PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Rhoades (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rhoades
vs
Riley

176 cm
20
153 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

166 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

KAISER
{GTI} - HGH Nutrients

{GTI} - HGH Nutrients
L.A. Elite Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Rhoades!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michael Riley!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rhoades stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rhoades wants it to stay on the feet.
Rhoades throws a right and a left that both miss.
Riley has a takedown stuffed.
Rhoades misses with a hook. Riley ducked under it nicely.
Rhoades throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rhoades scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Riley shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rhoades as he jumps to the side.
Mike Rhoades has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Riley.
Rhoades throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rhoades throws a body punch but Riley moves out of range.
Riley shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rhoades as he jumps to the side.
Rhoades misses with a few strikes there.
Rhoades misses with a few strikes there.
Rhoades throws a body punch but Riley moves out of range.
Riley doesn't manage to clinch there - Rhoades circles away.
Mike Rhoades seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rhoades misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley shoots in and drives through. Rhoades sprawls well.
Rhoades circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rhoades throws a nice looking combination but Riley bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rhoades throws out a loose jab but Riley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rhoades misses the shot to the body.
Rhoades throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rhoades misses with a double jab.
Rhoades lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Riley circles away quickly and effectively.
Rhoades looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rhoades throws a head kick that misses.
Riley moves out of range as Rhoades strikes.
Riley closes the distance and clinches up with Rhoades, looking for a takedown. Riley pushes Rhoades against the cage but Rhoades circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Riley tries to clinch up but Rhoades circles away and keeps his distance.
Mike Rhoades is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Riley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Riley fails in his attempt to clinch.

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.
Rhoades misses with a looping left.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Riley is defended easily by Rhoades.
Some wild striking there from Rhoades.
The fight stays on the outside here - Riley looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rhoades misses with a few strikes there.
Riley shoots for a takedown but Rhoades saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Riley uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rhoades.
Riley looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Riley moves into the clinch.
Rhoades has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Riley looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhoades blocks an elbow strike.
Rhoades wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Riley has him pressed against the cage.
Rhoades wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rhoades working hard to break the clinch.
Rhoades gets underhooks to prevent Riley's takedown attempt.
Rhoades has had enough of the clinch but Riley keeps him there for the moment.
Rhoades is trying to push Riley away but Riley has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Riley tries a knee to the head but Rhoades blocks it.
Rhoades avoiding damage as Riley throws knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Riley throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rhoades looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Riley presses Rhoades against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Riley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Riley trying to stall but Rhoades improves his position.
Riley tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rhoades avoids it.
Rhoades is trying to push Riley away but Riley has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rhoades tries to break the clinch but Riley is controlling the position.
Riley misses with a punch to the body.
Riley drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rhoades pulls his leg out and moves away.

Riley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riley trying to stall but Rhoades improves his position.
Rhoades is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Riley wants a takedown but no success here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Rhoades dominated that round.
That's time! Rhoades's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Riley tries to close the distance and clinch but Rhoades swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rhoades swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Riley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riley.
Riley looking to throw knees to the head but Rhoades is blocking nicely.
Riley misses with a short punch on the inside.
Riley misses with some punches.
Riley has Rhoades pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rhoades manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rhoades looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rhoades dodges an elbow strike from Riley.
Rhoades working hard to break the clinch.
Riley has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rhoades avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riley is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rhoades gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mike Rhoades has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Riley.
Riley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rhoades on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Riley is breathing heavily.
Rhoades is trying to break free.
Riley tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rhoades avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhoades blocks a body shot from Riley.
Rhoades blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riley throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Riley throws a head punch that misses.
Riley tries to score a body lock takedown but Rhoades shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Riley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rhoades gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rhoades has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rhoades wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Riley has him pressed against the cage.

Rhoades pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rhoades swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Riley showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rhoades.
Rhoades misses with a double jab.

That's two 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.

Riley shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rhoades manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Riley passes Rhoades's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Riley is trying to work for a kimura but Rhoades is defending well.
Riley moves nicely into side control.

Riley tries for a kimura but Rhoades is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Riley thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Riley looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Riley tries for a kimura but Rhoades is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riley is trying to get an arm triangle but Rhoades is defending well.
Rhoades pushes Riley away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Riley gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Riley working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rhoades is not content to let Riley control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Riley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A combination from Rhoades does no damage.
Riley tries to clinch up but Rhoades circles away and keeps his distance.

Riley has Rhoades up against the cage in a clinch.
Rhoades prevents the takedown attempt.
Rhoades tries to break free but Riley pushes him back against the cage.
Riley creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Riley misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rhoades is trying to break the clinch but Riley has him pressed against the cage.
Rhoades tries to break the clinch but Riley is controlling the position.
Riley tries a body shot but Rhoades blocks it.
Riley misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rhoades.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhoades gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Riley.
Rhoades has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Riley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mike Rhoades has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Riley.
Rhoades wants to break free but Riley has control.

Rhoades breaks from the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Riley.
Riley misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Riley dodges the punch combination from Rhoades.

That's two 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.
Riley moves out of range as Rhoades strikes.
Rhoades falls off balance throwing a combination

so Riley counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Riley drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Riley jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Riley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rhoades swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Riley works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Riley is working for a submission here. He's got hold of the far side arm and he's looking for a kimura. He's cranking on the arm and he's got it! Rhoades is tapping out! Ouch, that looked like it hurt!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Michael Riley!