PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Day (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spencer Rigs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Caleb Day has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Day
vs
Rigs

185 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Caleb Day!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Spencer Rigs!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A choreographed right hand from Day misses the target.

Rigs looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rigsis looking to pass into half guard but Day pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Day is in guard.
Rigs working a defensive guard here.
Rigs wants to control but Day passes easily into half guard.
Day is tying to control. Rigs wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rigs wants to improve his position but Day is controlling well.
Day passes to full mount!
Rigs bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rigs trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Rigs postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Day is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rigs, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Day won't allow Rigs to sweep him here.

Rigs working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Day doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Day manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rigs looking for a sweep. Not yet Rigs, not yet.
Rigs is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Day looking to pass the guard.
Day passes into half guard.
Rigs is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rigs looks gassed!
Day is tying to control. Rigs wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Day is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rigs swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Rigs is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rigs is squirming around, avoiding Day's attempts to control the action.
Day blocks Rigs's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rigs is trying desperately to improve position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Day is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rigs has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Rigs regains half guard.
Rigs punching from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Day wants to take a breather but Rigs is having none of it.
Rigs regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rigs wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Day is now in half guard.
Rigs is refusing to be controlled, as Day sits in half guard.
Rigs is pressing down on Day's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rigs throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Day trying to control but Rigs is working from the bottom.
Rigs tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rigs throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rigs looking for a sweep. Not yet Rigs, not yet.
Day trying to control but Rigs is working from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Day throws out a loose jab but Rigs uses good head movement to avoid it.

Rigs scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Rigs there.
Day slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Day manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rigs manages to get himself to full guard.
Rigs can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Day controls the pace.
Day slips nicely into half guard.

Day is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rigs defends it well.

Day is looking for a kimura but Rigs is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Day to get the leverage.
It looks like Day is going to stand back up.

Day postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rigs to stand up.
Day throws a lazy right hand but Rigs sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it 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 Caleb Day will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Day just misses with a punch to the body.
Day misses with a straight left.
Day swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Day misses with a looping right.
Good exchange - Day coming out on top.

Rigs closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Day to the mat! Day manages to get full guard.
Day keeping moving, preventing Rigs from controlling successfully.
Rigs working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Day's head.
Rigs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Day swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rigs working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rigs landing some decent shots from guard.
Rigs cracks Day with a solid left hand.
Rigs postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rigs postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rigs landing some decent shots from guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rigs content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Day keeping moving, preventing Rigs from controlling successfully.
Rigs missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Day is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rigs wants to control from the top but Day keeps moving.

Day throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Day looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Day wants to stand and escape but Rigs is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rigs preventing the sweep.
Rigs stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Day swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rigs drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Day dives on top into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Day accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Day wants to stand but Rigs has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rigs thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rigs looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Day puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Day trying to control the action but Rigs is working from the bottom.
Rigs works his way to full guard. Good work.
Day slips nicely into half guard.

Day is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rigs doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Day.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rigs looking for submissions off his back.
Day tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Rigs tries to get to full guard but Day has control of the leg.
Spencer Rigs has got the better of the ground game so far.
Day wants to pass the guard but Rigs is defending well.
Rigs is looking to improve his position.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Day misses with a low kick.
Nice defenses there by Rigs.
Day slow jab from Rigs misses its intended target.
Day connects with a nice looking jab.
Rigs moves out of range as Day strikes.
The fighters circling - Day throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rigs blocks a jab.
Day looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Rigs closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rigs lands in his opponent's guard.
Rigs working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Day wants to sweep here but Rigs controlling him for the moment.
Rigs is in close to Day's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rigs works over Day with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Caleb Day will probably get the nod.
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!

Rigs gets a takedown into half guard.
Rigs is keen to just control but Day is a slippery customer.
Rigs not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Rigs wants to work for an arm triangle but Day is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Day tries to get to full guard but Rigs has control of the leg.

Rigs seems to be working for a kimura but Day defends the submission attempt.

Day looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Rigs scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Rigs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters are battling for position here. Day manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Day looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rigs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rigs trying to control the position from guard on top but Day is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Day is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rigs is in close to Day's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rigs scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rigs trying to control but Day is working from the bottom.
Rigs won't allow Day to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Day keeping moving, preventing Rigs from controlling successfully.
Rigs won't allow Day to sweep him here.
Day is trying to keep Rigs in close.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Day throws a nice inside leg kick.
Day is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rigs.

Rigs closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Day to the mat! Day manages to get full guard.
Rigs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Day is keeping the position for now.
Rigs works over Day with some ground and pound from guard.
Rigs working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Day avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Day is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rigs missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigs scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rigs trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rigs fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Day jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rigs shoots in for a takedown but Day shows good takedown defense.
Rigs slips under a jab from Day.
Rigs moves out of range of the strikes.

Rigs closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rigs seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Day is trying to maintain the position but Rigs is very close to passing his half guard.
Rigs wants to pass to mount but Day is defending the position.
Rigs throws a strike but Day avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Rigs pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Day is keeping the position for now.

Day escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rigs gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rigs trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rigs throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Day works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Day is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rigs cracks Day with a solid left hand.
Rigs works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rigs looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rigs sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Day defending well though.
The fighters are battling for position here. Day manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Rigs drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Day manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rigs has Day in his guard.
Day stopping the sweep attempt from Rigs.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Spencer Rigs.
I think Day 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Spencer Rigs!