PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Allen (ranked 5604 p4p, 0 weight class) and DeMarcus Ridley (ranked 5593 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.

Allen
vs
Ridley

183 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
198 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rocky Allen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, DeMarcus Ridley!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ridley keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Allen closes the distance and pushes Ridley back into the cage.

Ridley lands a takedown into guard.

Ridley drops back, looking for a kneebar! Allen looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Allen looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Allen!

Allen throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Ridley works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Allen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ridley's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Allen seems to be working for a kimura but Ridley defends the submission attempt.
Allen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ridley holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Allen could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ridley manages to get to full guard.
Allen throws a strike but Ridley rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Allen is trying to control the position but Ridley postures up.
Ridley preventing the sweep.
Ridley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ridley postures up in Allen's guard and throws a big left but Allen blocks it.
Allen keeping moving, preventing Ridley from controlling successfully.
Allen looking for a sweep. Not yet Allen, not yet.
Allen is trying to keep Ridley in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ridley is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Ridley drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ridley jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ridley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Allen managing to control the position.
Ridley trying to control but Allen is working from the bottom.
Ridley won't allow Allen to sweep him here.
Allen is trying to keep Ridley in close.

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

Ridley closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Allen tries to get to full guard but Ridley has control of the leg.
Ridley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Allen gets back to full guard.
Ridley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Allen looking to control.
Ridley looking to pass the guard.
Allen wants to sweep here but Ridley controlling him for the moment.
Ridley throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Allen wants to sweep here but Ridley controlling him for the moment.
Allen is working hard here to advance position.
Allen looking to control.
Allen looking for a sweep. Not yet Allen, not yet.
Allen is breathing heavily.
Allen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ridley is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Ridley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ridley scoring with punches and elbows.

Ridley wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Allen, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DeMarcus Ridley dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ridley dodges the punch combination from Allen.

Ridley throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Allen was covering up waiting for the punch and Ridley finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ridley wants to control from the top but Allen keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ridley accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Allen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
DeMarcus Ridley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ridley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ridley preventing the sweep.
Ridley controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ridley throwing strikes but missing.
Ridley trying to control the position from guard on top but Allen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ridley drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Allen manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ridley has Allen in his guard.

Ridley preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ridley working a defensive guard here.
Allen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Allen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ridley can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Allen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ridley works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ridley holds on and takes a little breather.
Ridley is breathing heavily.
Ridley is trying to control the position but Allen postures up.
Allen throwing strikes from guard but Ridley blocks nicely.
Allen landing some decent shots from guard.
Allen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ridley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Allen throwing strikes but missing.
Allen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Allen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ridley works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Allen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Allen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Allen throwing strikes but missing.
Allen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Allen lands a couple of elbows.
Ridley working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Allen.
Ridley avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Allen postures up in Ridley's guard and throws a big left but Ridley blocks it.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Allen scoring with some ground and pound.
Allen is working Ridley over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Allen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ridley's head.
Allen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ridley's head.
Allen cracks Ridley with a solid left hand.
Allen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Allen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Allen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Allen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Allen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Allen lands with a kick to the temple. Ridley shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Ridley drives through with a takedown into Allen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Allen working a defensive guard here.
Ridley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ridley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Allen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ridley is looking to work some ground and pound but Allen has wrist control.
Allen looking for a sweep. Not yet Allen, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ridley is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ridley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Ridley drops back looking for a leg! Allen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Allen manages to kick Ridley off! Ridley jumps back into Allen's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Allen throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Allen working a defensive guard here.
Ridley trying to control but Allen is working from the bottom.
Allen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Allen is adopting a defensive guard.

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

Ridley looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Ridley decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Allen, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ridley decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Allen manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ridley stopping the sweep attempt from Allen.
Allen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Allen is thwarting Ridley's attempts to control the position.
Allen scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Allen is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ridley trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Allen thows a huge punch but Ridley dodges it nicely.

Allen is working for a submission of some sort.

Allen is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

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.
Ridley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Allen.
Ridley keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ridley is concentrating on defense, preventing Allen from advancing position.
Ridley wants to control but Allen is keeping busy.

Allen is trying to work for a kimura but Ridley is defending well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Allen seems to be working for a kimura but Ridley defends the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to DeMarcus Ridley.
I think Ridley has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... DeMarcus Ridley!