PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Bader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nico Agosto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bader comes into the arena with "Darth Bader" blaring out of the sound system. Ryan Bader has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Bader
vs
Agosto

188 cm
21
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

177 cm
23
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
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 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, Ryan Bader!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nico Agosto!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Franklyn Lucas and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Agosto throws a leg kick but Bader checks it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bader.
Some wild striking there from Agosto.
Agosto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bader wants to clinch up but Agosto keeps it at a distance.
Agosto swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bader with a poor takedown

and Agosto counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bader's guard now.
Agosto cracks Bader with a solid left hand.
Agosto stopping the sweep attempt from Bader.
Agosto must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Agosto throwing strikes from guard but Bader blocks nicely.
Agosto wants to control from the top but Bader keeps moving.

Agosto avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bader manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Agosto throws a series of punches but Bader avoids them all with ease.
Bader looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Bader. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Agosto throws a series of punches but Bader moves out of range.
Bader tries to close the distance and clinch up but Agosto swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bader fails with a takedown attempt.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bader.
Bader tries to clinch there but Agosto circles away.
Bader misses with a takedown attempt

and Agosto counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Agosto not doing much here.

Agosto decides to stand and escape the position.
Agosto swats away the attempt to clinch by Bader.
Agosto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bader shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Agosto counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bader gets back to full guard.
Bader wants to stand but Agosto is controlling the position.

Bader looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bader is breathing heavily.
Bader not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Bader pushes Agosto off and scrambles back to his feet.
Bader misses with a takedown
and Agosto counters with a three punch combo that has Bader backing up. Bader nods at Agosto to acknowledge the strikes.
Agosto misses with the combination.
Agosto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bader as he jumps to the side.
Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Agosto throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Bader closes the distance but Agosto moves to the side

and Agosto counters with a takedown into side control.
Agosto is looking to take a break and control but Bader is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Agosto is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Bader is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Agosto off and has taken his back!

Bader is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Agosto is defending well though. Bader let's go of the attempt for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bader missing with strikes from the back.

Bader has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Even with his hooks in, Bader manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Agosto preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Bader.

Agosto showing good submission defense here.
Bader thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Agosto looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bader is looking for the choke from the back position but Agosto is controlling his hands well.
Bader throwing wild punches that miss their target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nico Agosto dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bader misses with a takedown

and Agosto counters with a single leg into guard. Bader didn't expect that.

Bader kicks Agosto off and gets to his feet.
Bader looks to clinch

and Agosto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bader won't be happy with that.
Bader gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Agosto tries to stand and escape but Bader is controlling the position.
Bader is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Agosto's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Agosto's back!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Agosto is trying to get back to his feet but Bader has full control of the position and if anything, Agosto has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Bader throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Agosto really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bader. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Bader is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Agosto has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Agosto covering up well under a series of strikes from Bader.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bader working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Agosto controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

Bader patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Agosto trying to get back to his feet but Bader is in full control for now.

Bader working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Bader misses with a punch to the head.

Agosto is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Agosto is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Bader is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Agosto defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Bader tightening his grip on Agosto, looking for the choke.
Agosto trying to get back to his feet but Bader is in full control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Agosto is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Bader is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Agosto has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Agosto covering up well under a series of strikes from Bader.

Agosto fending off the submission attempt from Bader.

Bader is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Agosto defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bader working for a choke but Agosto is defending well.

Agosto defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Bader's arms.
Agosto is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Bader has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bader throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Bader wants to control but Agosto manages to buck him off and is now in Bader's guard! Nice work there by Agosto!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Bader dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A bone on bone clash there as Bader blocks the leg kick.

Bader closes the distance and clinches.
Bader lands a nice elbow.
Bader changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Agosto fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bader misses with a takedown
and Agosto counters with a series of strikes. Bader will be more careful next time no doubt.
Agosto tries to work over Bader's front leg with a kick but Bader checks it.
Ryan Bader seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bader showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Agosto.
Agosto fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Agosto tries a low kick but Bader avoids it.
Agosto shoots in for a double leg but Bader sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bader with a lazy takedown attempt

and Agosto counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Bader. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bader is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Agosto's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bader pushes Agosto off and gets back to his feet.
Bader moves out of range of the leg kick from Agosto.
Some wild striking there from Agosto.
Bader is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bader moves in looking to clinch but Agosto pushes him off.

Bader clinches up with Agosto and pushes him back against the cage.
Bader creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Agosto's defenses.
Bader lands a hook that snaps the head of Agosto backwards.
Agosto takes a shot to the head.
Bader lands a left hand.
Agosto is trying to break free.
Bader is trying to drag Agosto to the mat but Agosto just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Bader is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Agosto tries to break free but Bader pushes him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Bader.
Bader lands with a left to the head.
Bader lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Agosto.
Nice body punch from Bader.
Bader goes for a takedown in the clinch but Agosto prevents it.
Bader working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Bader breaks from the clinch.
Bader tries to clinch but Agosto moves out of range.
Bader checks a leg kick.
Agosto avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Bader throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Agosto was covering up waiting for the punch and Bader finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Bader throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Agosto works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Agosto can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bader tries to free his leg and advance position but Agosto is retaining full guard.
Bader prevents Agosto from getting back to his feet.
Agosto keeping moving, preventing Bader from controlling successfully.
Bader stops Agosto from standing up.
Bader landing some decent shots from guard.
Bader won't allow Agosto to get back to his feet.
Bader is looking to work some ground and pound but Agosto has wrist control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bader slips a jab and a cross from Agosto.
Bader tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Agosto swivels and escapes.
Ryan Bader is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bader connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bader fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Agosto avoids it really well and circles away.

Agosto drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bader wants to control but Agosto postures up.
Nico Agosto has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bader throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Agosto misses with a low kick.
Bader fails in his attempt to clinch.
Agosto slips under a jab.
Agosto throws a leg kick

and Bader counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Agosto!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bader working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Bader is working for a guillotine from mount but Agosto frees his head quite easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Bader showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bader 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Bader!