PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Heckofa Riddum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Shadows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Heckofa Riddum has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Riddum
vs
Shadows

178 cm
23
183 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

186 cm
23
175 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Conviction

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Heckofa Riddum!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Shadows!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Riddum.
Shadows moves out of range of the strikes.
Riddum will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A punch combination from Shadows misses.
Shadows drops his hands momentarily and Riddum takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Shadows has closed the distance and engaged Riddum in a clinch.

Shadows breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Shadows has managed to clinch.
A short right from Shadows on the inside.
Shadows working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Shadows breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riddum looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riddum throws a nice looking combination but Shadows bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Shadows fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Riddum, pushing him back against the cage.
Riddum is looking to break free of the clinch but Shadows has double underhooks.
Shadows prevents Riddum from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddum tries for a takedown but Shadows manages to get underhooks.
Shadows lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Shadows pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Shadows instigates a clinch.

Shadows breaks the clinch.

Riddum gets the takedown into side control.
Riddum has control of an arm but Shadows manages to advance to Riddum's back!
Shadows has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Riddum's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddum tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Riddum is desperately trying to improve his position but Shadows has a good base and remains in mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shadows controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddum is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Shadows sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Riddum is looking to improve his position but Shadows isn't that keen on the idea.
Shadows controlling the pace for now.

That's four 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.
Riddum is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Shadows trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Riddum gets back to half guard.
Riddum tries to roll over but Shadows keeps him under control.
Riddum is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Shadows will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Shadows lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Riddum circles away quickly and effectively.

Shadows has managed to clinch.
Shadows has a couple of punches blocked by Riddum.
Riddum is trying to drag Shadows to the mat but Shadows just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Shadows is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shadows tries to pull guard but Riddum won't allow it.

Shadows breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shadows throws a nice looking combination but Riddum bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shadows tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Riddum paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Shadows shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Shadows is thwarting Riddum's attempts to control the position.
Riddum wants to get back to full guard.

Riddum actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddum wants to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Shadows slips under a jab.
Riddum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A left and a right from Shadows both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Heckofa Riddum has been cut.

Shadows clinches.

Shadows pulls Riddum into guard.
Riddum looking to pass the guard.
Riddum wants to control from the top but Shadows keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Shadows wants to stand and escape but Riddum is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddum wants to control from the top but Shadows keeps moving.
Shadows is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Riddum trying to control the position from guard on top but Shadows is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Riddum takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Shadows goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Riddum takes a swing at Shadows's ribcage but misses.

Shadows has Riddum up against the cage in a clinch.
Shadows prevents Riddum from breaking the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Shadows breaks the clinch.
Riddum is looking to clinch.

Shadows drives through and clinches with Riddum against the cage.
Shadows scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A bit of stalling here from Shadows.
Shadows prevents Riddum from breaking the clinch.
Shadows softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Riddum managing to block the knees to the body from Shadows.
Shadows holding his opponent close, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Shadows showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Heckofa Riddum's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Shadows ducks under a wild hook from Riddum.
Riddum throws out a loose jab but Shadows uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riddum fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Shadows lands with a nice combination. Riddum backs away looking to recover.

Shadows rushes Riddum and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Shadows softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Shadows escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Riddum gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Shadows counters by moving into the clinch.
Shadows digs a right hand underneath Riddum's ribcage. Riddum let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Riddum has Shadows pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Shadows manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Shadows breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Heckofa Riddum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short right from Shadows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shadows lands a shoulder strike.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Shadows manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Shadows seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Riddum throws a big right hand that misses.
Riddum forces his way into half guard.
Riddum trying to control from half guard but Shadows is working away.
Riddum uses his free foot to push down on Shadows's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Shadows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riddum looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Riddum unloads with some shots from mount but Shadows bucks and avoids them well.
Shadows tries to buck Riddum off but he can't manage it.
Riddum misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Shadows tries to hold on but Riddum pushes him away.

Riddum is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Shadows has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Shadows is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shadows is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Shadows wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Riddum.
Shadows wants to hold on but Riddum pushes him away.
Riddum looking to ground and pound but Shadows is blocking nicely.

Riddum goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Shadows is on top in guard.
Shadows loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Riddum is controlling Shadows's posture.
Matt Shadows is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Riddum wants to sweep here but Shadows controlling him for the moment.

Riddum working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Shadows doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Shadows manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Riddum throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Shadows stays in close to Riddum's body and controls the position.
Shadows postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riddum looking to hit a scissor sweep but Shadows is one step ahead there.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Shadows clinches up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Shadows comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Shadows has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Shadows!