PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between TayTay Maes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Maes
vs
Riley

176 cm
18
144 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
142 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, TayTay Maes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Billy Riley!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riley closes this distance looking for a takedown but Maes circles away.
Maes misses with a takedown attempt

and Riley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riley.
Riley tries to land knees in the clinch but Maes avoids the damage to the body.

Riley has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Maes uses from the top position.
Maes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maes 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.
Riley looking for a sweep. Not yet Riley, not yet.
Maes throwing strikes from guard but Riley blocks nicely.
Maes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Maes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Riley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Maes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maes lands a couple of digs.
Riley wants to sweep here but Maes controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Maes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Maes showed some decent athleticism there.
Maes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Riley is looking for a sweep. Maes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maes lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Maes is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Riley is just riding it out for now. Maes eventually gives up the hold.
Maes is keen to just control but Riley is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Riley taking some punishment here, with Maes in his half guard.
Riley trying to control here.
Riley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maes.
Maes throwing shots but Riley is blocking nicely.
Maes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Maes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maes tries for a takedown but Riley circles away easily

and Riley counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maes's guard now.
Riley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Riley tries to free his leg and advance position but Maes is retaining full guard.

Riley is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Maes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Maes has escaped and now he's on top!
Riley looks gassed!
Maes wants to pass the guard but Riley is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riley keeping moving, preventing Maes from controlling successfully.
Maes postures up in Riley's guard and throws a big left but Riley blocks it.
Maes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maes postures up in Riley's guard and throws a big left but Riley blocks it.
Riley trying to keep a closed guard but Maes is proving a slippery customer.
Maes trying to control the position from guard on top but Riley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four 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.

Maes postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Riley is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Maes, into his guard.

Riley thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Riley wants to control from the top but Maes keeps moving.
Maes wants to sweep but no luck.
Riley postures up.
Riley postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Maes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Riley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Billy Riley will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Riley lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Maes misses with a takedown

and Riley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riley.
Riley looking for a takedown.

Riley gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Maes wants to get back to full guard.

Riley is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Maes is just riding it out for now. Riley eventually gives up the hold.
Maes landing rabbit punches to the side of Riley's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
Maes gets back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Riley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maes looking for a sweep. Not yet Maes, not yet.

Riley thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maes can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Riley controls the pace.
Riley trying to control the position from guard on top but Maes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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.
Riley passes Maes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Maes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Maes.

Riley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Maes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Riley has managed to get both his arms back between Maes's legs - danger averted.
Riley wants to stand but Maes is controlling his posture from full guard.
Riley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Riley preventing the sweep.
Riley postures up in Maes's guard and throws a big left but Maes blocks it.
Riley trying to control the position from guard on top but Maes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Maes striking from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Maes throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Riley tries to reverse the position but Maes maintains control.
Maes with good strikes from the mount here!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Riley is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Maes with good strikes from the mount here!

Maes jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Riley is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Riley and Maes has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Maes with the ground and pound but Riley regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maes thows a huge punch but Riley dodges it nicely.
Maes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Riley's head.
Riley tries to roll over but Maes keeps him under control.
Maes trying to control the action but Riley is working from the bottom.
Maes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Riley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Maes.
Maes throwing shots but Riley is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Riley 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! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Riley closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Maes to the mat! Maes manages to get full guard.

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

Maes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Maes wants to control but Riley is keeping him busy.
Riley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley parries the strikes from Maes easily there. Maes is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Riley to escape.
Maes working the head with strikes.
Maes working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Maes tries to move into full mount but can't pass Riley's legs.

Maes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Riley is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Maes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Maes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Riley wants to get back to full guard.
Maes working Riley over with strikes.
Riley is looking for a sweep. Maes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Maes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Riley is trying to maintain the position but Maes is very close to passing his half guard.

Maes looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riley tries to roll over but Maes keeps him under control.
Riley is trying to maintain the position but Maes is very close to passing his half guard.
Billy Riley has got the better of the ground game so far.
The fighters are battling for position here. Riley manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Maes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Riley tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Riley wants to control but Maes postures up.
TayTay Maes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Riley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Maes tries to move to mount but Riley blocks the move with his legs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Maes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Riley, who protects the arm well.

And that's the end of the fight!
TayTay Maes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Riley 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Riley!