PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris Nilan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Riddle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nilan
vs
Riddle

168 cm
22
165 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

172 cm
23
160 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

King of Clothes

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris Nilan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Riddle!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Dean Styles and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nilan misses with a hook. Riddle ducked under it nicely.
Nilan takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Nilan throws a shot from downtown. Riddle moves away and avoids it.
Nilan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Nilan throws a series of punches but Riddle moves out of range.
Nilan misses with an uppercut
and Riddle counters with a good low kick that Nilan was not able to check.
Nilan throws a shot from downtown. Riddle moves away and avoids it.
Nilan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Riddle counters with a straight right hand.
Nilan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Riddle was well out of range. Poor timing from Nilan.
Nilan throws a series of strikes that have Riddle backpedaling.
Riddle misses with a straight right.
A punch lands to the side of Riddle 's head but he takes it in his stride.
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!
Riddle thumps Nilan with a low kick.
Riddle throws a good cross that connects.
Nice shot lands for Riddle.
Riddle dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Nilan. That did some damage!

Nilan has Riddle up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddle displaying some good clinch control by pressing Nilan up against the cage.
Riddle blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nilan throws a head punch that misses.
Riddle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Riddle misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Riddle.
I was talking to Nilan's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Riddle softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Riddle scores with a nice hook to the head.
Nilan is working Riddle over against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Riddle.
Nilan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Riddle prevents a body shot from Nilan.
Nilan misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nilan swings wildly with an uppercut but Riddle uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riddle looking to slow down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddle lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Riddle digs a right hand underneath Nilan's ribcage. Nilan let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Riddle has a couple of punches blocked by Nilan.
Riddle blocks the elbow strike.
Riddle blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nilan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riddle tries to work over Nilan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Stalling in the clinch from Nilan.
Nilan is stalling here.
Riddle lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Nilan backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Riddle.
Riddle holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nilan throws a punch but it's blocked by Riddle.
With the fighters up against the cage, Nilan throws an elbow but misses.
Nilan misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Riddle lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Riddle blocks a body shot from Nilan.
Riddle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nilan misses with a punch to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Nilan takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Riddle blocks an uppercut.
Nilan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Nilan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Riddle doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Riddle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Riddle trying to land knees to the body.
Nilan content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nilan missing with knees to the body.
Nilan working aggressively here.
Riddle is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Riddle tries to stall but Nilan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nilan lands an uppercut.

Riddle breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nilan misses with a wild body shot.
Riddle tries to clinch but Nilan moves out of range.
Riddle cracks Nilan with a good jab.
Nilan scores with a crisp jab that stopped Riddle in his tracks.
Riddle gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Riddle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Nilan.
Nilan looks to land a left hand but Riddle moved out of range nicely.
Riddle ducks under a wild hook from Nilan.
Riddle uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Nilan.
Riddle misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Nilan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Jab from Riddle.
Riddle feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Nilan's calf.
Riddle lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Nilan clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Justin Riddle will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Riddle circles away from the clinch attempt.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Nilan, as that shot connected.
Riddle tries a head kick but it misses.
Nilan takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Riddle ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Nilan misses the shot to the body.
Riddle ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nilan scores with a crisp jab that stopped Riddle in his tracks.
Nilan lands the left hand.
Riddle keeps the fight on the outside.
Riddle ducks right into an uppercut from Nilan.
Riddle closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Riddle throws a head kick that misses.
Riddle moves out of range as Nilan strikes.
Riddle looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nilan is looking to clinch but Riddle is avoiding it.
Riddle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nilan misses the shot to the body.
Nilan misses with a wild body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Riddle! But no joy.
Riddle jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Riddle throws a jab but it's blocked by Nilan.
Riddle changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by Nilan as he connects with a hook.
Riddle avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A head kick by Riddle misses
and Nilan counters with a nice body shot.
Nilan digs a good body shot into Riddle's ribs.
Riddle chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nilan closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Riddle throws out a leg kick but Nilan moves out of range and Riddle only half commits.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nilan throws a series of punches but Riddle moves out of range.
Nilan misses with an uppercut.
Nilan changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nilan is looking to clinch but Riddle is avoiding it.
Riddle misses with a leg kick
enabling Nilan to counter with a crisp jab.
Riddle looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Riddle. Nilan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Riddle misses with a looping right.
Nilan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A jab from Riddle finds it's way through Nilan's defenses.
Good exchange - Riddle coming out on top.
Nilan chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Riddle can pounce on him.
Riddle throws a hook to the side of Nilan's head but Nilan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Riddle throws a lazy right hand but Nilan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nilan takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Riddle throws a lazy head kick
and Nilan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Riddle throws an off balance right hand

