PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between C C Rider (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Thai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rider kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is God Save The Queen. Mike Thai has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with C C Rider's chin.

C Rider
vs
Thai

195 cm
19
195 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

192 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, C C Rider!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mike Thai!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thai drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rider manages to work his way to half guard, despite Thai's best efforts.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thai takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Thai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rider keeps working.
Rider wants to get back to his feet.
Thai trying to mount his opponent but Rider defends it.
Rider is looking for a sweep. Thai is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rider has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Thai is working away from the top position though.
Rider is trying to stand.
Thai wants to control but Rider is keeping him busy.
Rider looks like he's trying to stand up.
Thai is trying to control the action in half guard but Rider is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mike Thai.
Thai walks into a stiff left hand from Rider.

It looks like Mike Thai has been cut.
Thai throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider looks to score with a jab to the body but Thai is just out of range.
Rider waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Thai.
Rider throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thai counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rider tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thai was well out of range. Poor timing from Rider.
Thai with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Good exchange - Rider coming out on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rider throws a body punch but Thai moves out of range.
Rider tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rider misses with a straight left.
Rider takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Thai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rider misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Thai counters with a nice leg kick.
Rider throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thai counters with a good low kick that Rider was not able to check.
A slow jab from Rider misses its intended target.
Thai ducks under a wild hook from Rider.
Rider throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Thai uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rider.
Thai slips a jab from Rider.

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.
Thai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rider swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rider scores with a hook.
Thai scores with a nice body kick.
Rider just misses with a punch to the body.
Thai avoids the body shot from Rider.
Thai looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
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 C C Rider will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mike Thai's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rider darts in trying to clinch
and Thai counters with a big head kick but Rider shrugs it off.
Thai misses with a takedown attempt - Rider sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rider misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Thai.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider tries to close the distance and clinch but Thai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rider loads up on a big right hand but Thai slips the punch.
Rider swings for the body but Thai moves out of range.
Thai fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Rider swats away the attempt to clinch by Thai.
Rider misses with a body shot.
C C Rider seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two 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.
Rider throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Thai stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rider misses with a hook
and Thai counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rider is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Thai takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Thai ducks under a wild hook from Rider.
Thai lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Thai moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Rider throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rider throws a poor cross that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Thai.
Thai blocks a jab.
Rider misses with an uppercut. Thai saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Thai closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Thai lands in his opponent's guard.
Thai is fighting to break Rider's control of his arms but Rider is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Rider looking for a sweep. Not yet Rider, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rider being controlled here, momentarily.
Thai trying to control the position from guard on top but Rider is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rider manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Rider punching from mount but Thai doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Rider avoids the attempt from Thai to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mike Thai will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Mike Thai's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rider feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Thais jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Rider just misses with a punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rider. Thai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thai uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rider.
Thai buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rider throws a hook to the side of Thai's head but Thai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rider. Thai does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rider throws a looping overhand right but Thai ducks down to avoid it.
Rider swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rider throws a poor cross that misses
and Thai counters with an outside leg kick.
Rider misses with a shot to the body
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rider throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Thai counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Thai.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rider looking for a sweep. Not yet Rider, not yet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rider is pulling down on Thai's head. It's preventing any offense from Thai, at least for the moment.
Thai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thai pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rider is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rider is on top in guard.
Rider loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rider trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.
Rider working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thai's head.
Rider is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Thai wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Rider trying to control but Thai is working from the bottom.

C C Rider has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Thai misses with an attempted mid kick.
Thai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A nice leg kick lands there from Thai.
Thai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rider.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Thai misses with the body kick
and Rider makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rider throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rider throws a lazy uppercut
and Thai counters with a leg kick.
Thai misses with a kick to the body.
Rider tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thai was well out of range. Poor timing from Rider.
Rider lands a jab to Thai's midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
C C Rider showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rider 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... C C Rider!