PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Rider (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Steele (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Steele has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Rider
vs
Steele

175 cm
19
173 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
18
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Demonic Drugs
Crippler's Corner

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ryan Rider!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Steele!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Jorge Garcia and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Steele.

Rider gets the takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steele manages to get back to half guard.
Rider is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Steele tries to get to full guard but Rider has control of the leg.
Rider lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rider is nestled in close to Steele, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Steele regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rider working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Steele looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rider distracts Steele with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Steele looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rider postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Steele has momentary wrist control but Rider slips an elbow through the middle.
Rider pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steele is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rider with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Steele has his foot on Rider's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rider works his way back into a safe position though.
Rider wants to pass the guard but Steele is keeping the position.

Steele looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rider passes into side control.
Steele looks gassed!
Rider in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rider lands a nice forearm strike.
Rider scoring with punches from side control.
Rider is chipping away with strikes.
Rider looks up at the clock and then as Steele takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Rider smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Rider lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Rider working the body and head with strikes.
Rider in side control lands a decent elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steele is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rider connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rider is putting a hurting on Steele here, landing some big shots from side control.
Rider working the ground and pound.
Steele tries to buck Rider off but Rider is having none of it.
Steele regains half guard.
Steele taking some punishment here, with Rider in his half guard.
Steele is looking for a sweep. Rider is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rider landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rider scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Rider working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Nice strikes from Rider there.
Steele is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Steele moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Steele wants to sweep here but Rider controlling him for the moment.
Rider cracks Steele with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rider accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rider won't allow Steele to sweep him here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Steele darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Steele is looking to advance position but Rider won't allow it.
Steele uses his free foot to push down on Rider's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rider.
Rider keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Steele has control of Rider's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rider regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Steele looking to ground and pound but Rider is blocking nicely.
Steele fails to advance to Rider's back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele tries to control but Rider wriggling away.
Rider sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Rider striking from half guard on the bottom.
Rider throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Rider tries to get to full guard but Steele has control of the leg.
Steele thows a huge punch but Rider dodges it nicely.

Steele is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rider doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Steele.
Rider regains full guard. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rider lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Steele!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Rider dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rider feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rider advances position into side control!
Steele wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Rider working the ground and pound from side control.
Steele manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Steele is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rider is just riding it out for now. Steele eventually gives up the hold.
Rider punching from the bottom.
Rider regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rider throwing short punches from the bottom.
Rider bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Steele's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rider lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rider postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rider keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Steele's head.
Rider landing some decent shots from guard.
Rider won't allow Steele to sweep him here.
Rider forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Steele manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Steele has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rider can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Steele is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Steele has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rider has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rider is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Rider is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Steele is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Rider up.
Steele missing with strikes.

Steele is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Rider defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Steele misses with an elbow to the head.
Rider rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Steele tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Rider.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider moves into full guard.
Steele sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rider's guard.

Steele is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rider defends it well.
Steele throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Steele is tying to control. Rider wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Rider is defending against the submission attempts here by Steele.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Steele connects with a nice short shot to Rider's temple.
Rider regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Steele lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Steele stopping the sweep attempt from Rider.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steele tries to free his leg and advance position but Rider is retaining full guard.
Rider manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Steele manages to get himself to full guard.
Steele has momentary wrist control but Rider slips an elbow through the middle.
Rider works over Steele with some ground and pound from guard.
Rider lands a couple of digs.
Rider chips away with some ground and pound.

Steele has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rider is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Steele.
Rider lands some shots froms side control.
Steele sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Steele gets back to full guard.
Rider working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
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 Ryan Rider will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Steele tries for a takedown but Rider circles away easily

and Rider counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Steele's guard now.
Steele has momentary wrist control but Rider slips an elbow through the middle.
Rider postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Steele is on top in guard.
Rider on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rider tries to get out of the position.
Steele stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rider swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Steele forces his way into half guard.
Rider moves into full guard.
Steele tries to stand but Rider is controlling from the bottom.
Steele takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rider lands some strikes from the bottom.
Rider lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Steele!
Steele is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rider working Steele over with strikes here.
Steele is working to get back to half guard.
Ryan Rider overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rider pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Steele is rocked!
Steele bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Steele is still in real trouble! Can Rider finish him?
Steele throws a big right hand that misses.
Steele seems to have recovered his senses.
Steele preventing the sweep.
Steele postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rider wants to sweep here but Steele controlling him for the moment.
Rider thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rider wants to sweep but no luck.
Steele stands and throws Rider's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Steele wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rider, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steele wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rider keeps working.
Steele takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Rider to pass into mount.
Steele mounts Rider! Really nice guard pass there!
Steele tries to control but Rider wriggling away.

Steele looking to secure an arm triangle but Rider defends it well.
Rider is in all sorts of trouble here.
Steele scoring with strikes but Rider is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Steele.
Rider stops Steele from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.

Steele has hold of Rider's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Rider manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Steele working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Rider is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rider is working hard here to advance position.
Rider regains half guard.
Rider wants to improve his position but Steele is controlling well.

Steele wants to work for an arm triangle but Rider is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rider manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Steele is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steele wanted to stand there but Rider had control of the position.
John Steele has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Steele stopping the sweep attempt from Rider.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Rider showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rider has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Rider!