PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sam Riddler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Wopat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Riddler
vs
Wopat

178 cm
22
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Riddler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Wopat!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wopat shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Wopat in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Riddler utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wopat won't allow Riddler to get back to his feet.
Riddler trying to keep a closed guard but Wopat is proving a slippery customer.
Riddler is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Wopat is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Wopat throws and elbow that misses. Riddler uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Wopat's guard. Nice move by Riddler!
Wopat throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Riddler is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Wopat closes the distance and clinches up with Riddler, looking for a takedown. Wopat pushes Riddler against the cage but Riddler circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Wopat throws a series of punches but Riddler avoids them all with ease.
Riddler throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Wopat counters with a shoot takedown. Riddler fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wopat throws a big right hand that misses.
Wopat prevents Riddler from getting back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wopat accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Wopat stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riddler swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wopat prevents Riddler from getting back to his feet.
Riddler controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wopat throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riddler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riddler wants to stand up but Wopat is controlling him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Riddler throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Wopat decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Riddler's guard.
Riddler is breathing heavily.
Riddler preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wopat throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riddler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Wopat throwing strikes from guard but Riddler blocks nicely.
Riddler avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Wopat in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Riddler pulls Wopat in close to prevent any damage.
Wopat throws a strike but Riddler rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Wopat throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Wopat feints and as Riddler raises his hands in defense, Wopat changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Riddler is trying to control the position but Wopat postures up.
Riddler is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Riddler working a defensive guard here.
Riddler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wopat is controlling him.
Wopat postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wopat postures up in Riddler's guard and throws a big left but Riddler blocks it.
Wopat stops Riddler from standing up.
Riddler 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Riddler gets caught flat footed, as Wopat shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Riddler looking to control.
Riddler looking to hit a scissor sweep but Wopat is one step ahead there.
Wopat content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Wopat dominated that round.
That's time! Riddler's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Wopat.
Wopat cracks Riddler with a big elbow.
Wopat working the ground and pound but Riddler is defending the strikes.
Riddler is trying to buck Wopat off.
Riddler can't do much from the bottom here.
Riddler is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Riddler wants to get back to his feet but Wopat drags him back down.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wopat landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Wopat misses with the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Riddler misses with a combination

and Wopat counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wopat lands with a punch from half guard.
Wopat prevents Riddler from standing back up.
Ground and pound from Wopat.
Wopat lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Wopat looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Riddler with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Wopat thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddler blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wopat.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Wopat connects with a nice short shot to Riddler's temple.
Riddler wants to get back to his feet.
Wopat is thwarting Riddler's attempts to control the position.
Wopat thows a huge punch but Riddler dodges it nicely.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Riddler falls off balance throwing a combination
and Wopat counters with a nice uppercut.
Wopat fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddler misses with a combination

and Wopat counters with a single leg into guard. Riddler didn't expect that.
Riddler avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Wopat working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Riddler pulls Wopat in close to prevent any damage.
Wopat won't allow Riddler to get back to his feet.
Wopat scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Riddler holds on and takes a little breather.
Wopat with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wopat postures up and lands a big shot to Riddler's brow.

Riddler pushes Wopat off and gets back to his feet.
Wopat shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Riddler as he jumps to the side.
Riddler falls off balance throwing a combination

and Wopat counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Riddler wants to break free but Wopat has control.

Wopat breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wopat uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Riddler.
Riddler throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Riddler with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Wopat to score with a decent uppercut.
Riddler misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Wopat shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Riddler pinned against the cage. Riddler gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Wopat showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Riddler misses with a double jab.
Riddler looks to land a combination but Wopat avoids it well.
Riddler throws the left hand but Wopat avoids the punch easily.
Riddler swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Wopat counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Wopat.
Wopat postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Wopat working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wopat working some strikes from top position.
Riddler is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wopat scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wopat prevents Riddler from getting back to his feet.
Riddler trying to keep a closed guard but Wopat is proving a slippery customer.
Wopat throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Wopat darts in and clinches Riddler up against the cage.
Wopat can't get the takedown.
Wopat leaning his opponent against the cage.
Riddler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Wopat has him pressed against the cage.
Wopat has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Riddler avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Riddler wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Riddler wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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.
Wopat prevents Riddler from breaking the clinch.
Wopat drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sam Riddler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Wopat.
Riddler wants to get back to striking at distance but Wopat won't allow it.
Wopat keeps control of Riddler as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Riddler wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Wopat effectively controlling the action here.
Riddler wants to get back to striking at distance but Wopat won't allow it.
Riddler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Wopat.
Riddler prevents the takedown attempt.
Wopat goes for a takedown in the clinch but Riddler prevents it.
Wopat goes for a takedown in the clinch but Riddler prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddler has had enough of the clinch but Wopat keeps him there for the moment.
Wopat has had enough of the clinch but Riddler keeps him there for the moment.
Riddler wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Wopat drops down looking for an ankle pick but Riddler pulls his leg out and moves away.
Riddler throws a left and a right that both miss

and Wopat counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Wopat.
Wopat is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Riddler pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Riddler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Riddler is fighting off a takedown attempt but Wopat is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Riddler to the mat. Riddler regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Riddler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wopat is controlling him.
Riddler trying to keep a closed guard but Wopat is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wopat keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Riddler's head.
Sam Riddler has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wopat prevents Riddler from getting back to his feet.
Riddler controls Wopat momentarily but Wopat frees himself.
Wopat must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Riddler is looking to stand up but Wopat isn't so interested in that idea.

Riddler escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Wopat gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tom Wopat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Riddler gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Wopat comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wopat 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Wopat!