PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Salocin Zerep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Riggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Zerep
vs
Riggs

168 cm
28
165 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

177 cm
22
168 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Adrenaline

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 Helsinki, Salocin Zerep!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Derek Riggs!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riggs lands a nice hook to Zerep's body. Zerep takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Riggs throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Riggs fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Zerep keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Zerep uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Riggs.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Riggs tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Riggs scores with a shoulder strike.
Zerep tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Riggs lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Zerep or not.
Zerep lands a hook to the side of the head.
Riggs effectively controlling the action here.
Riggs misses with a hook to the ribs.
Riggs tries to circle away but Zerep has him pinned against the cage.
Riggs displaying some good clinch control by pressing Zerep up against the cage.
Zerep stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggs keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Zerep's efforts to push away.
Riggs is looking to break free of the clinch but Zerep has double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Zerep.
Zerep misses with a hook to the ribs.
The referee is keeping an eye on Riggs - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Riggs gets through Zerep's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Riggs misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Riggs's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Zerep tries to clinch up but Riggs circles away and keeps his distance.
Riggs lands a really nice looking cross but Zerep seems unphased.
Zerep fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Riggs looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Zerep throws a lazy right hand but Riggs sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A swing and a miss from Riggs.
Riggs throws a hook but Zerep blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zerep tries to clinch but Riggs moves out of range.
Riggs takes a swing at Zerep's ribcage but misses.
Riggs avoids a punch combination nicely.
Riggs throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A jab from Riggs finds it's way through Zerep's defenses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Riggs lands with a cross.
A combination from Zerep does no damage.

Riggs moves into range and clinches up with Zerep.
Zerep tries to break free but Riggs pushes him back against the cage.
Zerep lands a hook to the side of the head.
Riggs has Zerep pressed against the cage, preventing Zerep from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A nice right hand lands inside from Riggs.

Riggs pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Riggs rushes Zerep and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Zerep lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zerep blocking some punches.

Riggs breaks the clinch.
Riggs walks into a left hand.
Riggs misses the shot to the body.
Riggs's corner calls for a 1-2. Riggs obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Riggs uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Zerep.
The fighters circling - Zerep throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Zerep throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A big right from Zerep misses.
Riggs throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Riggs has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Zerep throws a body punch but Riggs moves out of range.
Zerep connects with a good right hand that stumbles Riggs. Riggs circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Zerep throws a body punch but Riggs moves out of range.
No joy there for Riggs, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Riggs moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zerep has managed to clinch.
Zerep is looking to control Riggs's arms but Riggs gets an underhook and turns him. Now Zerep has his back to the cage.
Riggs lands a right hand.
Riggs has a couple of punches blocked by Zerep.
Zerep is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Zerep just leaning against Riggs, taking a breather.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Riggs escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Riggs moves into the clinch successfully.
Riggs lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Riggs breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salocin Zerep is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zerep takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Riggs throws a body punch but Zerep moves out of range.
Zerep dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Zerep rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Riggs moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Zerep scores with a jab. Riggs acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Zerep ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Riggs moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Riggs dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nice uppercut lands for Riggs. That snapped Zerep's head back.

Zerep is rocked!
Riggs lands a nice looking body shot.
Oh Zerep is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nice defenses there by Riggs.
Zerep ducks into an uppercut from Riggs and that's knocked him out cold! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Derek Riggs!
Derek Riggs decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.