PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Rhodes (ranked 4005 p4p, 3989 weight class) and Cason Zimmerman (ranked 0 p4p, 471 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rhodes
vs
Zimmerman

170 cm
25
175
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Rhodes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cason Zimmerman!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rhodes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Zimmerman momentarily.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rhodes misses with a few strikes there.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up but Rhodes circles away and keeps his distance.
Rhodes appears to be looking for a big counter.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zimmerman tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rhodes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Zimmerman throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rhodes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Zimmerman thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Rhodes if he has to take too many more of those.
Zimmerman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It looked like Rhodes was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Rhodes could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up but Rhodes circles away and keeps his distance.
As Zimmerman looks to move away, Rhodes throws a big counter combo but Zimmerman just gets out of the way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zimmerman moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch.
Zimmerman wants to clinch up but Rhodes keeps it at a distance.
Zimmerman wants to clinch.
Rhodes moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Rhodes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Zimmerman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rhodes is looking for a counter combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman lands a leg kick that knocks Rhodes off balance momentarily.
Zimmerman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Zimmerman throws a leg kick
and Rhodes counters with a nice uppercut.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rhodes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rhodes misses with a double jab.
Rhodes swats away the attempt to clinch by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rhodes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zimmerman feints a jab promting Rhodes to slip. Zimmerman then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rhodes slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
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!
Rhodes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes loads up on a big right hand but Zimmerman slips the punch.
A slapping body kick lands there for Zimmerman.
Zimmerman moves in looking to clinch but Rhodes pushes him off.
Rhodes throws a nice looking combination but Zimmerman bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rhodes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zimmerman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.
Zimmerman digs a good body shot into Rhodes's ribs.
Rhodes tries to bum rush Zimmerman with a series of wild strikes but Zimmerman uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rhodes is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman throws a sloppy head kick and Rhodes moves out of range easily.
Zimmerman wants to clinch up but Rhodes keeps it at a distance.
Rhodes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Rhodes avoids the head kick by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

It looks like Ryan Rhodes has been cut.
Zimmerman scores with a kick to the midsection.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhodes appears to be looking for a big counter.
No joy there for Rhodes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rhodes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
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!
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rhodes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zimmerman scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ryan Rhodes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ryan Rhodes's cut.
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.

Rhodes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Zimmerman tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Rhodes circles away.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Rhodes is having none of it.
Zimmerman throws a head kick that misses
and Rhodes counters with a one-two to the body.
Cason Zimmerman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhodes lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rhodes.
Good leg kick by Zimmerman.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zimmerman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Rhodes.
Rhodes moves out of range of the body kick.
It looked like Rhodes was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Zimmerman moves to clinch but Rhodes breaks away
and Rhodes counters with a two punch combo.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhodes throws a big counter combination but Zimmerman scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
No joy there for Rhodes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rhodes avoids the head kick by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman wants to clinch up but Rhodes keeps it at a distance.
Zimmerman doesn't manage to clinch there - Rhodes circles away.
Rhodes appears to be looking for a big counter.
Zimmerman misses with a kick to the body.
Rhodes is looking for a counter combo.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rhodes!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman scores with a jab to the body.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Rhodes circles away.
Rhodes throws a big counter combination but Zimmerman scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Rhodes circles away.

Zimmerman pushes Rhodes up against the cage in a clinch.
Zimmerman with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Zimmerman is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Zimmerman misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Zimmerman breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rhodes there as he acknowledges the shot.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Rhodes moves out of range.
Rhodes went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A head kick misses from Zimmerman.
Rhodes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zimmerman throws a right hand that Rhodes ducks under and follows up with a left that Rhodes also avoids with ease.
Nice body kick there by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rhodes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Zimmerman connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Zimmerman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman throws a nice head kick!
Zimmerman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ryan Rhodes is winning the standup battle so far.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
It looked like Rhodes was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Zimmerman throws a right and a left that Rhodes avoids nicely.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rhodes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rhodes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ryan Rhodes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ryan Rhodes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zimmerman tries to clinch
and Rhodes counters with a one-two to the body.
Rhodes avoids the head kick by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman moves in looking to clinch but Rhodes pushes him off.
Zimmerman moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rhodes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zimmerman throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Rhodes is having none of it.
Rhodes appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Zimmerman darts in trying to clinch
and Rhodes counters with a left and a right that stings Zimmerman.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes throws a right and a left that Zimmerman avoids nicely.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rhodes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zimmerman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rhodes avoids the head kick by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Rhodes moves out of range.
As Zimmerman tries to get set, Rhodes tries to push him back and clinch up but Zimmerman manages to avoid the attempt.
Rhodes throws a series of punches but Zimmerman moves out of range.
Zimmerman dodges the punch combination from Rhodes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rhodes slips a jab and a cross from Zimmerman.
Rhodes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zimmerman now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Ryan Rhodes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes avoids the head kick by Zimmerman.
Zimmerman lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Zimmerman moves into the clinch.
Rhodes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rhodes content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Zimmerman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rhodes has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zimmerman missing with knees to the body.
Zimmerman is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Zimmerman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes takes a swing at Zimmerman's ribcage but misses.
Zimmerman closes the distance but Rhodes moves to the side
and Rhodes counters with a one-two to the body.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Rhodes circles away.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but Rhodes moves out of range.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rhodes counters with a one-two to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman wants to clinch.
Rhodes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Zimmerman doesn't manage to clinch there - Rhodes circles away.
Zimmerman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rhodes appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Zimmerman doesn't manage to clinch there - Rhodes circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zimmerman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.
Cason Zimmerman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A low kick from Zimmerman misses
and Zimmerman takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Rhodes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rhodes, 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Rhodes!