks the clinch.
Szymanski tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Szymanski shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mills as he jumps to the side.

Mills forces Szymanski back against the cage and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Szymanski lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Szymanski is looking for a takedown.

Mills breaks the clinch.
Szymanski shoots for a double leg takedown but Mills sprawls well. He's pushed Szymanski's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rodrigo Mills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafal Szymanski.
Szymanski is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szymanski gets off balance looking for a body kick

so Mills counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Szymanski is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Mills manages to break the clinch.
Szymanski is looking to clinch.

Szymanski tries to keep at a distance but Mills has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mills leaning against his opponent.

Mills breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Mills closes the distance and pushes Szymanski back into the cage.
Szymanski is trying to pull guard but Mills has him pressed against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Szymanski being controlled against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mills breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodrigo Mills is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Szymanski shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Mills pinned against the cage. Mills gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mills circles away from the clinch attempt.
Szymanski misses with the combination.

Mills takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mills breaks the clinch.
Szymanski shoots in for a takedown but Mills shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Mills takes the fight into the clinch.
Szymanski tries to pull guard but Mills won't allow it.

Mills breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mills clinches up against the cage.
Mills has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Mills breaks from the clinch.
Mills wants to clinch up but Szymanski keeps it at a distance.
Szymanski is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Mills dodges the punch combination from Szymanski.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szymanski is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Szymanski throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mills.
An attempted straight right counter from Mills misses the target.
Mills tries to close the distance and clinch but Szymanski swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Szymanski looks for the body kick but Mills saw that one coming.
Szymanski closes the distance but Mills moves to the side

and Mills counters with a takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mills controls the position.

Mills looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Szymanski is being controlled here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Mills dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Mills wants to clinch up but Szymanski keeps it at a distance.
Szymanski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mills paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Mills as Szymanski shoots in.
Szymanski throws a series of punches but Mills moves out of range.
Szymanski changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mills tries to avoid it but Szymanski manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mills to the ground. Mills escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mills fails in his attempt to clinch.

Mills rushes Szymanski and presses him up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mills breaks the clinch.
Rodrigo Mills is winning the standup battle so far.
Szymanski shoots for a double leg takedown but Mills sprawls well. He's pushed Szymanski's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rodrigo Mills has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafal Szymanski.
Szymanski will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Szymanski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Mills pushes Szymanski up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mills's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mills is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Szymanski can do to turn this around?

Mills instigates a clinch.
Szymanski jumps guard but Mills stands there with Szymanski around his waist. Szymanski gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Szymanski being controlled against the cage.

Mills breaks from the clinch.

Mills gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Mills turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Mills manages to end up in side control.
Szymanski tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Szymanski trying to control the position but Mills manages to sink in the hooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mills working for the choke.
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!
Mills lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Szymanski hold on?!

Szymanski is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Mills gets his way!

Mills is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Szymanski has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Mills controls the action.
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.

Mills continues to stall.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Szymanski might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mills haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Rafal Szymanski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of . Rodrigo Mills!