PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Troy Slamen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Slamen comes to the cage accompanied by Jaws Theme. Rios comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Forever kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Diego Rios has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Slamen
vs
Rios

183 cm
26
163 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

200 cm
30
161 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Reaper Combatwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Troy Slamen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Diego Rios!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Slamen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rios napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Slamen scoring with punches and elbows.
Slamen controlling from side mount.
Slamen fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Slamen working the ground and pound but Rios is defending the strikes.
Rios dodges the ground and pound from Slamen.
The strikes coming from Slamen are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Slamen landing strikes.

Slamen is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rios is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Slamen sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rios is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slamen working the ground and pound but Rios is defending the strikes.
Rios manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Slamen desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rios is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rios prevents Slamen from improving his position.
Slamen regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rios.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slamen looking for a sweep. Not yet Slamen, not yet.
Slamen is trying to keep Rios in close.
Rios stopping the sweep attempt from Slamen.

Rios avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios wants to control from the top but Slamen keeps moving.

Rios drops back, looking for a kneebar! Slamen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Slamen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Slamen!
Slamen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rios keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Slamen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rios knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slamen has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Rios!
Rios taking shots to the head.
Rios wants to control but Slamen is having none of it.

Slamen has hold of Rios's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Rios manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slamen cracks Rios with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Slamen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Horrible takedown by Slamen or perhaps it was just good defense by Rios which made him look bad.
Slamen moves forwards but Rios connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Slamen fails to land the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Rios as Slamen shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Troy Slamen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Slamen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rios is trying to defend but Slamen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Troy Slamen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Slamen is thwarting Rios's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rios tries to roll over but Slamen keeps him under control.

Slamen is working for an americana but Rios has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Slamen was thinking about the submission.
Rios keeping moving, preventing Slamen from controlling successfully.
Rios trying to keep a closed guard but Slamen is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Slamen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rios is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rios has escaped and now he's on top!
Rios looking to pass the guard.
Slamen looking for a sweep. Not yet Slamen, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slamen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rios is looking to work some ground and pound but Slamen has wrist control.
Rios tries to free his leg and advance position but Slamen is retaining full guard.
Slamen keeping moving, preventing Rios from controlling successfully.
Slamen pulls Rios in close to prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Slamen tries for a takedown but Rios sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rios slaps away a takedown attempt from Slamen, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Slamen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Slamen showed some decent athleticism there.

Slamen is looking for a kimura here.
Rios tries to kick Slamen off but Slamen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Slamen throwing shots but Rios is blocking nicely.
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 Troy Slamen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Slamen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rios's waist but Rios gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Slamen off to one side.
Rios scores with a one two! Slamen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Troy Slamen has been cut.
Rios throws a right hand that Slamen ducks under and follows up with a left that Slamen also avoids with ease.
Rios swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Rios both land. Nice combination.
Rios keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A punch combination from Rios misses.

Slamen gets a double leg takedown into Rios's guard.
Slamen trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rios manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rios postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rios got a little sloppy there for a moment and Slamen has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rios has managed to get both his arms back between Slamen's legs - danger averted.
Slamen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Slamen tries to get out of the position.

Rios postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Slamen is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rios, into his guard.
Rios controls Slamen momentarily but Slamen frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slamen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rios works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Slamen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Slamen's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Slamen has gone for a leg lock! Rios slips out almost immediately though and dives into Slamen's guard.

Slamen has an active guard here but Rios has managed to pass into half guard.
Slamen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Slamen is controlling Rios's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rios is working for a submission of some sort.

Rios is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Slamen tries to get to full guard but Rios has control of the leg.

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.
Slamen moves into full guard.
Slamen wants to hit a switch here but Rios passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Slamen there!
Slamen gets back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rios is working for a kimura but Slamen is defending it quite comfortably.
Slamen tries to get to full guard but Rios has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Troy Slamen did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The cut man is working on Troy Slamen's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rios throws a series of punches but Slamen avoids them all with ease.

Slamen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rios is trying to defend but Slamen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Slamen prevents Rios from standing back up.
Rios is refusing to be controlled, as Slamen sits in half guard.

Slamen seems to be working for a kimura but Rios defends the submission attempt.
Rios blocking the ground and pound attempt from Slamen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slamen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rios is trying to control but can't.
Rios avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Slamen.
Slamen trying to pass the guard but Rios defending well.
Slamen works his way into side control.
Rios pushes Slamen away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Slamen gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios taking punishment in the form of punches.
Slamen is trying to ground and pound but Rios uses the momentary lack of control by Slamen to regain half guard.

Slamen wants to work for an arm triangle but Rios is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Slamen wants to free his trapped foot but Rios is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rios has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Slamen is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Slamen winds up and cracks Rios with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Slamen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Slamen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Slamen sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rios defending well though.
Rios is trying to stand back up but Slamen is controlling him
Slamen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Slamen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slamen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Slamen is looking for a kimura but Rios is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Slamen to get the leverage.
Slamen working Rios over with strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slamen is looking to take a break and control but Rios is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Slamen had his way with Diego Rios in that round.
The cut man is working on Troy Slamen's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Slamen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Diego Rios is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Rios does no damage.
Slamen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rios fails to land with a series of punches.
Slamen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rios misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Slamen shoots in and drives through. Rios sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Troy Slamen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rios misses with the combination.
Rios ducks under a wild hook from Slamen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rios falls off balance throwing a combination

and Slamen counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Rios keeping moving, preventing Slamen from controlling successfully.
Rios is pulling down on Slamen's head. It's preventing any offense from Slamen, at least for the moment.
Rios being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Slamen trying to control the position from guard on top but Rios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Troy Slamen.
Rios throws a head kick but Slamen moves out of range.
Slamen shoots in but Rios avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rios keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rios throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rios pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rios throws a right and a left that Slamen avoids nicely.

Slamen gets the takedown into side control.

Slamen thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Slamen trying to control the position but Rios is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Slamen throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Slamen tries for a kimura but Rios is defending well.
The ground and pound from Slamen seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Slamen throwing strikes but Rios manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slamen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Slamen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Slamen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 49:46
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 49:47
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 49:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Slamen!
Troy Slamen retains his lightweight title!
Troy Slamen seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.