PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sergey Kharitonov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Rodriguez has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Kharitonov
vs
Rodriguez

191 cm
25
185 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

198 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sergey Kharitonov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rodriguez !
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Kharitonov misses with the combination.
Kharitonov lands with a nice body punch.
Rodriguez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kharitonov counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rodriguez looks gassed!

Kharitonov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
John Rodriguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kharitonov scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like John Rodriguez has been cut.

Kharitonov drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kharitonov seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rodriguez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kharitonov is controlling him.
Kharitonov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sergey Kharitonov wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Kharitonov lands a left and a right that sends Rodriguez crashing to the canvas! Kharitonov dives into mount looking to finish!

Rodriguez is rocked!
Kharitonov controlling from mount.
Kharitonov has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Kharitonov seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rodriguez for as long as he can get away with.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sergey Kharitonov.

Kharitonov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rodriguez , pushing him back against the cage.

Kharitonov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kharitonov throws a shot to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rodriguez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Kharitonov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Kharitonov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Kharitonov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Kharitonov lands with a nice combination. Rodriguez backs away looking to recover.

Kharitonov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kharitonov lands in his opponent's guard.

Rodriguez is working an open guard so Kharitonov takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kharitonov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Kharitonov clinches up against the cage.

Kharitonov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rodriguez takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Kharitonov displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Kharitonov shoots in and bounces Rodriguez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Kharitonov stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rodriguez misses with a lunging right hand
and Kharitonov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Kharitonov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rodriguez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Kharitonov counters with a left to the body.

Kharitonov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Kharitonov decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kharitonov takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kharitonov closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rodriguez throws a lazy uppercut
and Kharitonov counters with a series of strikes. Rodriguez will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rodriguez throws a right hand that misses

and Kharitonov decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rodriguez 's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kharitonov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rodriguez can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kharitonov slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergey Kharitonov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Rodriguez 's cut.
That's time! Kharitonov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kharitonov throws a nice looking combination but Rodriguez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rodriguez scores with a punch to the head.
Rodriguez throws an off balance right hand

and Kharitonov moves into the clinch.

Kharitonov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kharitonov lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Rodriguez throws a combination that misses

and Kharitonov counters by clinching up.
Rodriguez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kharitonov prevents it.

Kharitonov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kharitonov throws a shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodriguez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kharitonov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Kharitonov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kharitonov slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kharitonov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kharitonov sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Kharitonov postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rodriguez to stand up.
Sergey Kharitonov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kharitonov ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Kharitonov moves into the clinch successfully.
Kharitonov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rodriguez gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Kharitonov has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rodriguez is trying to keep an underhook but Kharitonov manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez is trying to stand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kharitonov sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kharitonov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez looks like he's trying to stand up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Kharitonov slows the pace down in half guard.

Sergey Kharitonov has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Kharitonov scores a takedown into full mount!
Rodriguez 's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Kharitonov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Kharitonov looking to control and managing it successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sergey Kharitonov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergey Kharitonov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Rodriguez 's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rodriguez misses with a combination
and Kharitonov counters with a one-two to the body.
Rodriguez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Kharitonov shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez is trying to stand back up but Kharitonov is controlling him
Kharitonov sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rodriguez tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Kharitonov manages to move to mount!
Rodriguez trying desperately to get to his feet.
Kharitonov controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kharitonov is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rodriguez has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rodriguez trying desperately to get to his feet.

Kharitonov working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Kharitonov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Kharitonov jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Rodriguez manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez tries to escape but Kharitonov is in control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

Kharitonov decides to stand back up.
John Rodriguez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kharitonov has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rodriguez finds it's way round the side to connect with Kharitonov's head.
Kharitonov lands a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez misses with a double jab

and Kharitonov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Kharitonov landing some decent shots from guard.
Kharitonov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rodriguez wants to stand but Kharitonov is controlling the position.
Kharitonov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Sergey Kharitonov.
Rodriguez misses with a combination
and Kharitonov counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Kharitonov connects with a nice looking jab.

Rodriguez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kharitonov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sergey Kharitonov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kharitonov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
John Rodriguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Rodriguez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergey Kharitonov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kharitonov has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:25
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:25
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergey Kharitonov!