PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Patrick O Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Winston Graham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

O Riley
vs
Graham

184 cm
27
196 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

176 cm
27
196 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Spartan Nutrition

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Patrick O Riley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Winston Graham !
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Graham shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Graham showed some decent athleticism there.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Riley wants to get back to his feet.
O Riley trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Graham is taking a breather. O Riley says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A left and a right from O Riley both land. Nice combination.
O Riley throws a nice looking combination but Graham bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
O Riley looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graham 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Graham throws a strike aimed at the side of O Riley's head but O Riley avoids it well.
O Riley takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
O Riley trying to remain calm as Graham controls from the top position.
More stalling from Graham .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham in side control, throwing shots but O Riley defends.
Graham taking a breather here.
Graham sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but O Riley is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
O Riley stops Graham from passing to mount.
O Riley is trying to escape the position but Graham is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Graham tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Graham working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Graham moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Graham goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, O Riley has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Graham but great work by O Riley.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graham manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Graham is holding on to half guard well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Winston Graham dominated that round.
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.

O Riley connects with a crisp jab.
O Riley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Graham .
Graham dodges the punch combination from O Riley.
Graham tries for a takedown but O Riley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
O Riley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Graham .
Graham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? O Riley is fending him off so far but Graham persists. Nope, O Riley circles away and we're back to standing.

O Riley throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Graham tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. O Riley is in Graham 's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Graham is on top in guard.

Graham throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Graham passes easily into side control. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Graham looking to punish the body of his opponent here but O Riley is avoiding damage well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham happy to just control the position for now.
O Riley knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Graham on the ground.
Graham working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
O Riley being controlled for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
O Riley is trying to get back to his feet.
Graham working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
O Riley is being controlled here.
Graham with more of the same as he continues to hold on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Riley takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Graham controls the position.
O Riley on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if O Riley tries to get out of the position.
Graham landing a few strikes.
A lull in the action here.

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.
Graham throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
O Riley seems a little lost for a moment, as Graham dominates the positioning.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Graham takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
O Riley cracks a nice hook into Graham 's ribs.
O Riley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Graham .
O Riley misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
O Riley closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Graham looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for O Riley!
Graham creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Patrick O Riley will probably get the nod.
That's time! O Riley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Graham fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
O Riley misses with a series of wild punches.
Graham steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from O Riley.
Left hook, right uppercut from O Riley.

Graham shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Graham was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Graham has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Graham lands a nice forearm strike.

Graham tries for a kimura but O Riley is defending well.
A lull in the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graham scoring with punches and elbows.
Graham taking a breather here.
Graham is continuing to stall.
The ground and pound from Graham seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Graham misses with an attempted head punch from 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.
Graham happy to just control the position for now.

Graham decides to stand back up.
Graham dodges the punch combination from O Riley.
Graham fails with a takedown attempt.
O Riley slaps away a takedown attempt from Graham , before circling back to the center of the mat.
Patrick O Riley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Winston Graham .
O Riley tries to bum rush Graham with a series of wild strikes but Graham uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
O Riley lands a jab-cross combination.
O Riley throws a series of punches but Graham moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graham slips a jab and a cross from O Riley.
Graham steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from O Riley.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
O Riley scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
O Riley throws a series of punches but Graham avoids them all with ease.
O Riley fails to land with a series of punches.
Graham shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts O Riley as he jumps to the side.
Graham closes this distance looking for a takedown but O Riley circles away.
O Riley appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Patrick O Riley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A combination from O Riley does no damage.
O Riley stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and O Riley wants it to stay on the feet.
O Riley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A nice combination there by O Riley.
Patrick O Riley is winning the standup battle so far.
O Riley throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
O Riley misses with a looping left.
Graham will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Graham shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
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!
O Riley is trying to stand back up but Graham is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graham working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Graham in particular looking to stall.
Graham passes to side control.
Graham lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Patrick O Riley showed his dominance in that final round.
I think O Riley has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Patrick O Riley!
After the fight, Patrick O Riley was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.