PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Devon Graves (ranked 2566 p4p, 2234 weight class) and Riel Proh (ranked 301 p4p, 266 weight class). Riel Proh has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Graves
vs
Proh

190 cm
20
215
3 - 0 - 0

192 cm
20
217
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Devon Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Riel Proh!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Percy O'Donnell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graves thows a left - swing and a miss!
Graves looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Proh.
Proh shoots and misses
and Graves counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Proh has a takedown stuffed.
Devon Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Riel Proh.
Graves throws a body punch but Proh moves out of range.
Proh takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Graves looks to land a left hand but Proh moved out of range nicely.
Proh shoots for a double leg takedown but Graves sprawls well. He's pushed Proh's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Riel Proh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Proh doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Graves counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Proh drives through with a takedown into Graves's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Proh in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Proh throws an elbow that misses. Graves uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Proh's guard. Nice move by Graves!

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Graves won't allow Proh to sweep him here.
Graves wants to stand but Proh has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Graves has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Proh has control of Graves's left arm, preventing Graves from doing any damage.
Proh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Graves is one step ahead there.
Graves wants to stand but Proh has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Graves tries to free his leg and advance position but Proh is retaining full guard.
Proh wants to sweep here but Graves controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Proh swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Proh is controlling Graves's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Graves wants to stand and escape but instead Proh has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Graves working a defensive guard here.
Proh scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Proh wants to control from the top but Graves keeps moving.
Proh landing with the ground and pound.
Proh engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Graves is looking to sweep but instead, Proh has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Proh looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Graves keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Graves wants to improve his position but Proh is controlling well.
Proh has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Proh working his ground and pound in the gym.
Proh lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Proh has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Graves tries to lock up and control but Proh gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Proh scoring with strikes but Graves is staying in there.
Graves is in all sorts of trouble here.
Proh working Graves over with strikes here.
Proh landing punches.
Proh landing strikes from the mount.
Proh breaks from Graves's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Proh with good strikes from the mount here!
BOOM! Proh connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Graves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Proh on the ground.
Graves taking shots to the head.

It looks like Devon Graves has been cut.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graves is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Proh looking to finish Graves with some ground and pound. This is bad for Graves!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Riel Proh dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Devon Graves's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Proh has a takedown stuffed.
Graves scores with a punch to the head.

Graves rushes Proh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Proh has Graves pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Graves manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Graves fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Proh goes for a takedown attempt but Graves pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Devon Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Riel Proh.
Proh changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Graves tries to avoid it but Proh manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Graves to the ground. Graves escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Graves scores with a one two! Proh had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Graves gets caught napping as Proh dives in and scores a takedown. Graves manages to retain guard.

Graves has his feet on Proh's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Graves with a nice cross.
Proh shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
As Proh backs away, Graves returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Proh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Graves sprawls well. Graves wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Proh gets slowly back to his feet.
Devon Graves is winning the standup battle so far.
Graves with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Proh shoots for a takedown but Graves saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Proh with a lazy takedown attempt
and Graves counters with a nice uppercut.
Graves lands with a kick to the ribs.
Proh shoots in looking for a takedown but Graves manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Proh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Proh shoots in and gets a takedown into Graves's guard.
Proh is breathing heavily.
Graves is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Proh postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Proh postures up in Graves's guard and throws a big left but Graves blocks it.
Proh trying to control the position from guard on top but Graves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Graves has control of Proh's left arm, preventing Proh from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Proh is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Proh throwing strikes from guard but Graves blocks nicely.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Proh moves forwards but Graves connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Proh shoots in for a takedown but Graves shows good takedown defense.
A little feinted left hand from Graves on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Proh or perhaps it was just good defense by Graves, which made it look bad.
Graves lands a nice looking body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Graves connects with a body shot that sends Proh's belly button to the back.

Proh closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Graves's guard.
Graves looking to control.
Proh postures up and lands a big shot to Graves's brow.
Riel Proh has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Proh missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Proh engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Proh connects with a couple of short punches.
Proh throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Graves looking to hit a scissor sweep but Proh is one step ahead there.
Proh throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Graves works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Proh throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Graves's waist but Graves gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Proh off to one side.
Graves slaps away a takedown attempt from Proh, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Graves lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Riel Proh has been cut.
Proh fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Graves swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Proh shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Graves counter with a right hand.
Proh tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Graves swivels and escapes.
Proh on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Graves. Graves obviously looking to wear him down.
Graves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Proh.

Proh darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Graves tries to kick Proh off in order to stand up. Proh Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Devon Graves dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Graves keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Proh is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Graves's half guard.
Graves tries to get to full guard but Proh has control of the leg.
Proh throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Proh throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Proh not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Proh seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Graves does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Graves is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Proh can do to turn this around?
Proh drops an elbow to the side of Graves's head.
Proh uses his free foot to push down on Graves's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Graves.
Proh lands a heavy elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Proh looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Proh lands a big elbow.
Graves bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Proh keeping moving, preventing Graves from controlling successfully.
Proh is pulling down on Graves's head. It's preventing any offense from Graves, at least for the moment.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Proh is trying hard to land a takedown here. Graves sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
As Proh backs away, Graves returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Devon Graves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Proh has a takedown stuffed.
Devon Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Riel Proh.
Proh doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Graves counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Proh looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Proh looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Graves is fending him off so far but Proh persists. Nope, Graves circles away and we're back to standing.
Proh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Graves bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Proh's head.
Proh fails to land the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Graves. No joy for Proh on that attempt.
Graves connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Graves closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Proh is trying to trip Graves. He has hold of a leg but Graves is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Proh persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Graves controls Proh momentarily but Proh frees himself.
Proh trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves wants to hit a sweep here but Proh passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Graves there!
Proh breaks from Graves's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Proh breaks from Graves's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Proh lands with some strikes.
Graves is in all sorts of trouble here.
Proh with a couple of short strikes.
Proh has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Graves's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Proh with a couple of short strikes.
Proh with a couple of short strikes.
Proh in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
A nice elbow there by Proh.
The referee warns Graves that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Proh lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Graves is rocked!

Devon Graves's cut is getting worse.
Proh putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Oh Graves is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Graves regains half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Proh lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Proh is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Riel Proh.
I think Proh 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Riel Proh!