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WP 22 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of New York, with a TWGC record of 27 wins and 9 losses; Nick Rodriquez! And in the blue corner, fighting out of New York, with a TWGC record of 23 wins and 30 losses; Boris Balkan!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Colin Fotheringham and William Gold.
The official calls the fighters to the middle and the contest is under way.
Excellent takedown into side control there by Balkan. Score +4 for clean takedown past guard: Rodriquez (0) vs (4) Balkan
Balkan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodriquez keeps working.
Balkan controlling the position from side mount.
We've been hearing good reports from Rodriquez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balkan working away.
Rodriquez seems a little lost for a moment, as Balkan dominates the positioning.
Balkan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriquez is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Balkan off and has taken his back! Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Rodriquez (4) vs (4) Balkan
Rodriquez gets his hands free as Balkan looks to control.
Rodriquez wants to control but Balkan is keeping busy.
Balkan just trying to survive but Rodriquez is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Rodriquez's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Rodriquez controlling from the back.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balkan tries to escape but Rodriquez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Balkan tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rodriquez wants to take his opponent's back but Balkan doesn't allow it.
Rodriquez takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Balkan is trying desperately to improve position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez looking to control but Balkan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Balkan wants to hold on but Rodriquez pushes him away.
Rodriquez controlling the position easily from mount.
Rodriquez is looking to take Balkan's back but instead Balkan gets back to half guard. Nice work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balkan wants to improve his position but Rodriquez is controlling well.
Rodriquez moves into full mount! Balkan won't be happy about that! Score +3 for passing guard: Rodriquez (7) vs (4) Balkan
Balkan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Rodriquez is staying active.
Rodriquez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Balkan is looking to escape.
Balkan can't escape the position.
Balkan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rodriquez keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount! Score +3 for passing guard: Rodriquez (10) vs (4) Balkan
Rodriquez tries to control but Balkan wriggling away.
Balkan is working to get back to half guard.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Rodriquez controlling the position easily from mount.
Rodriquez avoids the attempt from Balkan to control.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Balkan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balkan is still trying to improve position.
Rodriquez tries to control but Balkan wriggling away.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is trying to escape the mount.
Rodriquez is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Balkan has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Balkan! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Rodriquez (10) vs (6) Balkan
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rodriquez is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Rodriquez (12) vs (6) Balkan
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Balkan keeping moving, preventing Rodriquez from controlling successfully.
Rodriquez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is controlling Rodriquez's posture.
Balkan looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rodriquez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Balkan tries to get to full guard but Rodriquez has control of the leg.
Rodriquez wants to pass the guard but Balkan is defending well.
Rodriquez content to control rather than advance.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Balkan wants to get back to full guard but Rodriquez has passed into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Rodriquez (15) vs (6) Balkan
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Balkan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rodriquez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Balkan is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Rodriquez is one step ahead and moves to full mount! Score +2 for reaching mount: Rodriquez (17) vs (6) Balkan
Balkan can't escape the position.
Rodriquez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Balkan is just holding on here. Rodriquez manages to take his back.
Score +3 for taking back: Rodriquez (20) vs (6) Balkan
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Balkan is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Balkan trying to control the position but Rodriquez manages to sink in the hooks.
What can Balkan do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Balkan can't escape the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that's the end of the fight!
Rodriquez takes the fight on points by 20 to 6.
A victorious Nick Rodriquez thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter. |
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