PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cody Rhodes (ranked 3446 p4p, 4241 weight class) and Ren Lily (ranked 123 p4p, 153 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Rhodes might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Cody Rhodes Entrance song. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Rhodes
vs
Lily

204 cm
25
300
1 - 0 - 0

196 cm
25
280
3 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Cody Rhodes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ren Lily!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Winston Alpacca and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lily has managed to clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lily.

Rhodes turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Rhodes stands up.
Lily tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rhodes showed some decent athleticism there.
Rhodes tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Lily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rhodes stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Lily is looking to clinch.
Rhodes half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lily looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A big right from Rhodes misses.
Cody Rhodes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into Lily's guard.
Rhodes wants to get up but he can't break Lily's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rhodes stands and steps away. Lily gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rhodes throws a body shot but no joy.
Lily misses with a takedown attempt - Rhodes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lily staying out of range there.
Lily is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Rhodes throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Lily tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rhodes is in Lily's guard.

Lily scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Lily wants to clinch

and Rhodes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lily's guard.
Rhodes looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes gets to his feet. Lily looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into Lily's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lily not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rhodes tries to stand but Lily is controlling from the bottom.
Rhodes has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lily has control of Rhodes's left arm, preventing Rhodes from doing any damage.
Rhodes wants to stand but Lily is controlling his posture from full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Lily, up you get!
Rhodes misses with a looping left.
Lily looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rhodes is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Lily.
Lily is looking to clinch.
The fighters circling - Rhodes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Rhodes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Lily looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Lily is looking for a sweep.
Rhodes wants to stand but Lily is controlling his arm.

Rhodes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Lily tries to clinch but Rhodes is having none of it.
Rhodes misses with an uppercut
and Lily counters with a straight right hand.
Rhodes misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Lily kicks Rhodes off and gets to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rhodes drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Lily is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lily has a closed guard, preventing Rhodes from standing up.

Lily has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Rhodes has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Rhodes wants to take the fight to the mat but Lily manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rhodes has Lily pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lily manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lily scores with a shoulder strike.
Lily has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rhodes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rhodes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Rhodes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rhodes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Cody Rhodes will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Lily clinches up against the cage.
Lily misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rhodes has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lily is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rhodes has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lily is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Rhodes has picked Lily up - he's going for a ride! Rhodes dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Rhodes is thwarting Lily's attempts to control the position.
Rhodes tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Lily.
Rhodes stops Lily from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lily is controlling Rhodes's trapped leg to prevent Rhodes from advancing to side control.
Rhodes tries to stand and escape but Lily is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Rhodes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lily manages to avoid it.
Rhodes misses the jab.

Lily tries to sprawl but Rhodes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rhodes is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Lily shoots in but no luck this time.
Rhodes looks to land a right hand but Lily moved out of range.
Lily tries to clinch but Rhodes moves away

and Rhodes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lily won't be happy with that.

Lily throws Rhodes to one side and escapes!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lily is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.

Rhodes manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lily on his heels. He'll look to pass Lily's guard now, I'm sure.

Lily has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Rhodes is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is trying to drag Lily to the mat but Lily just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Rhodes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lily throws a punch but it's blocked by Rhodes.
Rhodes is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Rhodes gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Lily regains guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rhodes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Lily is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rhodes would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rhodes wants to stand and escape but instead Lily has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Rhodes keeping moving, preventing Lily from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lily throwing strikes from guard but Rhodes blocks nicely.
Lily wants to control from the top but Rhodes keeps moving.
Rhodes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lily makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rhodes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lily.
Lily working some strikes from top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ren Lily will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rhodes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rhodes wants to stand up but Lily is controlling the position.
Rhodes trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lily looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rhodes wants to stand up but Lily is controlling the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Lily is trying to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lily is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.

Rhodes feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Rhodes gets to his feet. Lily looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rhodes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lily sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lily swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Rhodes has managed to clinch.
Rhodes is working for takedown but Lily is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rhodes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lily prevents it.
Lily lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Lily gets underhooks to prevent Rhodes's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Rhodes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lily with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rhodes wants a takedown.
Rhodes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lily pulls his leg out and moves away.
Rhodes shoots in but no luck this time.
Lily doesn't manage to clinch there - Rhodes circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lily fails with an attempt to clinch.
It looked like Rhodes wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Lily tries to clinch up.
Rhodes swats away the attempt to clinch by Lily.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lily sprawls well. Lily wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rhodes gets slowly back to his feet.
Lily is looking to clinch.
Rhodes keeps the fight on the outside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lily uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Rhodes.
Lily lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Lily fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lily tries to clinch there but Rhodes circles away.
Rhodes shoots for a double leg takedown but Lily sprawls well. He's pushed Rhodes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lily tries to clinch but Rhodes moves out of range.
Lily tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lily staying out of range there.
Lily fails with an attempt to clinch.

Lily forces Rhodes back against the cage and clinches.
Rhodes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Rhodes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Lily avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rhodes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rhodes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lily gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Lily is working for takedown but Rhodes is calmly controlling the position for now.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lily - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Lily misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rhodes wants a takedown but no success here.
Lily working aggressively here.
Lily lands with a right to the head.
Rhodes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes has hold of one of Lily's legs. Lily is fighting the takedown attempt but Rhodes gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Lily has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rhodes off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lily tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rhodes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lily is looking to clinch but Rhodes is avoiding it.
Lily is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Lily has taken the fight to the clinch.

Rhodes lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rhodes tries to stand but can't do so whilst Lily controls his leg.
Lily is trying to stand.

Lily kicks Rhodes off and gets back to his feet.
Rhodes throws the left hand but Lily avoids the punch easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ren Lily.
I think Lily 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ren Lily!