PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Al Babigan (ranked 7700 p4p, 0 weight class) and Corey Rodriguez (ranked 3881 p4p, 0 weight class). Corey Rodriguez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Babigan
vs
Rodriguez

165 cm
18
156 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite 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 The Island, Al Babigan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Corey Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Dirk Anderson and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Babigan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Babigan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
It looked like Babigan was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Babigan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rodriguez follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Babigan definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rodriguez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Babigan.
Babigan misses with the combination.
Babigan tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Babigan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rodriguez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rodriguez swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Babigan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Babigan could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Babigan scores with a three punch combo!
Babigan misses with the combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch.
Babigan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to pull guard but Babigan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Babigan is trying to break the clinch but Rodriguez is controlling him.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Babigan gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Babigan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Despite the aggression on Rodriguez's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Babigan looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Rodriguez wants to counter with a clinch but Babigan pushes him away.
Babigan stuffs the takedown.
Al Babigan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Corey Rodriguez.
Rodriguez darts in looking for a takedown but Babigan gets double underhooks and turns Rodriguez into the cage.
Babigan misses with the combination.
Babigan is breathing heavily.
Rodriguez dives in and grabs Babigan's left leg, looking for a takedown. Babigan pushes down on Rodriguez's head and hops out.
Babigan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Babigan throws a series of punches but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Babigan fails to land with a series of punches.
Rodriguez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is looking to clinch but Babigan is avoiding it.
Babigan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rodriguez doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Babigan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Rodriguez instigates a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Rodriguez manages to break the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Babigan as Rodriguez shoots in.

Rodriguez clinches.
Rodriguez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Babigan pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rodriguez plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Babigan as he avoids it easily.
Babigan throws a big counter combination but Rodriguez scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Babigan fails to land with a series of punches.
Babigan throws a nice looking combination but Rodriguez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rodriguez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Babigan throws a right hand that Rodriguez ducks under and follows up with a left that Rodriguez also avoids with ease.
Babigan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Rodriguez has a takedown stuffed.
Babigan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Babigan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown but Babigan shows good takedown defense.
Babigan misses with a double jab.
A combination from Babigan does no damage.
Babigan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rodriguez.
Al Babigan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez throws a combination. Babigan tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Rodriguez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Babigan circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Babigan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Babigan throws a right and a left that Rodriguez avoids nicely.
Rodriguez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Babigan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rodriguez turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Babigan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Babigan takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Rodriguez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Babigan backs up against the cage.
Babigan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Babigan misses with a jab, cross combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rodriguez is defended easily by Babigan.
Rodriguez scoring well with a low kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Al Babigan dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Babigan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rodriguez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rodriguez delivers a nice body kick.
Babigan throws a series of punches but Rodriguez avoids them all with ease.
Rodriguez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Babigan lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rodriguez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Babigan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Some wild striking there from Babigan.
Al Babigan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Babigan stalks Rodriguez and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Rodriguez's face. Rodriguez staggers backwards, shaken.
Babigan swinging wildly here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Babigan throws a right hand that Rodriguez ducks under and follows up with a left that Rodriguez also avoids with ease.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
No luck for Rodriguez with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Babigan motions for Rodriguez to come forward. Babigan throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Rodriguez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Babigan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rodriguez can do to turn this around?
Rodriguez digs a good body shot into Babigan's ribs.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown but Babigan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Babigan looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Rodriguez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Al Babigan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Corey Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rodriguez shoots for a takedown but Babigan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Babigan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Babigan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Al Babigan is winning the standup battle so far.
Rodriguez tries a head kick but it misses.
Babigan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rodriguez circles away quickly and effectively.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rodriguez! But no joy.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Babigan paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Babigan.
Babigan throws a right and a left that Rodriguez avoids nicely.

Rodriguez has taken the fight to the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Babigan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to pull guard but Babigan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rodriguez is stalling here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rodriguez taking a breather.

Rodriguez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babigan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rodriguez throws a counter combo.
Good work by Rodriguez as he checks the leg kick.
Rodriguez with the counter takedown but Babigan avoids it easily.

Rodriguez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Babigan smiles and moves away.
Babigan tries to land a leg kick but Rodriguez saw it coming and moves away.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up but Babigan circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Babigan.
Rodriguez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rodriguez lands with a slapping head kick.
A left and a right from Babigan both land. Nice combination.
Babigan tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Al Babigan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Babigan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Babigan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rodriguez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Babigan misses with a head kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rodriguez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Babigan.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Babigan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rodriguez with the counter takedown but Babigan avoids it easily.
Rodriguez shoots in but Babigan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Babigan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rodriguez circles away quickly and effectively.
A bone on bone clash there as Rodriguez blocks the leg kick.
Babigan misses with a head kick.

Rodriguez drives through and clinches with Babigan against the cage.
Babigan can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Al Babigan dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Babigan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rodriguez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sloppy strikes from Babigan. Those never looked like landing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rodriguez.
Babigan tries to bum rush Rodriguez with a series of wild strikes but Rodriguez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Babigan misses with a double jab.
Babigan throws a right and a left that Rodriguez avoids nicely.
Rodriguez tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rodriguez feints a jab promting Babigan to slip. Rodriguez then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Babigan slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Babigan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rodriguez tries to clinch there but Babigan circles away.
Rodriguez connects with a high kick.
Rodriguez lands a jab to the nose.
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!
Babigan misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodriguez throws a series of strikes that have Babigan backpedaling.
Rodriguez has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Babigan sprawls well. Babigan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rodriguez gets slowly back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Babigan. Those never looked like landing.
Babigan misses with a series of wild punches.

Babigan tries to keep at a distance but Rodriguez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Babigan has had enough of the clinch but Rodriguez keeps him there for the moment.
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Babigan avoids it.
Babigan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rodriguez has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez breaks from the clinch.
Babigan shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Babigan throws a right hand that Rodriguez ducks under and follows up with a left that Rodriguez also avoids with ease.
Babigan stuffs the takedown.
Al Babigan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Corey Rodriguez.
Babigan throws a nice looking combination but Rodriguez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rodriguez or perhaps it was just good defense by Babigan, which made it look bad.
A bone on bone clash there as Rodriguez blocks the leg kick.

Rodriguez clinches with his opponent.

Rodriguez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Babigan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Babigan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rodriguez is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez goes for a double leg but Babigan avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Babigan continues to drive forward.
Some wild striking there from Babigan.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown but Babigan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Babigan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown but Babigan shows good takedown defense.
Rodriguez darts in looking for a takedown but Babigan gets double underhooks and turns Rodriguez into the cage.
A nice combination there by Babigan.
Babigan throws a series of punches but Rodriguez avoids them all with ease.

Rodriguez clinches with his opponent.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez tries to pull guard but Babigan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Babigan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Babigan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Babigan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rodriguez circles away quickly and effectively.
Babigan moves forwards but Rodriguez connects with a nice, crisp jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Babigan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Both fighters circling a little - Rodriguez finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rodriguez.
Babigan looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Rodriguez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Babigan tries to bum rush Rodriguez with a series of wild strikes but Rodriguez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Babigan sets himself, and Rodriguez steps forward looking for the clinch! Babigan avoids it this time.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch.
Corey Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Al Babigan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rodriguez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Babigan walks away with a smile on his face. Rodriguez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Al Babigan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Babigan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Al Babigan!
An out of breath Al Babigan thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.