PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Phillip Laroche (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yannick Riesling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Yannick Riesling was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Laroche
vs
Riesling

190 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

181 cm
22
199 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Phillip Laroche!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Yannick Riesling!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riesling shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Laroche but Laroche pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Riesling shoots in but no luck this time.
Laroche scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Laroche misses the shot to the body.
Laroche works Riesling's body with a nice hook.

Riesling shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Riesling showed some decent athleticism there.
Laroche tries to get to full guard but Riesling has control of the leg.
Laroche regains full guard. Nicely done.
Riesling trying to control but Laroche is working from the bottom.
Laroche is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Laroche controls Riesling momentarily but Riesling frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riesling is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Laroche wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riesling not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Laroche is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Riesling wants to control from the top but Laroche keeps moving.
Riesling is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Laroche lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Riesling!
Laroche is breathing heavily.
Laroche lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Riesling manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Riesling works his way to full guard. Good work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Riesling is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Laroche is looking to improve his position.
Riesling looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Laroche with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riesling working Laroche over with strikes.
Laroche is looking to get back to full guard here but Riesling has managed to pass to side control instead.
Riesling landing strikes, looking to finish!
Riesling can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Laroche is looking to escape.
Riesling looking to finish Laroche with some ground and pound. This is bad for Laroche!
Laroche is trying desperately to improve position.
Laroche is squirming around, avoiding Riesling's attempts to control the action.
Riesling connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Riesling working the ground and pound effectively.
Riesling breaks from Laroche's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Laroche can't escape the position.
Riesling controlling from mount.
Laroche is looking to improve his position but Riesling isn't that keen on the idea.
Riesling lands a nice shot to the head.
Riesling looking to control and managing it successfully.
Laroche keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Riesling shoots for a takedown but Laroche saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Riesling fails to land the takedown.
No luck for Riesling with that takedown attempt.
Phillip Laroche has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yannick Riesling.
Laroche cracks a nice hook into Riesling's ribs.
Laroche lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Riesling moves forwards but Laroche connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Riesling shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Laroche pinned against the cage. Laroche gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Riesling fails to land the takedown.
Laroche takes a swing at Riesling's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riesling tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Laroche paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laroche misses with an uppercut. Riesling saw that one coming.
Riesling shoots in looking for a takedown. Laroche tries to sprawl out of it but Riesling keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Laroche manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Riesling closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Laroche changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Riesling looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Laroche trying to control the action but Riesling is working from the bottom.
Riesling wants to control but Laroche postures up.
Riesling prevents Laroche from moving into mount.
Laroche taking a break here but Riesling is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laroche is keen to just control but Riesling is a slippery customer.
Riesling has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Laroche is working away from the top position though.
Riesling regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Laroche.
Laroche won't allow Riesling to sweep him here.

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

Riesling shoots in and bounces Laroche off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Laroche will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laroche is trying to control the position but Riesling postures up.
Laroche looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Riesling puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Laroche wants to improve his position but Riesling is controlling well.
Riesling performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Laroche has a hand on Riesling's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Riesling takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Laroche takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Laroche tries to reverse the position but Riesling maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Riesling lands a heavy elbow.
Laroche is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Riesling sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Laroche really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Riesling takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Riesling lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Riesling lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Laroche hang on?
Riesling controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yannick Riesling will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Laroche shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Riesling as he avoids it easily.
Laroche tries to clinch but Riesling is having none of it.

Laroche gets the takedown into side control.
Riesling manages to get back to half guard.
Riesling moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Riesling is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riesling is on top in guard.
Riesling working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Laroche's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Riesling 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.

Laroche working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Riesling has passed into half guard!
Riesling perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Laroche is looking for a sweep. Riesling is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Riesling stalling.
Riesling passes to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Laroche is trying to get back to half guard.
Riesling taking a breather here.
Riesling's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Riesling wants to lay and pray for a moment but Laroche keeps working.
Laroche is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Riesling's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laroche wants to sweep but Riesling has passed to side control!
Laroche is trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here as Riesling stalls from top position.
Yannick Riesling has got the better of the ground game so far.
Riesling gets to mount! Laroche was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Riesling controlling the position easily from mount.
Laroche is in all sorts of trouble here.
Phillip Laroche has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Riesling sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Riesling looking to control but Laroche is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Laroche tries to reverse the position but Riesling maintains control.
Laroche is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Riesling cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Riesling content just to control the position here.
Riesling with good strikes from the mount here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Yannick Riesling comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Riesling 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yannick Riesling!