PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kobe Bryant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ondrej Rigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kobe Bryant has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bryant
vs
Rigo

192 cm
21
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
21
195 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kobe Bryant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ondrej Rigo!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bryant slips a jab from Rigo.
Bryant attempts a counter takedown but Rigo avoids it well and moves away.
Bryant looks to land a left hand but Rigo moved out of range nicely.
A cross from Bryant lands.

It looks like Ondrej Rigo has been cut.
Bryant thuds his right hand into Rigo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Bryant lands an overhand right.

Rigo drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bryant pulls Rigo in close to prevent any damage.
Bryant definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Rigo wants to pass the guard but Bryant is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Bryant is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Bryant has escaped and now he's on top!

Bryant trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rigo's guard.

Rigo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rigo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Bryant manages to get himself to full guard.

Bryant keeping moving, preventing Rigo from controlling successfully.

Bryant escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rigo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rigo stands and throws Bryant's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Bryant is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rigo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Rigo swings around for an armbar but Bryant sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rigo's guard.
Our spies down at at Zero Tolerance inform us that Rigo has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Rigo is looking for a triangle but Bryant pushes his legs off easily.
Bryant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rigo is proving hard to escape from.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryant stopping the sweep attempt from Rigo.
Rigo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Rigo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bryant is aware though and is defending well.
Rigo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bryant wants to get up but he can't break Rigo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kobe Bryant will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ondrej Rigo's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bryant feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rigos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bryant moves into range and connects with a jab.
Bryant stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Bryant leaves Rigo with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bryant half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Bryant is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bryant ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bryant moves away from the strike by Rigo.
Bryant attempts a counter takedown but Rigo avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bryant fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bryant takes a jab right on the kisser.
Rigo scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A jab from Bryant misses.
And Rigo tries to counter it with a takedown but Bryant pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Rigo throws a right and a left that Bryant avoids nicely.
Rigo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bryant.
Bryant feinted with a counter takedown.
Bryant misses with a lunging right hand
and Rigo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bryant throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rigo sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Rigo drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rigo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bryant manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rigo has Bryant in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Rigo has his foot on Bryant's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bryant works his way back into a safe position though.
Bryant wants to get up but he can't break Rigo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bryant sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Rigo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bryant wants to get up but he can't break Rigo's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rigo has his foot on Bryant's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Bryant works his way back into a safe position though.
Rigo trying to control the position.
Bryant is looking to stand up but Rigo won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bryant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rigo keeps working.
Ondrej Rigo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bryant wants to stand but Rigo has his arm trapped.
Bryant working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rigo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Bryant looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rigo is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bryant has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bryant is trying to control Rigo's posture but Rigo avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ondrej Rigo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ondrej Rigo's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

A lazy left from Bryant finds it's target.
Rigo shoots for a takedown but Bryant saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rigo looks to land a left hand but Bryant moved out of range nicely.
Bryant is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Rigo misses with a looping right.
Bryant missing with a left hand there. Rigo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rigo avoids the body shot from Bryant.
Kobe Bryant is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rigo misses the jab.
Bryant feinted with a counter takedown.
Bryant loads up on a big right hand but Rigo slips the punch.
Bryant throws a combination that misses

and Rigo counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigo swings around for an armbar but Bryant sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rigo's guard.
Bryant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Bryant avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Rigo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rigo keeping moving, preventing Bryant from controlling successfully.

Rigo looking for a guillotine here but Bryant defends easily.
Bryant trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rigo's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rigo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Rigo working for a triangle but Bryant defends it easily.

Rigo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bryant defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bryant tries to stand but Rigo is controlling from the bottom.

Rigo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bryant gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bryant avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Rigo escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bryant gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

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.
Bryant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rigo is proving hard to escape from.
Bryant is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Rigo isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Bryant stacks Rigo on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Bryant!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rigo is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ondrej Rigo.
I think Rigo 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ondrej Rigo!
Our winner, Ondrej Rigo, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.