PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Julius Rodrigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Clovis Alfred (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Rodrigo
vs
Alfred

170 cm
18
135 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

167 cm
21
135 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julius Rodrigo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Clovis Alfred!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodrigo lands with an uppercut that bounces Alfred off the cage and back into range.

Rodrigo forces Alfred back against the cage and clinches.
Alfred tries to pull guard but Rodrigo won't allow it.
Rodrigo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Alfred fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rodrigo misses with a double jab

and Alfred counters with a single leg into guard. Rodrigo didn't expect that.

Alfred gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Alfred is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Rodrigo.
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!
Alfred misses with a takedown
and Rodrigo counters with a left and a right that stings Alfred.

Rodrigo clinches with his opponent.
Rodrigo tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Alfred's elbow.
Rodrigo is looking to break free of the clinch but Alfred has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alfred tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Julius Rodrigo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Clovis Alfred.
Rodrigo can't find room to land a body shot as Alfred controls the action.

Rodrigo turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rodrigo manages to end up in side control.
Alfred managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rodrigo.
Rodrigo tries to score with some ground and pound. Alfred controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Rodrigo misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Alfred struggling a bit here.
Rodrigo lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Rodrigo stands up.
Rodrigo misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alfred shoots and misses
and Rodrigo counters with a left and a right that stings Alfred.
Rodrigo throws a nice looking combination but Alfred bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alfred slaps away a takedown attempt from Rodrigo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alfred with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rodrigo counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Alfred looks gassed!

Rodrigo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Alfred, pushing him back against the cage.
Rodrigo tries for a takedown. No joy.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rodrigo.
Come on Rodrigo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Rodrigo is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Alfred can't fight it off and eventually Rodrigo manages to take the fight to the floor. Alfred looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo wants to stand but Alfred has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Alfred has control of Rodrigo's left arm, preventing Rodrigo from doing any damage.
Rodrigo trying to control the position from guard on top but Alfred is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alfred has control of Rodrigo's left arm, preventing Rodrigo from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Clovis Alfred wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rodrigo fails to land the takedown.
Alfred misses with a takedown
and Rodrigo counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Alfred thinking.
Alfred shoots in for a takedown but Rodrigo shows good takedown defense.
Rodrigo throws a right and a left that both miss.

Rodrigo drives through and clinches with Alfred against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodrigo tries to break free but Alfred pushes him back against the cage.
Alfred jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rodrigo walks away with a smile on his face. Alfred gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rodrigo thows a leg kick but Alfred checks it

and Alfred counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rodrigo's guard now.
Clovis Alfred has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alfred wants to stand but Rodrigo is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rodrigo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Rodrigo uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Rodrigo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rodrigo throws a leg kick

and Alfred counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Check out the look on Alfred's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alfred postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Rodrigo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Alfred wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rodrigo prevents Alfred from improving position.
Rodrigo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Rodrigo tries to improve position but can't.
Rodrigo manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rodrigo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Alfred trying to mount his opponent but Rodrigo defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alfred working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Rodrigo's thigh. Rodrigo counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Alfred is breathing heavily.

Alfred drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Alfred jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rodrigo kicks Alfred off and gets to his feet.
A slapping body kick lands there for Alfred.
Alfred slips a jab and a cross from Rodrigo.

Rodrigo throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Alfred tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rodrigo is in Alfred's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alfred has a closed guard, preventing Rodrigo from standing up.
Rodrigo wants to pass the guard but Alfred is keeping the position.
Rodrigo is working Alfred over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rodrigo tries to free his leg and advance position but Alfred is retaining full guard.
Alfred tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rodrigo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alfred is trying to keep Rodrigo in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Clovis Alfred.

Alfred drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alfred wants to stand but Rodrigo is controlling his posture from full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodrigo pulls Alfred in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clovis Alfred showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rodrigo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Alfred gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rodrigo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Alfred controls Rodrigo momentarily but Rodrigo frees himself.
Rodrigo being controlled here momentarily.
Rodrigois looking to pass into half guard but Alfred pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Alfred is in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigo is trying to keep Alfred in close.
Alfred is looking to work some ground and pound but Rodrigo has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Alfred stops Rodrigo from standing up.
Rodrigo trying to control the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rodrigo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Alfred.
Rodrigo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rodrigo tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alfred prevents Rodrigo from getting back to his feet.
Rodrigo has control of Alfred's left arm, preventing Alfred from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Julius Rodrigo just wasn't active enough.
Alfred shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rodrigo counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Alfred fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rodrigo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Alfred fails with a takedown attempt.
Rodrigo falls off balance throwing a combination

and Alfred counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rodrigo!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alfred throws some wild stikes that Rodrigo manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo can't escape the position.
Alfred scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Alfred thowing shots but they're missing.
Rodrigo taking shots to the head.
Alfred dominating with strikes here.
Alfred putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Alfred lands with some strikes.
The referee warns Rodrigo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Alfred throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigo taking shots to the head.
Alfred has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Alfred prevents Rodrigo from getting the reversal.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Alfred cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
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!
Alfred with the ground and pound from mount.
Rodrigo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Alfred on the ground.
Alfred landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rodrigo bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Alfred is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodrigo looking to sit in guard and control but Alfred gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Clovis Alfred comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alfred has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clovis Alfred!