PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hioron Papastopoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Papastopoulos's choice of entrance music: Spectrum - Florence + The Machine (remix Calvin Harris). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Rodriguez
vs
Papastopoulos

165 cm
26
144 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
148 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anderson Rodriguez!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hioron Papastopoulos!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jonathan Paton and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez fails with the takedown

and Papastopoulos counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez gets back to full guard.
Papastopoulos is in close to Rodriguez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rodriguez has momentary wrist control but Papastopoulos slips an elbow through the middle.
Papastopoulos makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Rodriguez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Papastopoulos defends it easily.
Rodriguez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Papastopoulos throws an elbow that misses. Rodriguez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Papastopoulos's guard. Nice move by Rodriguez!

Rodriguez drops back, looking for a kneebar! Papastopoulos looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Papastopoulos looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Papastopoulos!

Rodriguez is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Papastopoulos is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papastopoulos throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Rodriguez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Papastopoulos's best efforts.
Papastopoulos stops Rodriguez from getting back to his feet.

Rodriguez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Papastopoulos pulls his head out easily.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Papastopoulos working his ground and pound in the gym.
Rodriguez is trying to get back to full guard.
Papastopoulos is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Papastopoulos landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Papastopoulos works his foot free and advances to mount.
Rodriguez working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rodriguez is in a horrible position here. Papastopoulos smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is squirming around, avoiding Papastopoulos's attempts to control the action.
Papastopoulos with good strikes from the mount here!
Rodriguez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Papastopoulos working Rodriguez over with strikes here.
The referee warns Rodriguez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Papastopoulos breaks from Rodriguez's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Rodriguez is rocked!
Papastopoulos postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Rodriguez bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Papastopoulos and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Hioron Papastopoulos!
Hioron Papastopoulos is the new bantamweight champion!