PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wesley Weber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Weber
vs
Rhodes

188 cm
19
239 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Wesley Weber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Oooooh!!! Rhodes has knocked Weber down with a huge combo! Rhodes steps away and waves a wobbly Weber back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Wesley Weber has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rhodes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Weber paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Weber lands with a slapping head kick.
Rhodes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rhodes shoots in looking for a takedown but Weber manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rhodes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Weber shoots for a double leg takedown but Rhodes sprawls well. He's pushed Weber's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rhodes tries to clinch but Weber is having none of it.
Rhodes tries to clinch but Weber moves out of range.
Rhodes with a poor takedown

and Weber counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rhodes won't be happy with that.
Rhodes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Weber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rhodes keeps working.

Weber is trying to get an arm triangle but Rhodes is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes wants to control but Weber postures up.
Weber in the domination position with Rhodes hanging on.
Rhodes regains half guard.
Rhodes is trying to maintain the position but Weber is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Weber thows a huge punch but Rhodes dodges it nicely.
Rhodes flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weber sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Weber is trying to control the action in half guard but Rhodes is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Wesley Weber has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rhodes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rhodes shoots in looking for a takedown but Weber manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rhodes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Wesley Weber has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Rhodes.

Weber is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rhodes's half guard.
Rhodes trying to control here.
Rhodes is not content to let Weber control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Weber is looking for a kimura but Rhodes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Weber to get the leverage.
Weber trying to control the action but Rhodes is working from the bottom.
Weber is looking to advance position but Rhodes won't allow it.
Rhodes trying to control here.
Rhodes is staying active underneath Weber, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is looking to improve his position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rhodes gets back to full guard.
Rhodes is trying to keep Weber in close.
Weber passes Rhodes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rhodes is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Weber content to control rather than advance.
Rhodes won't allow Weber to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Rhodes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wesley Weber's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Weber tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rhodes swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Weber moves into the clinch successfully.
Weber jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rhodes walks away with a smile on his face. Weber gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rhodes shoots in for a double leg but Weber sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rhodes.
Weber closes the distance and clinches up with Rhodes, looking for a takedown. Weber pushes Rhodes against the cage but Rhodes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Wesley Weber is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Weber misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Weber stuffs the takedown attempt from Rhodes. Rhodes gets slowly back to his feet.
Wesley Weber has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Rhodes.
Weber blocks a head kick by Rhodes.
Weber shoots in but no luck this time.
Weber tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rhodes was well out of range. Poor timing from Weber.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes tries to clinch but Weber moves out of range.

Rhodes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Weber, pushing him back against the cage.
Rhodes gets underhooks to prevent Weber's takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rhodes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rhodes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Weber scores with a knee to the head.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weber won't allow Rhodes to get back to his feet.
Weber showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Weber has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rhodes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Weber is looking to improve his position but Rhodes isn't that keen on the idea.
Weber is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes tries to control but Weber wriggling away.
Weber sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Weber on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Weber tries to get out of the position.
Weber is looking for a sweep. Rhodes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Weber keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Weber is looking to get back to full guard here but Rhodes has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes swings around for an armbar but Weber sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rhodes's guard.

Weber gets to his feet - Rhodes follows without any prompting.
Rhodes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Weber.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Weber sprawls well. Weber wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rhodes gets slowly back to his feet.
Rhodes tries to clinch up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Weber tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhodes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Danga de danga de dang - Rhodes scores with a four punch combination!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Weber moves in looking to clinch but Rhodes pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Wesley Weber will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Wesley Weber's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Weber closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rhodes sneaks back into half guard.
Rhodes is refusing to be controlled, as Weber sits in half guard.
Rhodes gets full guard.
Rhodes trying to control the position.

Weber has gone for a leg lock! Rhodes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Weber's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Weber is on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rhodes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Weber makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rhodes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Weber advances to half guard.

Weber is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rhodes doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Weber.
Weber content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Weber could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Rhodes trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is controlling Weber's trapped leg to prevent Weber from advancing to side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Robert Rhodes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Rhodes paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Weber gets the takedown into side control.
Rhodes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Weber is looking to take a break and control but Rhodes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Weber is staying tight to Rhodes's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Rhodes is trying to control Weber's posture but Weber avoids it.
Weber is working Rhodes over with some ground and pound from side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Weber trying to control the position but Rhodes is working away.

Weber is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rhodes is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Wesley Weber showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Weber has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wesley Weber!