PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between William Riker (ranked 2338 p4p, 2591 weight class) and Jack Tupp (ranked 252 p4p, 284 weight class). Tupp has chosen Black No. 1 as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Riker
vs
Tupp

190 cm
22
265
4 - 2 - 0

184 cm
28
278
9 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Finnish Elite Extreme Science

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, William Riker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Tupp!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riker tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tupp sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Riker somewhat.

Riker drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Riker looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Riker is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riker with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Riker lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Riker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tupp keeping moving, preventing Riker from controlling successfully.
Riker postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Riker definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Riker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Riker with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tupp working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Riker.
Riker scoring with punches to the head and body.
Riker stopping the sweep attempt from Tupp.
Riker works over Tupp with some ground and pound from guard.
Riker 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.
Riker won't allow Tupp to sweep him here.
Riker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Riker passes into half guard.
Tupp told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riker seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tupp does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Riker seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riker missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Riker not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Riker keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Riker wants to control but Tupp is keeping him busy.
Tupp has hold of Riker's hands but Riker slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Riker is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Tupp has managed to free his arm - good work.
Riker missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Riker throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riker is taking a breather. Tupp says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Riker seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tupp does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Riker throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nice strikes from Riker there.
Riker prevents Tupp from standing back up.
Tupp is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Riker controlling the action here.
Riker seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tupp does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tupp is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Riker controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Riker shoots and misses
and Tupp counters with a left to the body.
William Riker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riker shoots in for a takedown but Tupp shows good takedown defense.
Tupp unleashes a big counter combination but Riker bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for William Riker. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Riker gets caught flat footed, as Tupp shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Riker isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Tupp stacks Riker on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Tupp!
Riker is not content to let Tupp control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riker gets back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

William Riker dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Riker doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tupp counters with a head kick that drops Riker to the mat! Riker scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Riker is rocked!
Tupp throws a sloppy head kick and Riker moves out of range easily.
Riker appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Riker fails to land the takedown.
Tupp throws a counter combo.
Tupp will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Riker is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tupp sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for William Riker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riker will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tupp throws out a counter right but Riker avoids it with no problem.
Riker tries for a takedown but Tupp sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riker fails with the takedown.
Tupp is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Riker fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riker shoots for a double leg takedown but Tupp sprawls well. He's pushed Riker's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Tupp clinches.
Tupp gets underhooks to prevent Riker's takedown attempt.
Riker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tupp blocking some punches.
Riker misses with a punch on the inside.

Riker jumps guard.
Tupp must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tupp engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Riker is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tupp passes Riker's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riker is looking for a sweep. Tupp is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Riker looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
William Riker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Riker looking for submissions off his back.
Tupp wants to control but Riker is keeping him busy.
Tupp is thwarting Riker's attempts to control the position.

Riker actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tupp content to control rather than advance.
Riker is trying to maintain the position but Tupp is very close to passing his half guard.
Riker gets back to full guard.
Riker trying to keep a closed guard but Tupp is proving a slippery customer.
Tupp wants to control from the top but Riker keeps moving.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Riker shoots in but Tupp avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Riker shoots in but no luck this time.
Riker tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tupp sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Riker somewhat.
Tupp stuffs the takedown.
Tupp unleashes a big counter combination but Riker bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Riker shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tupp defends it nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Riker.
Riker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tupp is fending him off so far but Riker persists. Nope, Tupp circles away and we're back to standing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Tupp showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tupp shoots in for a takedown but Riker shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Riker changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Tupp stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tupp wants it to stay on the feet.
Riker gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Tupp counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Riker fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tupp avoids it really well and circles away.
Despite the aggression on Tupp's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for William Riker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riker fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riker looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tupp pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Riker half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Tupp instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tupp gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Tupp wants to control from the top but Riker keeps moving.
Riker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Riker throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tupp taking some punishment here, with Riker in his half guard.
Riker prevents Tupp from improving his position.
Riker perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riker thows a huge punch but Tupp dodges it nicely.
Riker sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tupp defending well though.
Tupp slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Riker controlling from the top position.
Riker is in close to Tupp's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Tupp uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Riker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Tupp moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riker working aggressively here.
Tupp wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Tupp breaks the clinch.
Riker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tupp as he avoids it easily.
Tupp displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Riker.

Tupp closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Riker quickly recovers to half guard.
Riker moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Tupp is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tupp wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Riker is stalling in the full guard.
Riker wants to pass the guard but Tupp is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tupp wants to stand but Riker is controlling the position.
Tupp keeping moving, preventing Riker from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Tupp comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tupp 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Tupp!
Post fight, Jack Tupp took to the microphone: 'You will never beat me '.