PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Junior Sasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hunter Risley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hunter Risley has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Junior Sasi's chin.

Sasi
vs
Risley

179 cm
19
201 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

189 cm
19
209 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Junior Sasi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hunter Risley!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Risley keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Risley scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Risley thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Sasi if he has to take too many more of those.

Risley decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Risley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sasi is looking to escape.
Risley with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Hunter Risley.

Risley feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Risley prevents Sasi from getting back to his feet.
Risley tries to free his leg and advance position but Sasi is retaining full guard.
Risley wants to control from the top but Sasi keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Risley throws a strike but Sasi rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sasi throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Risley will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Sasi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Risley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Risley is striking off his back. Sasi thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Risley manages to get to full guard.
Risley tries to strike from the bottom.
Risley working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sasi throws a big elbow that misses.

Sasi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Risley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sasi has managed to get both his arms back between Risley's legs - danger averted.
Sasi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sasi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sasi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Risley works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Risley is on top in guard.
Sasi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Risley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sasi keeping moving, preventing Risley from controlling successfully.
Risley distracts Sasi with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Risley trying to control the position from guard on top but Sasi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sasi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Risley is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hunter Risley dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sasi slaps away a takedown attempt from Risley, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Sasi drives through with a takedown into Risley's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Risley manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sasi is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Sasi trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Hunter Risley has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sasi prevents Risley from taking his back.
Risley lands a heavy elbow.
Sasi 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.
Sasi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Sasi on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sasi tries to get out of the position.
Risley with good strikes from the mount here!
Sasi wants to get back to his feet.
Risley looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sasi is trying to stand.
Risley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sasi is looking to escape.
Sasi tries to buck Risley off but he can't manage it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Risley lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Risley is working for a guillotine from mount but Sasi frees his head quite easily.
Risley looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasi really wants to buck Risley off and get back to his feet.
Sasi is squirming around, avoiding Risley's attempts to control the action.
Sasi squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Risley misses with a head shot.
Risley connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Risley can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sasi is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Risley might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sasi haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Risley tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hunter Risley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Risley.
Risley closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sasi circles away.
Sasi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Risley as he jumps to the side.

Sasi feints and as Risley raises his hands in defense, Sasi changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Risley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sasi is one step ahead there.

Risley has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Sasi is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Risley.
Risley struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sasi lands an elbow.
Sasi scores with a couple of short elbows.
Risley is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Risley avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sasi.
Sasi wants to stand up but Risley is controlling the position.
Sasi tries to stand and escape but Risley actually recovers to full guard.
Sasi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Risley lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Sasi!

Sasi bucks Risley off and manages to get back to his feet!
Hunter Risley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Risley shoots in looking for a takedown but Sasi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Risley's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Sasi gets caught napping as Risley dives in and scores a takedown. Sasi manages to retain guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sasi has momentary wrist control but Risley slips an elbow through the middle.
Risley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sasi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Risley wants to control from the top but Sasi keeps moving.
Risley is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Hunter Risley.
Risley ducks under a wild hook from Sasi.
Sasi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Risley was well out of range. Poor timing from Sasi.
Sasi thows a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Risley shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sasi defends it nicely.
Junior Sasi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hunter Risley.

Sasi gets a takedown into half guard.
Risley wants to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sasi is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Risley reverses the position - he's now on top in Sasi's guard.
Junior Sasi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hunter Risley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Risley wants to get up but he can't break Sasi's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Junior Sasi.
Well Risley has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hunter Risley!