PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Badr White (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Badr White had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

White
vs
Nogueira

199 cm
25
245 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

191 cm
22
254 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Badr White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rodrigo Nogueira!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nogueira slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nogueira lands a lovely overhand right.

Nogueira shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. White manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Nogueira drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but White manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nogueira has White in his guard.

White got a little sloppy there for a moment and Nogueira has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, White has managed to get both his arms back between Nogueira's legs - danger averted.

White avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
White wants to get up but he can't break Nogueira'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.

Nogueira has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. White is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Nogueira.
White tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Nogueira gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Nogueira throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Nogueira trying to control but White postures up.
Nogueira wants to stand back up but White manages to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Nogueira tries to get back to half guard but can't.

White decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Nogueira takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nogueira scores with a shot to the body.
White is breathing heavily.
Nogueira throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Nogueira shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in White's guard.
Nogueira connects with a couple of short punches.
Nogueira not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nogueira trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nogueira passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Nogueira remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Nogueira working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Nogueira trying to control the position but White is working away.
Nogueira scoring with punches and elbows.
Nogueira throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Nogueira in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira is trying to get an arm triangle but White is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Check out the look on Nogueira's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nogueira cracks White with a big right hand but White just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
White is not content to let Nogueira control the position.

Nogueira tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nogueira has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Nogueira has hold of White's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! White tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Nogueira cranks the arm and White screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from White, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Rodrigo Nogueira!