PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tristan Alighieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alighieri kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mosquito Song by Queens Of The Stone Age. The crowd seem to be enjoying Rios's choice of entrance music: Painkiller - Judas Priest. Alex Rios is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Alighieri
vs
Rios

185 cm
27
245 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

191 cm
30
285 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tristan Alighieri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alex Rios!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rios misses the jab.
Rios throws a lazy uppercut
and Alighieri counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Alex Rios has been cut.
Rios misses the body punch

and Alighieri counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Alighieri.
Rios keeping moving, preventing Alighieri from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alighieri working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rios's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rios keeping full guard, as Alighieri tries to pass.
Alighieri trying to control the position from guard on top but Rios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alighieri throws an elbow that misses. Rios uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Alighieri's guard. Nice move by Rios!
Rios is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alighieri tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alighieri is controlling Rios's posture.
Alighieri wants to get back to his feet but Rios is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Alighieri not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tristan Alighieri has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A slow jab from Rios misses its intended target.
A head kick from Rios lands but Alighieri takes it in his stride.
Rios is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Rios bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Alighieri's head backwards.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rios lands a glancing blow to the side of Alighieri's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rios lands with a nice combination. Alighieri backs away looking to recover.
Alighieri moves away from the strike by Rios.
Rios throws a looping overhand right but Alighieri ducks down to avoid it.
Rios swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Alighieri's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Rios connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Alighieri scrambles back to his feet.
Rios throws a hook but Alighieri blocks it.
Rios catches Alighieri with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Rios explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Rios misses with a low kick as Alighieri jumps back.
Alighieri moves out of range as Rios strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Alighieri thows a body shot but no joy.
Rios misses with a kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by Alighieri.
Alighieri displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rios throws out the jab.
Rios throws a sloppy body shot
and Alighieri cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That has opened up Alex Rios's cut even more.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rios darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rios waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alighieri.
Rios misses the jab.
Rios waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alighieri.
Rios fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rios slips under a jab.
Rios misses with a left hand
and Alighieri counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rios fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Alighieri is out of range.
A big right from Rios misses.
Rios misses with a body shot.
Rios throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A shot to the body from Rios misses

and Alighieri decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rios's guard.
Alighieri is looking to work some ground and pound but Rios has wrist control.
Alighieri missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alex Rios will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alex Rios's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

An inside leg kick lands from Rios.
Rios throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Alighieri sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rios throws a right hand that misses
and Alighieri counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rios throws a quick inside leg kick.
Alighieri defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rios.
Alighieri takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Alex Rios seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Alighieri tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rios was well out of range. Poor timing from Alighieri.
Rios just misses with a punch to the body.
Rios paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rios misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Alighieri.
Rios cracks Alighieri with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alighieri slips a straight right by Rios.
Alighieri uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rios.
Alighieri ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rios jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rios uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Alighieri.
Rios tries to bum rush Alighieri with a series of wild strikes but Alighieri uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rios looks to score with a jab to the body but Alighieri is just out of range.
Rios throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Alighieri counters with a thumping low kick.
Rios comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Rios shoots in and drives through. Alighieri sprawls well.
Rios lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rios.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Rios misses its intended target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alighieri uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rios.
Alighieri throws a series of punches but Rios avoids them all with ease.
Rios throws an overhand right that lands on Alighieri's shoulder, as Alighieri tries to avoid the shot.
Rios throws a lazy right hand but Alighieri sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rios missing with a left hand there. Alighieri was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rios connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rios throws a jab when Alighieri was well out of range.
Rios shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Alighieri but Alighieri pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tristan Alighieri has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Rios.
Alighieri fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios throws a head kick that Alighieri semi-blocks.
Rios lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Rios waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alighieri.
Rios throws a lazy head kick

so Alighieri counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Alighieri has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Alighieri postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rios avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Alighieri drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rios dives on top into guard.
Alighieri wants to stand but Rios is controlling the position.
Alighieri has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Rios has passed into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri is trying to control Rios's posture but Rios avoids it.
Alighieri is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Alighieri struggling a bit here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Alighieri tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Rios controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Rios showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alex Rios's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Alighieri steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rios.
Rios misses with a right hand

and Alighieri counters with a shoot takedown. Rios fights it but they end up in guard.
Alighieri lands a couple of digs.
Alighieri throws a big elbow that misses.
Rios preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Alighieri accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alighieri throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rios works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rios preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rios is trying to keep Alighieri in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rios is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Alighieri is controlling him.
Alighieri landing some decent shots from guard.

Alighieri drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rios dives on top into guard.
Alighieri looking for a sweep. Not yet Alighieri, not yet.
Alighieri seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Alighieri wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

We're going to have a standup here because Tristan Alighieri wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Alighieri slips under a jab from Rios.
Rios throws an off balance right hand
and Alighieri counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Rios misses with a looping right.
Rios swings widly with a right hand
and Alighieri counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alighieri takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Rios misses with a left hand

and Alighieri counters with a shoot takedown. Rios fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri looking to pass the guard.
Alighieri is looking to work some ground and pound but Rios has wrist control.
Alighieri wants to control from the top but Rios keeps moving.
Alighieri won't allow Rios to sweep him here.

Alighieri has gone for a leg lock! Rios slips out almost immediately though and dives into Alighieri's guard.
Rios trying to control the position from guard on top but Alighieri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alighieri wants to improve his position but instead Rios has moved into half guard.
Rios is thwarting Alighieri's attempts to control the position.
Alighieri tries to roll over but Rios keeps him under control.
Tristan Alighieri overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tristan Alighieri showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rios 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight for Tristan Alighieri!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Tristan Alighieri!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Alex Rios!

Tristan Alighieri wins by split decision!
In his post fight interview, Tristan Alighieri gave a big smile as he said 'Through me you enter into the city of woes. Through me you enter into eternal pain. Through me you enter the population of loss. Abandon all hope, you who enter here.'.