PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Walter (ranked 5610 p4p, 288 weight class) and Myles Rider (ranked 3188 p4p, 161 weight class). Myles Rider will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Walter
vs
Rider

150 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, James Walter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Myles Rider !
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Santiago Holmes and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walter tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rider swivels and escapes.
The crowd cheers as Rider lands an impressive looking overhand right. Walter doesn't seem phased though.

Rider closes the distance and clinches.
Walter misses with a punch to the body.
Rider is trying to push Walter away but Walter has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Walter jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rider walks away with a smile on his face. Walter gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Walter tries to clinch up.
Walter fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rider has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Walter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Walter tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Rider to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walter tries to clinch up but Rider circles away and keeps his distance.

Rider gets a clinch.
Walter tries to break free but Rider pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Walter is looking to control Rider 's arms but Rider gets an underhook and turns him. Now Walter has his back to the cage.

Rider breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Walter shoots in for a takedown but Rider shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Rider closes the distance and clinches.
Rider wants to break free but Walter has control.
Rider lands a nice uppercut.
Rider lands a nice uppercut.

Rider breaks the clinch.
Walter takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Rider has Walter up against the cage in a clinch.
A short left from Rider .
Walter wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Rider lands a left hand that snaps the head of Walter backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rider looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A bit of stalling here from Rider .
Rider has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Walter misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rider .
Walter is trying to drag Rider to the mat but Rider just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A frustrated look appears on Rider 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rider scores with a shot to the side of Walter's head.
Walter is trying to drag Rider to the mat but Rider just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Rider 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rider ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Walter misses with a takedown attempt
and Walter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Rider has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider is trying to push Walter away but Walter has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rider lands with a light punch inside.
Walter tries to pull guard but Rider won't allow it.
Rider leaning his opponent against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Rider .
Rider leaning against his opponent.

Rider breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Walter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Walter throws a big counter combination but Rider scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Rider instigates a clinch.
Walter drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rider pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walter walks into a jab.

Rider gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rider .
Walter goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rider prevents it.
Rider scores with a shot to the side of Walter's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rider wants to break free but Walter has control.
Rider wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rider lands with a right to the head.
Rider lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rider softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Walter stalling in the clinch but Rider improves position.
Rider lands a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Myles Rider dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rider has taken the fight to the clinch.
Walter working hard to break the clinch.
Rider gets through Walter's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rider stalling the fight.
Walter stalling the fight.

Rider manages to break the clinch.
Walter wants to clinch
and Rider counters with a straight right hand.

Walter is rocked!

Rider has Walter up against the cage in a clinch.
Rider has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rider makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Oh Walter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The referee calls for Rider to work.
Walter seems to have got his legs back now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rider .
Still in the clinch, Rider scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Walter is looking to control Rider 's arms but Rider gets an underhook and turns him. Now Walter has his back to the cage.
Walter seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Rider is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Rider lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rider is looking to break free of the clinch but Walter has double underhooks.

Rider pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rider closes the distance and clinches.
Walter tries to pull guard but Rider forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rider as Walter tries to tie him up.
Rider prevents Walter from breaking the clinch.
Rider stalls.
Rider lands an uppercut.

Rider breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Walter looks for a takedown but Rider sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walter tries to clinch but Rider is having none of it.

Rider pushes Walter up against the cage in a clinch.
Rider scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rider lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A shot in the inside from Rider .
Rider lands a hook to the side of the head.
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!
Walter wants to get back to striking at distance but Rider won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rider as Walter tries to tie him up.
Rider lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rider is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Walter wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Walter's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Walter throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rider lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Walter backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rider lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Walter backwards.
Rider has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rider lands with a left to the head.
Rider makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Rider breaks from the clinch.
Rider lands a slapping body shot.

Rider moves into the clinch successfully.
Rider lands a right hand that snaps the head of Walter backwards.
Rider has had enough of the clinch but Walter keeps him there for the moment.
Walter tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Walter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Walter is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rider gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rider tries to break the clinch but Walter is controlling the position.
Rider wants to get back to striking at distance but Walter won't allow it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rider creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short uppercut from Rider .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walter is trying to break the clinch but Rider is controlling him.
Walter looking for a takedown.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rider lands with a right to the head.
Rider avoids the elbow strike from Walter, against the cage.
Rider lands with a light punch inside.

Walter jumps into guard, dragging Rider to the mat.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rider not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rider throws a big right hand that misses.
Rider wants to pass the guard but Walter is keeping the position.
Rider showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Myles Rider showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rider gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rider is pressed up against the cage. Walter has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rider down to the mat. Rider avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Walter gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Rider counters with a lovely straight right hand!
James Walter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rider clinches up with Walter and pushes him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Rider .
A short right from Rider on the inside.
Rider stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walter is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Walter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Walter is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rider pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Walter changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rider fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rider closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rider lands a nice uppercut.
Rider lands with a right to the head.
Rider stalling.
Rider working some nice short punches in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rider creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rider taking a breather.
Rider wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Walter has him pressed against the cage.
Walter tries to break the clinch but Rider is controlling the position.
Rider lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rider effectively controlling the action here.
Rider lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rider has had enough of the clinch but Walter keeps him there for the moment.
Rider has Walter pushed against the cage.
Walter is trying to pull guard but Rider turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Walter looking to stall.
Rider tries to break free but Walter pushes him back against the cage.
Rider lands a right hand that snaps the head of Walter backwards.
Rider lands a right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rider scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rider slowing the pace effectively.

Rider breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Walter shoots in but no luck this time.
Rider has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Walter looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rider fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Walter, pushing him back against the cage.

Rider breaks from the clinch.

Rider moves into the clinch.
Walter wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Rider breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
James Walter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rider has closed the distance and engaged Walter in a clinch.

Rider manages to break the clinch.

Rider clinches up with Walter and pushes him back against the cage.

Walter manages to break the clinch.

Rider forces Walter back against the cage and clinches.
Walter tries a body shot but Rider blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rider lands a nice uppercut.
Rider wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Walter fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Walter fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Walter jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rider walks away with a smile on his face. Walter gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Rider moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rider gets through Walter's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Rider blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rider avoiding damage.
Walter tries to break the clinch but Rider is controlling the position.
Walter tries to pull guard but Rider holds him up against the cage and eventually Walter drops back down to his feet.
Rider scores with an uppercut up the middle.
James Walter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Myles Rider is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Walter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Myles Rider comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rider has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 24:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 24:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Myles Rider !