PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tuco Mendoza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Riggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mendoza comes to the cage accompanied by Lamb of God - Descending. 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?

Mendoza
vs
Riggs

177 cm
20
162 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

177 cm
21
168 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Burning Fist Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tuco Mendoza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Riggs!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mendoza throws a hook but Riggs avoids it easily.
Riggs keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mendoza.
Riggs throws a nice looking combination but Mendoza bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Riggs throws a body punch but Mendoza moves out of range.
Mendoza shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Riggs but Riggs pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mendoza misses with an uppercut. Riggs saw that one coming.
Riggs rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mendoza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mendoza fails with the takedown.
Riggs keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mendoza.
Riggs throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Mendoza stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mendoza scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Mendoza is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Riggs.
Mendoza slips a jab and a cross from Riggs.
Mendoza throws the left hand but Riggs avoids the punch easily.
Derek Riggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mendoza closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Riggs quickly recovers to half guard.
Riggs tries to get to full guard but Mendoza has control of the leg.
Riggs is not content to let Mendoza control the position.
Riggs works his way to full guard. Good work.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Riggs can do anything to dispel that myth.
Riggs managing to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riggs works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riggs wants to sweep but no luck.
Mendoza thows a big elbow that misses.
Mendoza thows a big elbow that misses.
Riggs keeping moving, preventing Mendoza from controlling successfully.
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.
Mendoza tries to free his leg and advance position but Riggs is retaining full guard.
Mendoza throws a strike but Riggs rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Mendoza lands a decent shot there.
Mendoza 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.
Riggs is looking to stand up but Mendoza won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Mendoza is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Riggs is aware though and is defending well.
Mendoza looking for a sweep. Not yet Mendoza, not yet.
Riggs looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Riggs decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mendoza, up you get!
Mendoza throws a shot from downtown. Riggs moves away and avoids it.
Mendoza defending well as Riggs loads up on a big left hand.
Riggs throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mendoza cracks Riggs with a good jab.
Mendoza shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuco Mendoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Riggs.
Nice shot by Riggs.

Mendoza throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Riggs was covering up waiting for the punch and Mendoza finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riggs avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Riggs working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mendoza.
Mendoza postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mendoza in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Mendoza drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Riggs manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mendoza has Riggs in his guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Riggs's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tuco Mendoza dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Riggs swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Mendoza counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Riggs tests Mendoza's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Riggs slips under a jab.
Mendoza with a body punch. A glancing blow.
A left and a right from Riggs both land. Nice combination.
Mendoza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Riggs.
Mendoza throws a hook to the side of Riggs's head but Riggs sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mendoza is defended easily by Riggs.
Nice defenses there by Mendoza.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggs defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mendoza.
Riggs scores with a hook to the body. Mendoza takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A big left from Mendoza misses.
Mendoza shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Riggs as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tuco Mendoza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mendoza shoots for a double leg takedown but Riggs sprawls well. He's pushed Mendoza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mendoza doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mendoza takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Mendoza looks to land a right hand but Riggs moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza walks into a straight right hand from Riggs.
Derek Riggs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mendoza avoids the body shot from Riggs.
Riggs stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riggs wants it to stay on the feet.
Mendoza tries to score a power double leg takedown but Riggs sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Mendoza somewhat.
Mendoza cracks Riggs with a good jab.
Mendoza is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Riggs lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Riggs moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riggs misses the shot to the body.
Mendoza defending well as Riggs loads up on a big left hand.
Mendoza keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Riggs as Mendoza shoots in.
Riggs scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A big left from Mendoza misses.
Riggs misses the shot to the body.
Riggs is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mendoza rather than just go for the knockout.
Riggs connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mendoza's hands.
Mendoza throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mendoza swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Riggs lands with a nice body punch.
Riggs misses with an uppercut. Mendoza saw that one coming.
Riggs throws a jab when Mendoza was well out of range.
Riggs cracks Mendoza with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Mendoza takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Riggs just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mendoza takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Riggs throws a poor cross that misses
and Mendoza counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Riggs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mendoza uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Riggs.
Riggs looks to score with a jab to the body but Mendoza is just out of range.
Mendoza shoots and misses
and Riggs counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Derek Riggs seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mendoza avoids the body shot from Riggs.

Mendoza closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Riggs tries to bench press Mendoza off him but Mendoza keeps the position.
Riggs manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Mendoza looking for submissions off his back.
Mendoza slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Riggs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Riggs is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Mendoza has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Riggs is looking to defend but Mendoza has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Riggs! Mendoza pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Riggs taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Tuco Mendoza!
A relieved looking Tuco Mendoza thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.