PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mr Small (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Riders (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.

Small
vs
Riders

150 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mr Small!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Riders!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Sandra Marshall and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riders swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Riders has Small up against the cage in a clinch.
Small wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Small could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Small tries to break the clinch but Riders is controlling the position.
Riders lands a shoulder strike.
Riders blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Riders prevents Small from breaking the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Riders.
Riders has Small pressed against the cage, preventing Small from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riders has Small pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Small manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Riders scores with a shoulder strike.
Small stalling.

Riders jumps guard and drags Small to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Small being controlled here momentarily.
Small might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Small wants to stand but Riders is controlling his posture from full guard.
Riders trying to control the position here.

Riders wriggles free and stands up.
John Riders seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Small scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riders shoots in for a double leg but Small sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Small buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Riders stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Small.
Riders avoids a kick to the body.
A head kick by Riders misses
and Small counters with an outside leg kick.
Riders throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Small went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Riders chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Small can pounce on him.
Riders fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mr Small has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Riders.
Riders shoots in looking for a takedown but Small manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Riders's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Small lands a nice leg kick that just misses Riders's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riders takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Riders is looking to clinch.
Small appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.

Riders moves into the clinch.

Riders pulls Small into guard.
Small wants to stand but Riders has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Riders manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Small manages to get himself to full guard.

Riders throwing strikes from guard but Small blocks nicely.
Riders prevents Small from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riders throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Small wants to stand but Riders is controlling the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Riders stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Small.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Riders 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.

Riders throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Small's waist but Small gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Riders off to one side.
Small swats away the attempt to clinch by Riders.
Small fires out a quick counter leg kick but Riders just manages to avoid it.
Riders is trying hard to land a takedown here. Small sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Small connects with an inside leg kick.
Riders is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Riders.
Mr Small has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Riders.
Riders takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Small lands with a kick to the ribs.
Small avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Small feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Riders shoots in for a double leg but Small sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Small fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Riders.
Small connects with an inside leg kick.
Mr Small is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Horrible takedown attempt by Riders or perhaps it was just good defense by Small, which made it look bad.
Small feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Small connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Mr Small is winning the standup battle so far.
Small circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Small as Riders shoots in.
Riders wants to clinch up but Small keeps it at a distance.
Small feinted there with a counter leg kick.
A good leg kick by Small.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Riders.
Riders is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Small feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Riders's calf.
That kick from Small tenderised Riders's leg. Riders is trying to keep his angry face on.
A thudding body kick lands there by Small!
Small is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Riders can do to turn this around?
Riders misses with a double jab.
John Riders is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
That kick from Small tenderised Riders's leg. Riders is trying to keep his angry face on.
Small blocks a head kick by Riders.
Small connects with a solid leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A slapping leg kick lands for Small.
Riders tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Small paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Small throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small connects with a leg kick. Riders looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Riders takes the fight into the clinch.
Riders has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Small after a bit of a struggle.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Small has a couple of punches blocked by Riders.
Small stalling.
Riders tries to pull guard but Small won't allow it.
Small scores with a shot to the side of Riders's head.
Small is trying to break free.
Small is trying to break the clinch but Riders has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riders drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Small gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Riders jumps guard but Small stands there with Riders around his waist. Riders gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Small misses with a punch to the body.

Small pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Riders goes for a double leg but Small avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Small continues to drive forward.

Riders instigates a clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riders changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Small fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Small throws a nice outside leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Small dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Small throws a quick inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Small there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Riders shoots in looking for a takedown. Small tries to sprawl out of it but Riders keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Small manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Riders throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Small keeps the fight on the outside.
Small keeps Riders at a distance using the push kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Riders closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Small did well to prevent Riders getting side control.

Riders decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Riders on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Small. Small obviously looking to wear him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Riders
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Small leaves Riders with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Riders takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Small swats away the attempt to clinch by Riders.
Small feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Riders chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Small can pounce on him.
Small lands with a thumping leg kick.
Riders tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Small paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Riders misses with a wild body shot.
Riders closes the distance and clinches up with Small, looking for a takedown. Riders pushes Small against the cage but Small circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mr Small has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Riders.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Small lets loose with a powerful body kick. Riders will feel that in the morning.
Small keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A chopping leg kick lands by Small.
A solid leg kick lands there for Small.
Riders dives in and grabs Small's left leg, looking for a takedown. Small pushes down on Riders's head and hops out.
Riders throws a right hand that Small ducks under and follows up with a left that Small also avoids with ease.
Small throws a quick inside leg kick.
Riders tries to score with a low kick but Small moves his leg out of the way.
Small throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Small moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Riders tries to clinch up.
Riders misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Small looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Riders's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Small lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Riders takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Riders fails with the takedown.
Small moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Small tenderised Riders's leg. Riders is trying to keep his angry face on.
Riders on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Small. Small obviously looking to wear him down.
That kick from Small tenderised Riders's leg. Riders is trying to keep his angry face on.
Small fakes the leg kick and cracks Riders in the body.
Riders fails with a takedown attempt.
Small fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Riders has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Small moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Small connects with a leg kick. Riders looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mr Small showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Small 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mr Small!
Mr Small thanked the fans post fight for their support.