PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diego Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lars Anderssen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rios comes to the cage accompanied by The Way I Am. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rios
vs
Anderssen

193 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lars Anderssen!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rios shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Anderssen trying to hold on to Rios's head to control him but Rios postures up.
Rios wants to pass the guard but Anderssen is defending well.
Rios with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
It looks like Rios is going to stand back up.
Rios wants to pass the guard but Anderssen is defending well.
Anderssen is trying to control but can't.
Rios throwing shots but Anderssen is blocking nicely.
Rios drops an elbow to the side of Anderssen's head.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Anderssen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rios counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rios.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderssen looking for a sweep. Not yet Anderssen, not yet.
Rios postures up.
Anderssen tries to strike from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Anderssen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Anderssen misses with a head shot.
Anderssen misses with a head shot.
Rios slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Anderssen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rios wants to get back to full guard but Anderssen has passed into side control.
Rios is working to get back to half guard.
Anderssen throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Anderssen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Anderssen looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rios wants to control but Anderssen is having none of it.
Rios is breathing heavily.
Rios avoids a series of strikes thrown by Anderssen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderssen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rios?
Rios is desperately trying to improve his position but Anderssen has a good base and remains in mount.
Rios is working hard here to advance position.
Rios taking shots to the head.

Anderssen is going olschool here, as he tries to force Rios to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Rios shrugs it off.
Rios can't escape the position.
Anderssen can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rios is looking to escape.
Rios is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderssen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Anderssen looking to control and managing it successfully.
Anderssen punching from mount but Rios doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rios wants to control but Anderssen is having none of it.
Anderssen looking to finish with strikes here!
Anderssen throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Anderssen has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Rios regains guard immediately.
Anderssen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Anderssen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anderssen looking to sit in guard and control but Rios gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Anderssen working a defensive guard here.
Anderssen trying to strike off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rios tries to free his leg and advance position but Anderssen is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderssen looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Anderssen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Anderssen looking to stall.
Anderssen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rios gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Anderssen manages to break the clinch.
Lars Anderssen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Anderssen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rios to the mat! Rios manages to get full guard.
Rios looking for a sweep. Not yet Rios, not yet.
Rios trying to keep a closed guard but Anderssen is proving a slippery customer.

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

Anderssen gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderssen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rios trying to control from the bottom.
Anderssen passes to side control.
Rios tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Anderssen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Anderssen working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios tries to improve position but can't.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rios avoids a punch combination nicely.
Anderssen tries a head kick but it misses.
Rios misses the shot to the body.

Anderssen shoots in and bounces Rios off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rios working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Anderssen.
Anderssen throws a big right hand that misses.
Anderssen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rios works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderssen trying to control but Rios is working from the bottom.
Rios wants to stand but Anderssen is controlling the position.
Anderssen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Anderssen drops back looking for a leg! Rios is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rios manages to kick Anderssen off! Anderssen jumps back into Rios's guard.
Anderssen advances to half guard.
Well, if Anderssen is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Anderssen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lars Anderssen 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. This is the final round!

Anderssen wants to clinch.
Anderssen tries to clinch up
and Rios counters with a head kick.
Nice takedown defense from Anderssen. No joy for Rios on that attempt.
Anderssen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rios shoots in and drives through. Anderssen sprawls well.

Anderssen rushes Rios and presses him up against the cage.

Anderssen manages to pull guard.
Rios has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Anderssen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rios has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Anderssen is proving hard to escape from.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Anderssen looking for a sweep. Not yet Anderssen, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderssen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Anderssen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rios doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rios manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rios trying to stand up but can't free himself from Anderssen's guard.
Anderssen trying to keep a closed guard but Rios is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Anderssen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rios but Rios pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Anderssen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rios as he jumps to the side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Anderssen.
Diego Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lars Anderssen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Anderssen closes the distance looking to clinch

and Rios counters with a nice double leg into side control. Anderssen won't be happy with that.
Anderssen is looking to regain half guard here but Rios keeps moving and retains side control.
Anderssen dodges the ground and pound from Rios.
Rios trying to control the position but Anderssen is working away.
Anderssen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Rios's best efforts.

Anderssen actively working from the bottom here.
Rios lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios prevents Anderssen from improving his position.

Anderssen pushes Rios off and gets back to his feet.

Anderssen moves into range and clinches up with Rios.
Rios tries to score a body lock takedown but Anderssen shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Anderssen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Anderssen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Rios just stands there and leans against the cage.
Anderssen tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rios smiles and moves away.

Anderssen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rios!
Anderssen looking to finish with strikes here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Anderssen looking to ground and pound but Rios is blocking nicely.
Anderssen takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rios is looking to improve his position but Anderssen isn't that keen on the idea.
Anderssen throws some wild stikes that Rios manages to avoid easily.
Anderssen controlling the position easily from mount.
Anderssen tries to control but Rios wriggling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lars Anderssen.
I think Anderssen 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Lars Anderssen!