PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leroy Finch (ranked 24253 p4p, 0 weight class) and Twister Rodriguez (ranked 6170 p4p, 0 weight class). Twister Rodriguez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Finch
vs
Rodriguez

191 cm
19
214 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

178 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Leroy Finch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Twister Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez scores with a hook.
Finch pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rodriguez dives in for a single leg takedown but Finch sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Rodriguez fails to land the takedown.
Rodriguez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Finch wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Finch shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rodriguez is trying to stand back up but Finch is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Finch decides to return to a standing position.
Rodriguez shoots and misses
and Finch makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Leroy Finch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Twister Rodriguez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown but Finch shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Rodriguez has taken the fight to the clinch.

Finch pulls Rodriguez into guard.
Rodriguez wants to stand and escape but instead Finch has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Finch postures up in Rodriguez's guard and throws a big left but Rodriguez blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Finch is controlling him.
Finch wants to get up but he can't break Rodriguez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rodriguez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Finch is controlling him.
Finch wants to get up but he can't break Rodriguez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rodriguez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rodriguez has a closed guard, preventing Finch from standing up.
Rodriguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Rodriguez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rodriguez looks winded!
Finch has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rodriguez is proving hard to escape from.
Rodriguez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Finch is one step ahead there.
Finch wants to stand but Rodriguez is controlling his posture from full guard.
Finch has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Finch trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Finch shoots in but Rodriguez avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Finch as he connects with a hook.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch successfully.

Rodriguez tightens his grip and picks Finch up, before dumping him to the ground. Finch manages to land in guard.

Rodriguez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Finch escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rodriguez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rodriguez passes Finch's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Rodriguez controlling the action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Finch is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rodriguez pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leroy Finch will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch successfully.
Finch prevents a takedown attempt there.
Finch jumps guard but Rodriguez stands there with Finch around his waist. Finch gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Finch tries to pull guard but Rodriguez holds him up against the cage and eventually Finch drops back down to his feet.
Finch jumps guard but Rodriguez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leroy Finch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Finch blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finch fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Finch tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rodriguez just stands there and leans against the cage.
Finch tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rodriguez smiles and moves away.

Rodriguez fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Finch to the ground. Rodriguez is now in Finch's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Finch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodriguez passes Finch's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rodriguez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Finch keeps working.
Rodriguez is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Rodriguez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rodriguez tries to pass to full mount but Finch defends it.
Finch tries to get to full guard but Rodriguez has control of the leg.

Finch is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rodriguez pulls his head out easily.
Rodriguez is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Rodriguez throws a head kick but Finch moves out of range.
Twister Rodriguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Finch takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Rodriguez works his way into full mount!
Rodriguez content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rodriguez looking to secure an arm triangle but Finch defends it well.
Rodriguez in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rodriguez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rodriguez tries to control but Finch wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Twister Rodriguez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Finch throws a nice looking combination but Rodriguez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rodriguez throws a push kick but Finch slaps the foot to one side.

Finch gets tackled into the cage by Rodriguez. Rodriguez maintains the clinch.
Finch tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rodriguez just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rodriguez goes for a takedown attempt but Finch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rodriguez is looking to clinch.
Rodriguez shoots in but Finch avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finch throws a body shot but no joy.
Rodriguez tries to counter with a clinch but Finch shakes him off and moves away.
Nice sprawl there from Finch as Rodriguez shoots in.
Leroy Finch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Twister Rodriguez.
Rodriguez throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Finch counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rodriguez won't be happy with that.
Rodriguez wants to control but Finch postures up.
Rodriguez should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Finch.
Rodriguez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Finch has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Finch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches.

Finch pulls guard.
Rodriguez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rodriguez looking to sit in guard and control but Finch gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez has a closed guard, preventing Finch from standing up.
Rodriguez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rodriguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Finch is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rodriguez is pulling down on Finch's head to control his posture.

Finch decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Finch. No joy for Rodriguez on that attempt.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Finch is having none of it.
Finch is looking to counter the offense by Rodriguez and move into the clinch.
Rodriguez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rodriguez fails with a takedown attempt.
Finch changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Leroy Finch is winning the standup battle so far.
Finch throws out a loose jab but Rodriguez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rodriguez takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Rodriguez takes a jab right on the kisser.

Finch bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Finch has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Finch bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Finch stands up.
Finch throws a series of punches but Rodriguez moves out of range.

Rodriguez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Finch is trying to defend but Rodriguez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Finch is staying active underneath Rodriguez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leroy Finch showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Finch 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leroy Finch!