PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cleon Wright (ranked 779 p4p, 111 weight class) and Rui Rodrigo Germano (ranked 2093 p4p, 268 weight class). Germano has chosen HIM - Don't Fear The Reaper as his entrance music. Cleon Wright has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Wright
vs
Rodrigo Germano

195 cm
34
209 lbs
28 - 17 - 0

182 cm
40
208 lbs
22 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 28 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Cleon Wright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rui Rodrigo Germano!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Germano throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Wright's waist but Wright gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Germano off to one side.
Germano misses with the combination.
Wright is looking to counter punch.
Wright ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Germano moves away.
Wright fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Germano gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Wright.
Germano steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Wright. That one must have hurt.
Wright feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Germanos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

It looks like Rui Rodrigo Germano has been cut.
Germano ducks under a wild hook from Wright.
Germano looks to throw the jab but Wright is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Germano scores with a nice right hand.

It looks like Cleon Wright has been cut.
Wright looks to score with a jab to the body but Germano is just out of range.
A leg kick checked by Germano.
Germano feints the counter takedown.
Wright cracks Germano with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wright scores with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Germano gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Wright.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Wright.
Germano digs a good hook to Wright's body.
Germano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Germano on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Germano is rocked!
Wright has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Wright misses with a double jab.
Nice shot by Germano.
A looping hook to the body misses from Wright. Germano does a little dance to reset his feet.
Wright throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Wright lands the left hand.
Wright is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
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!
Wright throws a right and a left that both miss.
Germano is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Germano misses with a takedown attempt
and Wright counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cleon Wright is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wright throws a hook but Germano blocks it.
Germano changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Germano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A punch combination from Germano misses.
A shot to the liver by Wright. Beautiful body shot.
Germano misses with a series of wild punches.
Cleon Wright seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wright comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Germano takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Germano lands with a nice body punch.
A shot to the body from Germano misses
letting Wright counter with a right hand.

That has opened up Rui Rodrigo Germano's cut even more.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wright misses the shot to the body.
Jab from Wright.
A jab from Wright misses.
Germano tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleon Wright dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Wright's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Wright scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Wright throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Wright misses with a body kick.
Wright fails to land with a series of punches.
Wright scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Germano blocks the leg kick.
Wright lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Germano circles away quickly and effectively.
Wright throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Germano counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Wright holds on and takes a little breather.
Germano throwing strikes from guard but Wright blocks nicely.
Germano is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Germano has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright wants to improve his position but instead Germano has moved into half guard.

Germano is looking for a kimura but Wright is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Germano to get the leverage.
Wright is staying active underneath Germano, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Germano working the head and body with strikes.
Wright wants to control but Germano is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Germano is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Germano looks to land a strike but Wright avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Wright will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Germano content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Germano stops Wright from standing up.
Germano wants to control from the top but Wright keeps moving.
Germano scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Germano trying to control the position from guard on top but Wright is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wright trying to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Germano is looking to work some ground and pound but Wright has wrist control.
Germano throws a big right hand that misses.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rui Rodrigo Germano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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!

Wright dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rui Rodrigo Germano has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Germano is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.
Wright lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A punch combination from Germano misses.
Wright scores with a sloppy right hand. Germano should have avoided that one.
Wright lands a jab to the head.
Wright connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Germano's hands.

Wright waves his right hand out in front of him, looking to distract Germano. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Germano to the canvas! Can he finish him!?
Germano is still in real trouble! Can Wright finish him?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Germano had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Wright defends it easily.
Wright is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Wright is working Germano over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Wright has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Wright trying to control but Germano is working from the bottom.
Wright tries to free his leg and advance position but Germano is retaining full guard.
Wright scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright works over Germano with some ground and pound from guard.

Germano working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wright doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wright manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wright controlling from the top position.
Wright would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Wright works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Germano seems to have recovered his senses.
Wright wants to pass the guard but Germano is defending well.
Rui Rodrigo Germano has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wright looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Germano with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Wright trying to control from Germano's half guard. Germano has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Germano throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Germano had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Wright defends it easily.
Wright has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Germano is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Germano is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wright is aware though and is defending well.
Cleon Wright is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wright trying to control the position from guard on top but Germano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wright tries to stand but Germano is controlling from the bottom.

Germano is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wright is aware though and is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cleon Wright showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Wright has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Cleon Wright!
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Cleon Wright!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Cleon Wright!

Cleon Wright wins by unanimous decision!