and Nilan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle has a couple of punches blocked by Nilan.
Nilan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Riddle lands a right hand.
Nilan pushes Riddle back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nilan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riddle stalling.
Nilan lands with a left to the head.
Nilan blocking some punches.
Nilan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Riddle's elbow.
Nilan lands a shot to the body.
Riddle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Riddle tries to work over Nilan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Riddle wants to stall.
Nilan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nilan has a couple of punches blocked by Riddle.
Riddle misses with a punch on the inside.
Nilan throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Riddles head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nilan stalling against the cage.
Nilan presses Riddle against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Riddle trying to land knees to the body.
Nilan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
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!
Nilan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A head punch on the inside from Nilan fails to land.
Riddle has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Nilan seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Riddle can turn it around.
Nilan pushes Riddle back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Riddle missing with knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Nilan.
A bit of stalling here from Riddle.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Nilan.
Riddle lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Riddle tries to land knees in the clinch but Nilan avoids the damage to the body.
Nilan has a couple of punches blocked by Riddle.
Nilan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Nilan throws a punch but it's blocked by Riddle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Nilan dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A swing and a miss from Nilan.
Nilan misses with a hook
and Riddle counters with a nice body shot.
Chris Nilan is winning the standup battle so far.
Nilan throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Riddle throws a predictable looking body shot
and Nilan counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Riddle throws a hook but Nilan avoids it easily.
Nilan misses with a straight right.
Riddle shapes to counter with a head kick.
Riddle slips a straight right by Nilan.
Nilan swings for the body but Riddle moves out of range.
Riddle only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Riddle fakes the leg kick and cracks Nilan in the body.
Nilan is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riddle closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nilan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Riddle's elbow.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Nilan.
Nilan tries a body shot but Riddle blocks it.
Riddle takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A shot in the inside from Nilan.
Nilan prevents Riddle from breaking the clinch.
Nilan lands with a right to the head.
Riddle is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nilan is defending well for now.
Come on Nilan - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Nilan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Riddle backwards.
Nilan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Riddle on the inside.
Chris Nilan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Riddle.
Riddle prevents a body shot from Nilan.
Riddle lands a right hand.
Nilan lands with a left to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Riddle.
Riddle working aggressively here.
A short left from Nilan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Riddle is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Riddle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A bit of stalling here from Riddle.
Riddle has Nilan pressed against the cage.
Nilan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Riddle tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Nilan avoids it.
A left hand lands to the body for Nilan.
Nilan blocking some punches.
Nilan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Nilan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Riddle blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Riddle gets through Nilan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Nilan tries to work over Riddle's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Nilan as Riddle tries to tie him up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nilan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Riddle holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Nilan avoiding damage as Riddle throws knees to the body.
Riddle blocking some punches.
Riddle swings wildly with an uppercut but Nilan uses good head movement to avoid it.

Riddle breaks from the clinch.
Nilan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nilan connects with a crisp jab.
Nilan thuds a left hand into Riddle's body.
Nilan moves into range and connects with a jab.
Riddle has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Nilan finds it's way round the side to connect with Riddle's head.
Riddle bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Nilan's head backwards.

Nilan drives through and clinches with Riddle against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Riddle blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Riddle avoiding damage as Nilan throws knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nilan works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Nilan lands a body shot in the clinch.
Nilan lands a shot to the body.
Riddle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Riddle misses with a punch on the inside.
Riddle misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nilan.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nilan.
Riddle misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nilan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Nilan lands an uppercut.
Nilan lands an uppercut.
Riddle tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Nilan's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Riddle.
A frustrated look appears on Riddle's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nilan controlling the action here for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Nilan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Nilan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Nilan!
After the fight, Chris Nilan 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.