PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bret Tanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Riggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Tanner
vs
Riggs

170 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bret Tanner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derek Riggs!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanner takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Tanner darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Riggs blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tanner.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tanner lands a nice short elbow.
Tanner is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Riggs trying to control here.
Tanner missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tanner with the ground and pound but Riggs uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Tanner throwing strikes but missing.
Tanneris looking to pass into half guard but Riggs pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Riggs is in guard.
Tanner is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner has a closed guard, preventing Riggs from standing up.
Riggs's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tanner pulls Riggs in close to his closed guard and prevents Riggs from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tanner looking to control.

We're going to have a standup here because Bret Tanner wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Riggs tries to clinch but Tanner moves out of range.
Tanner takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Tanner shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Riggs counters with a stiff right hand.
Tanner is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riggs lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Good leg kick by Riggs there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Tanner walks forward, straight into a front kick from Riggs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Riggs throws a right and a left that both miss.
Riggs throws a right and a left that Tanner avoids nicely.
Riggs fails to land with a series of punches.
Riggs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tanner on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riggs misses with a jab, cross combination.
Riggs closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Bret Tanner has been cut.
Riggs dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Derek Riggs is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Riggs slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Riggs fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tanner on the side of the head.
Tanner takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Riggs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sloppy strikes from Riggs. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riggs looks to land a combination but Tanner avoids it well.
Riggs scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Riggs throws a series of punches but Tanner moves out of range.
Tanner throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Riggs to counter with a crisp jab.
Riggs swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Riggs takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Riggs dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bret Tanner's cut.
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.

Riggs swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Riggs misses with a double jab

and Tanner counters with a takedown into side control.
Tanner throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Riggs works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Tanner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Riggs works his way to full guard. Good work.
Tanner throws and elbow that misses. Riggs uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tanner's guard. Nice move by Riggs!
Tanner on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tanner tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Riggs gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Tanner shoots in for a double leg but Riggs sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Derek Riggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riggs lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Riggs tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Tanner counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Riggs manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Bret Tanner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riggs misses with a series of wild punches.
Riggs misses with a combination

and Tanner counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Riggs is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Tanner won't allow Riggs to get back to his feet.
Tanner is looking to advance position but Riggs has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Riggs looking to control and managing it successfully.
Riggs trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riggs avoids the attempt from Tanner to control.
Riggs controlling from mount.

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.

Derek Riggs has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Riggs throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Riggs fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Riggs tries to bum rush Tanner with a series of wild strikes but Tanner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Riggs swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Riggs throws a right and a left that both miss.
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 Bret Tanner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bret Tanner's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Riggs throws a series of strikes that have Tanner backpedaling.
Riggs lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Riggs fails to land with a series of punches.
A combination from Riggs does no damage.
Riggs cracks Tanner with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Riggs misses with a double jab

and Tanner counters by moving into the clinch.
Tanner is working for takedown but Riggs is calmly controlling the position for now.
Stalling in the clinch from Riggs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tanner tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Riggs breaks the clinch.
Riggs throws a chopping leg kick but Tanner manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Riggs with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Riggs misses with a series of wild punches.
Riggs tries to clinch up.
Riggs feints a jab promting Tanner to slip. Riggs then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Tanner slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Riggs fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riggs works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Riggs throws a combination that misses
and Tanner counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Riggs throws a right hand that Tanner ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanner also avoids with ease.
Riggs throws a right hand that Tanner ducks under and follows up with a left that Tanner also avoids with ease.
Riggs tries to bum rush Tanner with a series of wild strikes but Tanner uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Some wild striking there from Riggs.
Riggs throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Tanner counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Riggs's guard now.
Tanner trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanner missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tanner throws and elbow that misses. Riggs uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tanner's guard. Nice move by Riggs!

Riggs stands and steps away. Tanner gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Riggs swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Tanner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tanner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tanner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Riggs defending well though.
Tanner thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Riggs to regain full guard.
Tanner looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Tanner throws a big right hand that misses.
Tanner throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Riggs is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tanner is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tanner is trying to stand up here but Riggs is controlling him well.
Tanner is trying to maintain the position but Riggs is very close to passing his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Derek Riggs.
I think Riggs has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Derek Riggs!
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Derek Riggs!
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Derek Riggs!

Derek Riggs wins by unanimous decision!