PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Riggins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvarez comes to the cage accompanied by TI - Big Things Poppin. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Alvarez
vs
Riggins

175 cm
22
171 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Granite chin

[CBK] AJFC Smashwear clothing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thiago Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rob Riggins!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Riggins drives through and clinches with Alvarez against the cage.
Riggins pushes off an throws an elbow but Alvarez leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Alvarez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Riggins walks away with a smile on his face. Alvarez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Riggins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alvarez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Riggins sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Alvarez somewhat.
Riggins fails in his attempt to clinch.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Riggins.
Alvarez keeps the fight on the outside.
Riggins gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Riggins dodges the punch combination from Alvarez.
Riggins throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Alvarez.

It looks like Thiago Alvarez has been cut.
A punch combination from Alvarez misses.
Riggins wants to clinch.
Alvarez takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggins wants to clinch up but Alvarez keeps it at a distance.
Riggins doesn't manage to clinch there - Alvarez circles away.
Riggins tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.
Riggins tries to clinch but Alvarez is having none of it.

Riggins clinches up against the cage.
Alvarez being controlled against the cage.
Alvarez takes an elbow to the forehead.
Riggins stops a takedown attempt from Alvarez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Riggins tries a knee to the head but Alvarez blocks it.
Alvarez is working for takedown but Riggins is calmly controlling the position for now.
The referee calls for Riggins to work.
Riggins throws an elbow that misses.
Riggins trying to land knees to the body.
Alvarez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Riggins gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Riggins misses with a knee to the head.
Riggins utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Riggins trying to land knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riggins will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Alvarez up against the cage.
Riggins throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez fails to pull guard.
Riggins keeps control of Alvarez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Riggins throws a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Alvarez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Alvarez as Riggins tries to tie him up.
Riggins tries a knee to the head but Alvarez blocks it.
Riggins looks gassed!
Alvarez scores with a shot to the side of Riggins's head.
Alvarez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Riggins smiles and moves away.
Alvarez throws a front kick that sends Riggins stumbling back into the cage.
Riggins tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.

Riggins rushes Alvarez and presses him up against the cage.
Riggins throws a punch but it's blocked by Alvarez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez is trying to break the clinch but Riggins has him pressed against the cage.
Alvarez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Riggins walks away with a smile on his face. Alvarez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Alvarez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Riggins, pushing him back against the cage.

Alvarez pulls guard successfully.

Alvarez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Riggins is aware though and is defending well.
Alvarez wants to sweep here but Riggins controlling him for the moment.
Riggins wants to stand but Alvarez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Alvarez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Riggins escapes and throws Alvarez's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riggins stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Alvarez throws a right and a left that both miss.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A short uppercut from Alvarez.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Alvarez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Riggins just stands there and leans against the cage.
Alvarez takes an elbow to the forehead.
Alvarez avoiding damage as Riggins throws knees to the body.
Alvarez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Riggins pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Alvarez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Riggins dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thiago Alvarez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Riggins gets caught flat footed, as Alvarez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Riggins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riggins working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Alvarez.
Riggins looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alvarez wants to get up but he can't break Riggins's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Alvarez won't allow Riggins to sweep him here.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Riggins is keeping the position.
Alvarez won't allow Riggins to get back to his feet.
Riggins is breathing heavily.
Alvarez trying to control but Riggins is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Thiago Alvarez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Alvarez doesn't manage to clinch there - Riggins circles away.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.
Alvarez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Alvarez clinches up against the cage.
Riggins pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Riggins tries to land a knee to the head but Alvarez blocks with his arms.
Alvarez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Riggins just stands there and leans against the cage.
Riggins throws an elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Alvarez jumps guard and drags Riggins to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Riggins trying to stand up but can't free himself from Alvarez's guard.

Riggins wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Alvarez's closed guard. He's half up but Alvarez has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Alvarez pivots and extends the arm, Riggins falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Alvarez! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Thiago Alvarez!