PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brody Savanis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucio Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodrigues has chosen Sandstorm as his entrance music. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Savanis
vs
Rodrigues

175 cm
33
185 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

180 cm
33
197 lbs
14 - 10 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

TWGC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brody Savanis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucio Rodrigues!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Savanis slaps away a takedown attempt from Rodrigues, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Rodrigues drives through and clinches with Savanis against the cage.
Rodrigues goes for a takedown attempt but Savanis pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rodrigues is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Savanis.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up but Savanis circles away and keeps his distance.
Savanis moves into range and connects with a jab.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Rodrigues has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Rodrigues tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Savanis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rodrigues takes the fight into the clinch.
Rodrigues is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Rodrigues scores with a shot to the side of Savanis's head.
Savanis has Rodrigues pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rodrigues manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Savanis or not.
Rodrigues tries for a takedown. No joy.
Brody Savanis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lucio Rodrigues.
Rodrigues is looking to take this one to the mat.
Rodrigues misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rodrigues breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Savanis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rodrigues moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Savanis throws a one two combo.

Rodrigues changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Savanis looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rodrigues wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Savanis, who protects the arm well.
Rodrigues wants to control but Savanis is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Savanis is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

Rodrigues looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Savanis rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rodrigues's guard! Nice work there by Savanis!
Savanis lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Savanis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rodrigues trying to control the position.

Rodrigues looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Savanis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodrigues is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodrigues throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Savanis escapes and throws Rodrigues's legs to the side, diving into side control!
You can see the frustration on Rodrigues's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Savanis controls the position.
Rodrigues on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rodrigues is not content to let Savanis control the position.
Rodrigues struggling a bit here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Savanis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rodrigues keeps working.
Rodrigues manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucio Rodrigues dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Savanis scores with a one two! Rodrigues had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rodrigues looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rodrigues tries to work over Savanis's front leg with a kick but Savanis checks it.
Rodrigues throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Savanis misses the jab.
Savanis throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lucio Rodrigues seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodrigues throws a right and a left that Savanis avoids nicely.
Brody Savanis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rodrigues throws a looping overhand right but Savanis ducks down to avoid it.
Savanis looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Some wild striking there from Savanis.

Rodrigues shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rodrigues showed some decent athleticism there.

Rodrigues is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Savanis is just riding it out for now. Rodrigues eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rodrigues is working for a submission of some sort.
Rodrigues throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Savanis to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rodrigues wants to control from the top but Savanis keeps moving.
Rodrigues sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rodrigues wants to control from the top but Savanis keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues looking to sit in guard and control but Savanis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rodrigues had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Savanis defends it easily.
Savanis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Savanis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Rodrigues working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Savanis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Savanis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rodrigues keeping moving, preventing Savanis from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is trying to keep Savanis in close.
Savanis trying to control but Rodrigues is working from the bottom.
Rodrigues tries to strike from the bottom.

Rodrigues has his foot on Savanis's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Savanis works his way back into a safe position though.

Rodrigues looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Savanis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodrigues swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Savanis has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rodrigues throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rodrigues looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Savanis is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucio Rodrigues showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Savanis connects with a right hand. Rodrigues shakes it off.
Rodrigues lands a slapping body shot.
Rodrigues scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rodrigues swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rodrigues lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rodrigues is looking to clinch.
Savanis throws a right and a left that Rodrigues avoids nicely.

Savanis gets tackled into the cage by Rodrigues. Rodrigues maintains the clinch.

Rodrigues breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Savanis fails to land with a series of punches.
Rodrigues walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rodrigues ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Savanis moves away.
Rodrigues showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Savanis.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Rodrigues throws a low kick, looking for Savanis's leg but Savanis calmly moves out of range.
Savanis pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Rodrigues back to the cage. Savanis follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Lucio Rodrigues has been cut.

Rodrigues feints and as Savanis raises his hands in defense, Rodrigues changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Savanis bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodrigues's guard.
Savanis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodrigues is keeping the position for now.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Savanis's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Rodrigues throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rodrigues is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues keeping moving, preventing Savanis from controlling successfully.

Rodrigues is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lucio Rodrigues has got the better of the ground game so far.
Savanis engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Rodrigues has an active guard here but Savanis has managed to pass into half guard.

Rodrigues is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Savanis pulls his head out easily.
Rodrigues takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Savanis is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Savanis working Rodrigues over with strikes.
Rodrigues tries to get to full guard but Savanis has control of the leg.

Savanis moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Rodrigues.
Rodrigues is looking to reverse the position.
Rodrigues taking a bit of punishment here - Savanis scoring with strikes.
Rodrigues takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rodrigues wants to control but Savanis postures up.
Savanis in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rodrigues is working to avoid the ground and pound but Savanis connects with a decent elbow.
Lucio Rodrigues is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Savanis trying to control the position but Rodrigues is working away.
Savanis in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rodrigues takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rodrigues struggling a bit here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Brody Savanis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Brody Savanis showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rodrigues 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lucio Rodrigues!
Our winner, Lucio Rodrigues, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.