PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Rodgers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taylor Green (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Rodgers
vs
Green

188 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brandon Rodgers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taylor Green!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodgers looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rodgers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Green swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Green wants to stand and escape but Rodgers is having none of it.
Green is trying to control the position but Rodgers postures up.
Rodgers with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rodgers wants to pass the guard but Green is keeping the position.
Green trying to control the position.
Rodgers would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rodgers slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Green is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rodgers won't allow Green to sweep him here.
Rodgers lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rodgers wants to control from the top but Green keeps moving.
Green is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodgers trying to control the position from guard on top but Green is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodgers not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Green has his foot on Rodgers's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rodgers works his way back into a safe position though.
Rodgers looking to sit in guard and control but Green gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Green trying to control but Rodgers is working from the bottom.

Rodgers throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Green trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodgers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Green throwing strikes from guard but Rodgers blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodgers is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Green looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rodgers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Green trying to control from the bottom.
Green is trying to stand back up but Rodgers is controlling him
Rodgers is breathing heavily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Green manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Green controlling Rodgers's posture.
Green wants to sweep here but Rodgers controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Green keeping moving, preventing Rodgers from controlling successfully.
Rodgers controls from within his opponent's guard.

Rodgers is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rodgers looking to sit in guard and control but Green gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Green throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Rodgers dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Green clinches up with Rodgers and pushes him back against the cage.
Rodgers tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Green smiles and moves away.
Green has his takedown stuffed

and Rodgers counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Green pushes Rodgers off looking to stand but Rodgers dives back in and keeps control.
Rodgers tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Green.
Green wants to control but Rodgers is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rodgers wants to stand up but Green has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Rodgers tries to pass the half guard into mount. Green knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Green is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rodgers is thwarting Green's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green is staying active underneath Rodgers, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Green lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rodgers at a distance.
Rodgers shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Green counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rodgers is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rodgers doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Green counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brandon Rodgers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodgers trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Green trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rodgers's guard.
Green wants to control from the top but Rodgers keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rodgers holds on and takes a little breather.
Green wants to control from the top but Rodgers keeps moving.
Rodgers looking to control.
Green trying to control but Rodgers is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rodgers fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rodgers scores a takedown into full mount!
Rodgers sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodgers unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodgers sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodgers trying to control but Green is having none of it.
Rodgers tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rodgers unloading with bombs!
Rodgers controlling from the full mount.
Brandon Rodgers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rodgers has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four 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.
Green tries to control Rodgers's body but Rodgers pushes him off. Green squirms to his side and now Rodgers has his back!
Rodgers is looking to control Green but Green is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Rodgers is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Green is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Brandon Rodgers just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Rodgers drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee asks Rodgers politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Rodgers prefers to stall for the moment though.

Rodgers decides to take the fight back to the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Rodgers dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rodgers wants to clinch

and Green counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Well, if Green is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Rodgers wants to get back to full guard but Green has mounted him!
Green controlling from the full mount.
Rodgers is looking to get to half guard.
Green landing strikes, looking to finish!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Green with the ground and pound from mount.
Rodgers is trying desperately to improve position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Green wants to finish this one by submission but Rodgers is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Green.
Green tries to control but Rodgers wriggling away.
Green controlling the position easily from mount.
Rodgers is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
BOOM! Green connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Green controlling the position easily from mount.
Green punishing his opponent with strikes.
A nice elbow there by Green.

Green looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Green lands a big elbow.
Rodgers is trying desperately to improve position.
Rodgers tries to hold on but Green postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodgers slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Green prevents Rodgers from improving his position.
Rodgers trying to control but Green postures up.
Rodgers wants to improve his position but Green is controlling well.
Rodgers makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rodgers.
Rodgers trying to keep a closed guard but Green is proving a slippery customer.
Green wants to control from the top but Rodgers keeps moving.
Green trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rodgers's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rodgers tries to land a sweep but no joy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rodgers throws a lazy head kick
and Green counters with a big head kick but Rodgers shrugs it off.
Rodgers throws a sloppy head kick and Green moves out of range easily.

Rodgers shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rodgers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Green swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Green not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Green might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rodgers kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Green wants to get back to his feet but Rodgers is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Green escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rodgers gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taylor Green comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rodgers 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Rodgers!