PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rod Cheney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charles Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Charles Cage is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cheney
vs
Cage

175 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rod Cheney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Charles Cage!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cheney lands a jab-cross combination.
Cheney closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Cage shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cheney is trying to defend but Cage finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Cheney is refusing to be controlled, as Cage sits in half guard.
Cheney tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Cage has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Cage avoids the attempt from Cheney to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cheney keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cage working for a guillotine from mount but Cheney is in no mood to give up.
Cheney is squirming around, avoiding Cage's attempts to control the action.
Cheney wants to hold on but Cage pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cage working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Cage looking to control but Cheney is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Cage thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Cheney is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cage can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cheney is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage controlling his opponent.

Cage looking for a guillotine from mount but Cheney is having none of it.
Cage looking to control but Cheney is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cheney prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Cage can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cheney is looking to escape.
Cheney on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cheney tries to get out of the position.
Cheney tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Cage trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cage thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Cage dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cheney throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cage makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Cheney really felt that one!
Cheney throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nice takedown defense from Cheney. No joy for Cage on that attempt.
Cage shoots in for a takedown but Cheney shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch combination from Cheney misses.
Cage fails with the takedown.
Rod Cheney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Charles Cage.
Cheney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cage dodges the punch combination from Cheney.
Cheney misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Cage counters by clinching up.

Cage pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cheney fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cage throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cheney's waist but Cheney gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Cage off to one side.
Cage shoots in looking for a takedown but Cheney manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Cage's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Cheney lands a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cage is breathing heavily.
No joy there for Cheney, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Cage wants to clinch up but Cheney keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Cheney misses.
Cage throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Cheney sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cheney tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cage swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cheney scores with the left hand. Cage knows he should have avoided that one.
Cage dodges the punch combination from Cheney.
Cheney misses with a double jab.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cage.
Cheney swats away the attempt to clinch by Cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheney misses with the combination.
Cheney lands a nice shot to the body.
Cage looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cage tries to clinch there but Cheney circles away.
Cage tries to clinch up
enabling Cheney to counter with a crisp jab.
Nice shot by Cheney.
Rod Cheney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cheney scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Cage tries for a takedown but Cheney sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A punch combination from Cheney misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cheney lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cage circles away quickly and effectively.
Sloppy strikes from Cheney. Those never looked like landing.
Cheney tries to bum rush Cage with a series of wild strikes but Cage uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nice takedown defense from Cheney. No joy for Cage on that attempt.
Cheney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cage is looking to clinch.
Cage tries to clinch up but Cheney circles away and keeps his distance.
Cage avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cage fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cheney avoids it really well and circles away.
Cheney changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cage tries to avoid it but Cheney manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cage to the ground. Cage escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rod Cheney is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cheney throws a right and a left that Cage avoids nicely.

Cage fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cheney sprawls well initially but Cage persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Cage seems to be looking for submissions.
Cage is looking to take a break and control but Cheney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cheney is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cheney tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Cage manages to move to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Charles Cage will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Cheney throws a front kick aimed at Cage's knee but Cage avoids it well.
Cheney shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cage pinned against the cage. Cage gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A lazy body kick from Cheney

and Cage counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Cage looking to pass the guard.
Cheney knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cage on the ground.
Cage trying to control the position from guard on top but Cheney is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cage slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Cage stands up from Cheney's guard - Cage perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cheney fails to land with a series of punches.
Cage shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cheney lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cheney.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cage shoots in for a takedown but Cheney shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cage is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cheney.
Cage tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cheney swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cheney keeps the fight on the outside.
Cage closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cheney counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Cheney misses.
Cage stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cage wants it to stay on the feet.
Cheney swats away the attempt to clinch by Cage.
Cage showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cheney.
Cheney swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Cage gets a takedown into half guard.
Cheney is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage not doing much here.
Cage thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cheney's head.
Cheney blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cage.
Cheney looks like he's trying to stand up.
Cage trying to control the action but Cheney is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Charles Cage hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cheney throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cage counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Cheney misses the shot to the body.
Cheney misses with a wild combination.
Cheney slips a jab and a cross from Cage.
Cheney displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cage.
Rod Cheney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rod Cheney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Charles Cage.
Cage stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cage wants it to stay on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Cage.
Charles Cage is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Cheney fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Cage comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cage winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Cage!