PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jason Skiles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maris Briedis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Skiles
vs
Briedis

194 cm
18
274 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jason Skiles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Maris Briedis!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paulsen Ambrosius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Briedis stuffs the takedown.
Skiles slips a jab and a cross from Briedis.
Briedis fails with a takedown attempt.
Skiles fails with a takedown attempt.
Briedis tries to clinch but Skiles is having none of it.
Briedis shoots in but no luck this time.
Briedis swinging wildly here.
Skiles takes a swing at Briedis's ribcage but misses.

Skiles shoots in and gets a takedown into Briedis's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skiles wants to control from the top but Briedis keeps moving.
Skiles preventing the sweep.
Skiles pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Briedis is keeping the position for now.
Briedis throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Skiles not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Briedis is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Skiles is controlling him.

We're going to have a standup here because Jason Skiles wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Skiles shoots in looking for a takedown but Briedis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Skiles's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Skiles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Skiles shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Briedis as he avoids it easily.
Briedis lands a nice looking body kick.
Skiles fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briedis throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Skiles.
Briedis jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Skiles shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Briedis pinned against the cage. Briedis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Skiles misses with a takedown attempt
and Briedis counters with a low kick, right behind Skiles 's knee.
Skiles is breathing heavily.
Skiles gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Briedis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Skiles as he avoids it easily.
Jason Skiles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice takedown defense from Briedis. No joy for Skiles on that attempt.
Briedis lands a high kick!

It looks like Jason Skiles has been cut.
Briedis plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Skiles looking to score a takedown here. Briedis is defending well but Skiles drives through and ends up in Briedis's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briedis trying to keep a closed guard but Skiles is proving a slippery customer.
Briedis is looking to stand up but Skiles isn't so interested in that idea.
Briedis trying to keep a closed guard but Skiles is proving a slippery customer.
Skiles tries to stand but Briedis is controlling from the bottom.
Briedis looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Skiles postures up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Maris Briedis hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Skiles shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Briedis as he avoids it easily.
Skiles shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Briedis pinned against the cage. Briedis gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briedis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Briedis scores with a kick to the body.

Skiles manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Briedis on his heels. He'll look to pass Briedis's guard now, I'm sure.

Briedis uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Briedis misses with a jab, cross combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Skiles shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Briedis counters with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maris Briedis will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jason Skiles's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Skiles shoots in and drives through. Briedis sprawls well.
Skiles takes a swing at Briedis's ribcage but misses.
Briedis defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Skiles.
Briedis wants to clinch up but Skiles keeps it at a distance.
Briedis is looking to clinch but Skiles is avoiding it.
Briedis scores with a sloppy right hand. Skiles should have avoided that one.
Briedis comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Briedis lands a nice looking body kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Briedis scores with a four punch combination!
Skiles misses with a takedown attempt - Briedis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Skiles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Briedis closes the distance looking to clinch

and Skiles counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Skiles on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Skiles tries to get out of the position.
Briedis wants to stand up but Skiles is controlling the position.
Briedis wants to pass the guard but Skiles is defending well.

Briedis is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Briedis working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Skiles's thigh. Skiles counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Briedis trying to control but Skiles is working from the bottom.
Skiles is looking to sweep but instead, Briedis has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skiles trying to control but Briedis postures up.
Skiles is not content to let Briedis control the position.
Skiles wants to stand back up but Briedis manages to pass into side control.

Briedis is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Skiles is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Briedis trying to control the action but Skiles is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skiles tries to buck Briedis off but Briedis is having none of it.
Skiles avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Briedis.
Skiles is looking to reverse the position.
The strikes coming from Briedis are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Jason Skiles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Briedis is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Skiles has escaped the position, nice work there.

Briedis thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maris Briedis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jason Skiles's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Skiles gets a double leg takedown into Briedis's guard.
Skiles looking to sit in guard and control but Briedis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Skiles has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Skiles is looking to sweep but instead, Briedis has passed into half guard.
Briedis stops Skiles from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briedis wants to get back to his feet.
Skiles is controlling Briedis's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Skiles trying to control from the bottom.
Briedis wants to stand up but Skiles is controlling the position.
Briedis wants to take a breather but Skiles is having none of it.
Briedis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Briedis wants to clinch

and Skiles counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Briedis!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Skiles has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Skiles shoots in and drives through. Briedis sprawls well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Briedis displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Skiles fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Briedis is out of range.
Skiles tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Briedis swivels and escapes.
Skiles has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Briedis tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Skiles counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briedis keeping moving, preventing Skiles from controlling successfully.

Briedis working for submissions but it's allowed Skiles to get to half guard.
Briedis taking some punishment here, with Skiles in his half guard.
Skiles blocks the strikes from Briedis.
Briedis is trying to maintain the position but Skiles is very close to passing his half guard.

Skiles stands up from half guard.
Maris Briedis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Briedis displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Skiles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Skiles. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briedis shoots in for a double leg but Skiles sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Skiles closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Briedis quickly recovers to half guard.
Briedis makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Briedis.
Briedis looking for a sweep. Not yet Briedis, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Skiles slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Skiles postures up.

Skiles 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Skiles showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Briedis has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Maris Briedis!
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight for Jason Skiles!
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight for Jason Skiles!

Jason Skiles wins by split decision!