PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gerry Riggs (ranked 5963 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marc Sandal (ranked 25500 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Riggs
vs
Sandal

209 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 Sydney, Gerry Riggs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marc Sandal!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Steve Erwin and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riggs looks for a takedown but Sandal sprawls well.

Riggs looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sandal!
Riggs controlling from side mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Who's going to make the next move?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A lull in the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggs scores with punches from side control.
A lull in the action here as Riggs stalls from top position.
Sandal struggling a bit here.
Riggs controls the position.
Sandal is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Riggs is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
The ground and pound from Riggs seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sandal struggling a bit here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Riggs is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Riggs darts in and clinches Sandal up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandal looking to stall.
Sandal has Riggs pressed against the cage, preventing Riggs from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Sandal wants to stall.
Sandal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riggs avoids a wild elbow strike from Sandal.
Sandal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Riggs's elbow.

Sandal is trying to trip Riggs. He has hold of a leg but Riggs is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Sandal persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Riggs wants to get back to his feet but Sandal passes into half guard.

Riggs really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Riggs landing a few short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riggs regains full guard. Nicely done.
Sandal wants to control from the top but Riggs keeps moving.
Riggs striking from the bottom.
Riggs looking for a sweep. Not yet Riggs, not yet.
Riggs seems keen to control Sandal's posture.
Riggs punching from the bottom - just letting Sandal know he's still in a fight.
Riggs wants to control but Sandal passes easily into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Riggs trying to control here.
Sandal is looking to advance position but Riggs won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gerry Riggs will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sandal gets caught napping as Riggs dives in and scores a takedown. Sandal manages to retain guard.

Sandal pushes Riggs off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Sandal fails to land with a series of punches.

Sandal looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Sandal stopping the sweep attempt from Riggs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riggs trying to control the position.
Sandal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riggs swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Riggs is trying to control the position but Sandal postures up.
Riggs thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggs seems keen to control Sandal's posture.
Riggs throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Riggs tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Riggs shoots in and gets a takedown into Sandal's guard.
Riggs controls from within his opponent's guard.
Riggs stops Sandal from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sandal looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Riggs will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Riggs is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Sandal shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sandal is breathing heavily.
Riggs moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandal engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Riggs wants to get back to his feet but Sandal is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sandal is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Riggs keeping moving, preventing Sandal from controlling successfully.

Sandal drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sandal jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Riggs is striking off his back. Sandal thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Riggs tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Riggs slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sandal scoring with some ground and pound.
Riggs bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sandal's guard.

Riggs controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sandal wants to stand but Riggs is controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riggs controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Marc Sandal will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sandal shoots in and gets a takedown into Riggs's guard.
Riggs is trying to control the position but Sandal postures up.
Sandal stays in close to Riggs's body and controls the position.
Sandal trying to control but Riggs is working from the bottom.
Riggs lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riggs slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Riggs's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riggs is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sandal not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sandal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sandal is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Riggs is looking to stand up but Sandal won't let him.
Riggs's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sandal lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Riggs backs up against the cage.

It looks like Gerry Riggs has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Riggs.

Riggs closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sandal is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Riggs controls the position.
Sandal tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Riggs wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Riggs controlling the position from side mount.
Riggs has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sandal is looking to reverse the position.
Riggs is staying tight to Sandal's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Riggs cracks Sandal with a big right hand but Sandal just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Riggs controlling the position.

Riggs tries for a kimura but Sandal is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sandal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Riggs working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Sandal is trying to control Riggs's posture but Riggs avoids it.
Riggs just content to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Riggs rushes Sandal and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Gerry Riggs.
I think Riggs 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gerry Riggs!