PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dee Bag (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Rio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bag
vs
Rio

189 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dee Bag!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marcus Rio!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rio will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice takedown defense from Rio. No joy for Bag on that attempt.
Bag changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rio tries to avoid it but Bag manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rio to the ground. Rio escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rio misses with a takedown

and Bag counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rio bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bag's guard.
Rio stops Bag from standing up.
Rio trying to control but Bag is working from the bottom.
Rio is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rio would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bag is trying to keep Rio in close.
Rio looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rio being controlled here momentarily.
Rio tries to stand but Bag is controlling from the bottom.
Rio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bag wants to stand but Rio is controlling the position.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Bag.
Rio is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rio keeping his opponent close.
Rio tries to bench press Bag off him but Bag keeps the position.
Bag trying to control the position but Rio is working away.
You can see the frustration on Rio's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rio tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bag wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rio looks gassed!

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Bag shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bag wants to stand but Rio has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Bag thows a huge punch but Rio dodges it nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bag is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rio defends it well.
Bag is thwarting Rio's attempts to control the position.
Bag thows a huge punch but Rio dodges it nicely.
Bag controlling the action here.
Rio wants to control but Bag is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Bag trying to pass the guard but Rio defending well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rio looks to clinch

and Bag counters by clinching up.
Rio just leaning against Bag, taking a breather.
Bag is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rio gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dee Bag. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bag wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rio has him pressed against the cage.

Rio manages to pull guard.
Bag wants to control from the top but Rio keeps moving.
Bag in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rio managing to control the position.

Rio has his foot on Bag's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bag works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dee Bag dominated that round.
That's time! Bag's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bag gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rio tries to free his leg and advance position but Bag is retaining full guard.
Bag is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rio wants to pass the guard but Bag is keeping the position.
Rio with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bag is trying to control the position but Rio postures up.
Rio looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bag gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rio counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Bag!
Bag is trying desperately to improve position.
Rio content just to control the position here.
Rio lands a nice shot to the head.
Bag is trying to stand up.
Rio content just to control the position here.
Bag is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rio really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bag. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bag wants to hold on but Rio pushes him away.
Rio scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Bag?
Rio prevents Bag from getting the reversal.
Rio avoids the attempt from Bag to control.

Rio goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Bag turns into him and now he's in Rio's guard.
Rio keeping moving, preventing Bag from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bag gets to his feet - Rio follows without any prompting.

Bag gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rio jumps guard but Bag stands there with Rio around his waist. Rio gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rio letting Bag take a breather here.
Bag is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rio pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bag trying to land knees to the body.
Bag fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dee Bag. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bag landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Bag has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rio is trying to keep an underhook but Bag manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Rio is staying active underneath Bag, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rio makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rio.
Rio is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rio wants to stand but Bag is controlling the position.
Bag trying to control but Rio is working from the bottom.
Rio has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Rio keeping moving, preventing Bag from controlling successfully.
Bag stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rio swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Rio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rio drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Bag tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rio wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Marcus Rio has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rio decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bag to his feet.

Bag closes the distance and clinches.
Rio is looking to break free of the clinch but Bag has double underhooks.
Rio fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rio wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rio jumps guard but Bag stands there with Rio around his waist. Rio gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rio fails to pull guard.
Dee Bag has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Rio.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bag on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Bag pulls guard effortlessly.

Bag escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rio gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rio must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Rio seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bag tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bag keeping full guard, as Rio tries to pass.

Bag working for a triangle but Rio defends it easily.
Bag manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Bag has control of Rio's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rio regains control of the situation pretty easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Bag throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Rio is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Bag trying to control but Rio is having none of it.
Rio is trying to stand but he's just given Bag his back.

Rio fending off the submission attempt from Bag.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rio manages to reverse the position and now he's in Bag's guard. Nice work there by Rio.
Bag controls Rio momentarily but Rio frees himself.

Rio stands and steps away. Bag gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Bag throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

Bag scores a takedown into full mount!
Bag cracks Rio with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rio is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rio tries to hold on but Bag postures up.
Rio is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Bag is staying active.
Rio controls the position.
Rio is working to get back to half guard.
Rio trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bag avoids the attempt from Rio to control.
Rio is looking to improve his position but Bag isn't that keen on the idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dee Bag showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bag 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dee Bag!