PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alfonso Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Demian Rocha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Alfonso Rodriguez has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rodriguez
vs
Rocha

190 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Dtd clothing

Organic Peak Performance - $6 Stamina! $8 Recovery
FIT FOR LIFE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alfonso Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Demian Rocha!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rocha tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rodriguez throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Demian Rocha has been cut.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rocha blocks a head kick by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez misses with a series of wild punches.

Rocha scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Rocha is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rocha controlling the action here.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet.

Rocha is looking for a kimura here.
Rocha is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez is refusing to be controlled, as Rocha sits in half guard.
Rocha throwing shots but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.
Rodriguez is trying to stand up here but Rocha is controlling him well.
Rocha tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rodriguez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rocha stops Rodriguez from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rocha throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rodriguez tries to clinch there but Rocha circles away.
Rocha blocks a head kick by Rodriguez.
Rocha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rodriguez plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rodriguez scores with a head kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Rodriguez. Rocha shrugs it off though.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.

Rodriguez clinches up with Rocha and pushes him back against the cage.
Rocha tries to pull guard but Rodriguez holds him up against the cage and eventually Rocha drops back down to his feet.

Rodriguez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rodriguez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rodriguez thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Rocha if he has to take too many more of those.
Rocha takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rocha backs up against the cage.
Rocha takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rodriguez plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rodriguez connects with a high kick.

Rocha clinches up with Rodriguez and pushes him back against the cage.
Rodriguez lands a nice shot to the body.
Rocha drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rodriguez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Alfonso Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Demian Rocha.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rocha lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rodriguez circles away quickly and effectively.
Rocha tries to clinch but Rodriguez moves away

and Rodriguez counters by clinching up.

Rodriguez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No luck for Rocha with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rocha tries to clinch but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Rocha shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rocha shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rodriguez counters with a two punch combo.
Rodriguez scores with a head kick.
Rocha tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rodriguez swivels and escapes.
Rocha wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Rocha.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriguez lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Rodriguez defending well as Rocha loads up on a big left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alfonso Rodriguez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Demian Rocha's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rodriguez misses with a takedown attempt

and Rocha counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rocha has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rodriguez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to pull guard but Rocha won't allow it.
Rodriguez tries to break the clinch but Rocha is controlling the position.
Rocha wants a takedown but no success here.

Rodriguez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rodriguez wants to clinch but Rocha slips to the side

and Rocha counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rodriguez is pressed up against the cage. Rocha has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rodriguez down to the mat. Rodriguez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Alfonso Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Demian Rocha.
Rocha tries to clinch there but Rodriguez circles away.
Rocha shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rodriguez as he jumps to the side.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that misses

and Rocha counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rodriguez's guard now.
Rocha postures up in Rodriguez's guard and throws a big left but Rodriguez blocks it.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but Rocha is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocha throwing strikes from guard but Rodriguez blocks nicely.
Rocha has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rocha trying to control but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
Rodriguez is looking to stand up but Rocha isn't so interested in that idea.
Rocha wants to pass the guard but Rodriguez is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rodriguez moves out of range as Rocha strikes.
Alfonso Rodriguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab.
Alfonso Rodriguez is winning the standup battle so far.
Rocha looks for a takedown but Rodriguez sprawls well.
Some wild striking there from Rodriguez.

Rocha closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Rocha wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rodriguez, who protects the arm well.
Rodriguez wants to get back to his feet but Rocha drags him back down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha scores with a couple of short elbows.
Rocha postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Rodriguez is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rocha asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Check out the look on Rocha's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Rodriguez tries to escape but Rocha is in control.
Rocha trying to control the action but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.

That's four 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rocha tries to clinch up
and Rodriguez counters with a head kick.

Rocha takes the fight into the clinch.
Rodriguez wants to get back to striking at distance but Rocha won't allow it.
Rocha is working for takedown but Rodriguez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rodriguez is trying to break free.
Rodriguez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rocha has him pressed against the cage.
Rodriguez wants to break free but Rocha has control.
Rocha blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rocha gets the takedown into side control.

Rocha thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Rodriguez wants to control but Rocha postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Demian Rocha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Demian Rocha's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rodriguez buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rodriguez throws a head kick but Rocha moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rocha looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rocha takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Rocha bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Rocha throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rodriguez's waist but Rodriguez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rocha off to one side.

Rocha rushes Rodriguez and presses him up against the cage.
Rocha tries to pull guard but Rodriguez holds him up against the cage and eventually Rocha drops back down to his feet.
Rodriguez looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rodriguez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rodriguez prevents the takedown attempt.
Alfonso Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Demian Rocha.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Danga de danga de dang - Rodriguez scores with a four punch combination!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rocha swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rodriguez counters with a good, hard body kick but Rocha shrugs it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that half lands.
Rocha avoids the head kick by Rodriguez.

Rocha bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Rocha throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Rocha throws an elbow but Rodriguez slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rocha throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Rodriguez gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Rodriguez trying desperately to get to his feet.
Rocha can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rodriguez is looking to escape.

Rocha stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up.
Rocha fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rocha tries to clinch up.
Rocha closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rodriguez counters with a nice leg kick.
Rocha loads up on a big right hand but Rodriguez slips the punch.
Rocha tries to close the distance and clinch but Rodriguez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Rodriguez gets caught flat footed, as Rocha shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rocha trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rocha is pushing down on Rodriguez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rodriguez is fighting to maintain full guard but Rocha has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rocha wants to take a breather but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Rocha is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Well, if Rocha 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.
Rocha throwing shots but Rodriguez is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rocha stops Rodriguez from getting back to his feet.
Rocha works his way into side control.
Rodriguez is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Rocha works to advance to full mount. Rodriguez defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Rocha throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

And that's the end of the fight!
Demian Rocha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rocha 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Demian Rocha!