PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aroon Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tom Rodriguez is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Rodriguez
vs
Johnson

196 cm
22
255 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aroon Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson 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 Johnson off to one side.
Rodriguez connects with a crisp jab.

It looks like Aroon Johnson has been cut.
Johnson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rodriguez swivels and escapes.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez avoids it really well and circles away.
Tom Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aroon Johnson.
Rodriguez digs a good hook to Johnson's body.
Rodriguez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rodriguez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rodriguez wants it to stay on the feet.

Johnson shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rodriguez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rodriguez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.
Rodriguez keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Rodriguez seems keen to control Johnson's posture.

Rodriguez scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez wants to clinch.

Rodriguez has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Rodriguez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.

Rodriguez is trying to trip Johnson. He has hold of a leg but Johnson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rodriguez persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Rodriguez wanted to stand there but Johnson had control of the position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez scores with a one two! Johnson had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Johnson looks gassed!
Rodriguez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson shoots in but Rodriguez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tom Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez works over Johnson's head and body with a nice combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rodriguez lands a nice hook to Johnson's body. Johnson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Rodriguez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That has opened up Aroon Johnson's cut even more.
Rodriguez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnson manages to avoid it.
Danga de danga de dang - Rodriguez scores with a four punch combination!

Rodriguez rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Rodriguez lands a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands a shot to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Rodriguez pulls guard successfully.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but Johnson is having none of it.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Rodriguez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rodriguez manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Rodriguez's guard.
Johnson controlling from the top position.
Rodriguez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rodriguez tries to get out of the position.

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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rodriguez trying to control the position here.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodriguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rodriguez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Rodriguez had control of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rodriguez leaves Johnson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Rodriguez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aroon Johnson's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Rodriguez throws a series of punches but Johnson moves out of range.
Rodriguez stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Rodriguez looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Rodriguez is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab.
Rodriguez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rodriguez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rodriguez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Rodriguez doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
Rodriguez looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Rodriguez fails in his attempt to clinch.

Johnson clinches.
Rodriguez pushes Johnson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
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 Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Rodriguez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tom Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aroon Johnson.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.
Rodriguez jabs at Johnson's body.
Johnson fails to land with a series of punches.
Tom Rodriguez is winning the standup battle so far.
Rodriguez stuns Johnson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Rodriguez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Rodriguez is defending well.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodriguez keeps working.
The ground and pound from Johnson seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Rodriguez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez regains half guard.
Johnson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Johnson stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Rodriguez to get to his feet.
Rodriguez scores with a body shot.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Johnson.
Rodriguez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Rodriguez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Johnson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stops Rodriguez from standing up.

Johnson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rodriguez dives on top into guard.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but instead Johnson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rodriguez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rodriguez has momentary wrist control but Johnson slips an elbow through the middle.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rodriguez is retaining full guard.
Rodriguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aroon Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aroon Johnson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Rodriguez. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.

Rodriguez has managed to clinch.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Rodriguez manages to get underhooks.
Tom Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aroon Johnson.
Johnson wants a takedown but no success here.
Rodriguez tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is trying to trip Johnson. He has hold of a leg but Johnson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Rodriguez persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Rodriguez stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Rodriguez, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Rodriguez against the cage but Rodriguez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rodriguez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodriguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rodriguez swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson tries to circle away but Rodriguez has him pinned against the cage.
Rodriguez tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.

Johnson jumps guard and drags Rodriguez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Johnson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rodriguez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tom Rodriguez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rodriguez wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Rodriguez misses with a combination

and Johnson counters by clinching up.
Rodriguez scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rodriguez lands a nice shot that snaps Johnson's head back.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rodriguez lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Johnson backs up against the cage.
Rodriguez lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Johnson slips a jab from Rodriguez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Rodriguez moves out of range.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Johnson is defended easily by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez lands a jab to Johnson's midsection.
Rodriguez jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rodriguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rodriguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Rodriguez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnson counters with a thumping low kick.

That's four 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.
Rodriguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
Rodriguez is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Johnson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Rodriguez is looking to wear down Johnson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab

and Johnson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rodriguez's guard now.
Rodriguez keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodriguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Aroon Johnson.
I think Johnson 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aroon Johnson!