PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Malcom Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rab Turner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rab Turner will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Rodriguez
vs
Turner

155 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Malcom Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rab Turner!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Turner throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rodriguez tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Turner is in Rodriguez's guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Turner chips away with some ground and pound.
Rodriguez lands a decent shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Turner's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Turner throws a strike but Rodriguez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodriguez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Turner's guard.
Rodriguez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rodriguez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rodriguez is looking to stand up but Turner won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Turner is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rodriguez is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Malcom Rodriguez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Rodriguez clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Turner wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Turner has picked Rodriguez up - he's going for a ride! Turner dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Turner is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Turner is working for a kimura but Rodriguez is defending it quite comfortably.
Turner looks to land a strike but Rodriguez avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Turner lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rodriguez is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rodriguez throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Turner keeping moving, preventing Rodriguez from controlling successfully.
Rodriguez won't allow Turner to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malcom Rodriguez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rodriguez slips a jab and a cross from Turner.
Rodriguez looks for a takedown but Turner sprawls well.
Rodriguez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Turner's waist but Turner gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rodriguez off to one side.

Turner clinches up against the cage.

Turner has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rodriguez is trying to keep an underhook but Turner manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Turner winds up and cracks Rodriguez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
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!
Rodriguez keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Turner looks to land a strike but Rodriguez avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Turner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rodriguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rab Turner dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Turner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Turner shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rodriguez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rodriguez takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rodriguez manages to work his way to half guard, despite Turner's best efforts.
Rodriguez is pressing down on Turner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Rodriguez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Turner doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Turner manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Turner trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Turner with a nice head shot there.
Turner throws an elbow that misses. Rodriguez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Turner's guard. Nice move by Rodriguez!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rodriguez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rodriguez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Turner's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Turner wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rodriguez manages to pass to side control.

Rodriguez is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Turner sees it coming and defends easily.
Rodriguez is keen to just control but Turner is a slippery customer.
Rodriguez really is a fat lump.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez controlling the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Malcom Rodriguez wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Turner gets a double leg takedown into Rodriguez's guard.
Turner wants to stand and escape but instead Rodriguez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Turner is breathing heavily.
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rodriguez stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Rodriguez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Turner's half guard.
Malcom Rodriguez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Turner can do anything to dispel that myth.
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!

Rodriguez is trying to work for a kimura but Turner is defending well.
Turner is staying active underneath Rodriguez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriguez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Turner keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malcom Rodriguez dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Turner shoots in and bounces Rodriguez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Turner throwing strikes from guard but Rodriguez blocks nicely.
Turner working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rodriguez's head.
Turner throws a strike but Rodriguez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Turner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rodriguez seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Turner for as long as he can get away with.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Malcom Rodriguez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Turner lands a really nice looking cross but Rodriguez seems unphased.

Turner moves into range and clinches up with Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Turner is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rodriguez to the mat. Rodriguez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Turner has his hands clasped together but Rodriguez extends and breaks Turner's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Rodriguez.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Malcom Rodriguez!