PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rendo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dallas Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
Riley

176 cm
23
150 lbs
8 - 11 - 0

200 cm
23
155 lbs
23 - 17 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rendo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dallas Riley!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Felipe Paraventi and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riley tries to clinch up.

Riley darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Riley prevents Gracie from standing back up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Riley looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gracie is trying to maintain the position but Riley is very close to passing his half guard.
Riley wants to stand but Gracie has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Riley keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Riley is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Dallas Riley was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Riley shoots in and gets a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Riley slips an elbow through the middle.
Riley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Riley content to stall in guard here.
Gracie looking to control.
Gracie has his hands on Riley's head, controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Riley pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riley is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Riley to get the leverage.
Gracie won't allow Riley to pass to mount.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Riley is working away from the top position though.
Gracie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Riley sits in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Riley in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dallas Riley hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Riley shoots and misses
and Gracie counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Riley enables Gracie to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Riley manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gracie postures up.

Riley uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Gracie 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.
Gracie engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Riley wriggles free and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Riley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Riley moves out of range of the body kick.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riley tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Riley is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dallas Riley dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gracie stuffs the takedown attempt from Riley. Riley gets slowly back to his feet.

Riley looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Gracie makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Riley.
Riley tries to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling the position.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Riley tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Riley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Riley shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gracie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dallas Riley has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie controls Riley momentarily but Riley frees himself.
Riley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gracie being controlled here, momentarily.
Riley throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Riley trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dallas Riley hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.
Gracie keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gracie misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Riley.
Rendo Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dallas Riley.
Sloppy strikes from Gracie. Those never looked like landing.

Riley shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but Riley finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Riley is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Riley postures up.
Gracie gets back to full guard.
Riley works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Riley keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Riley is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Riley to get the leverage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley tries to stand and escape but Gracie is controlling the position.
Riley scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Riley keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Riley lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Riley passes into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dallas Riley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie stuffs the takedown.
Riley throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Gracie instigates a clinch.

Gracie jumps into guard, dragging Riley to the mat.
Riley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gracie wants to stand up but Riley is controlling him.
Riley tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Gracie controlling the position.
Gracie can't keep his opponent in guard - Riley advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley wants to stand but Gracie has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Riley thows a huge punch but Gracie dodges it nicely.
Riley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Riley scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Riley moves into full mount! Gracie won't be happy about that!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riley landing shots from mount.
Gracie looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

Gracie preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Riley.
Riley struggling to keep hold of the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Riley looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Riley wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control his opponent's hands but Riley gets his hands free.

Gracie manages to stand up with Riley still on his back. Eventually Riley drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.

Riley shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Riley was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Riley thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Riley throws an elbow but Gracie slips to the side and avoids it well.

Riley decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gracie to his feet.
Gracie misses with a takedown

so Riley counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Riley passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Riley working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Riley wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gracie, who protects the arm well.
Riley in side control lands a decent elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie tries to buck Riley off but Riley is having none of it.
Rendo Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dallas Riley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Riley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dallas Riley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Riley winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dallas Riley!