PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Markus Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cono Solo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riley comes to the cage accompanied by 'So Many People' by Neurosonic. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Riley
vs
Solo

183 cm
22
191 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Rivers Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 4 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Markus Riley!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cono Solo!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, David Schapiro and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Solo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Solo throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Riley trying to control but Solo is working from the bottom.
Solo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Riley trying to control but Solo is working from the bottom.
Riley looking to pass the guard.
Solo will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Riley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A head kick misses from Riley.
Markus Riley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Solo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Riley throws out the jab.
Riley misses with a double jab.

Solo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Riley looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solo cracks Riley with a big elbow.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Riley wants to control but Solo postures up.
Solo tries to move to mount but Riley blocks the move with his legs.
Riley regains half guard.
Solo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Solo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Riley is trying to control but can't.
Riley wants to improve his position but Solo is controlling well.

Riley is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Solo pulls his head out easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Riley looks to land a right hand but Solo moved out of range.
Solo shoots in but no luck this time.
Solo slips a jab and a cross from Riley.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Riley misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Riley with a lazy takedown attempt

and Solo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Riley is breathing heavily.
Solo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Solo lands a nice short elbow.
Riley wants to control but Solo is keeping busy.
Solo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Riley taking some punishment here, with Solo in his half guard.
Solo slips a nice elbow through Riley's hands, connecting with Riley's forehead.
Riley wants to get back to full guard.

Riley looking for submissions off his back.
Solo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Solo drops an elbow to the side of Riley's head.
Solo slips a nice elbow through Riley's hands, connecting with Riley's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cono Solo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Riley throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Markus Riley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riley will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Riley looks to score with a jab to the body but Solo is just out of range.

Solo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Riley looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Riley struggling a bit here.
Riley taking punishment in the form of punches.
Solo looks up at the clock and then as Riley takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Solo smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Solo working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Riley is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Solo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Riley. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Riley is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Riley has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Solo is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solo lands strikes from half guard.
Solo drops an elbow to the side of Riley's head.
Riley is doing well to control the position and prevent Solo from advancing to side control.
Solo is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Solo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Solo working over Riley with some ground and pound. Riley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Solo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Solo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Solo is thwarting Riley's attempts to control the position.
Solo working over Riley with some ground and pound. Riley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Solo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Riley is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solo works his foot free and advances to mount.
Riley tries to reverse the position but Solo maintains control.
The referee warns Riley that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Solo raining down shots from the mount!
Solo is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Riley can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Solo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Solo avoids the attempt from Riley to control.
Solo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Riley slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Solo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Solo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cono Solo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Riley moves in looking to clinch but Solo pushes him off.
A combination from Riley does no damage.
Riley rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Solo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Solo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Solo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Riley is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Solo pulls his head out easily.
Cono Solo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Solo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Solo drops an elbow to the side of Riley's head.
Solo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Riley has hold of Solo's hands but Solo slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Riley is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Solo's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Solo's back!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Riley has the hooks in. Solo is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Riley looking for the choke from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley doesn't have the hooks in and Solo manages to turn into his guard.
Solo landing with the ground and pound.
Solo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Solo postures up.
Solo with a nice head shot there.
Solo is looking to work some ground and pound but Riley has wrist control.

Riley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Solo cracks Riley with a solid left hand.
Riley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Solo's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Solo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Solo throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Riley wants to control from the top but Solo keeps moving.
Solo doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Riley.
Solo wants to sweep but no luck.
Solo throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Solo is on top in guard.
Riley is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Solo is controlling him.
Solo wants to pass the guard but Riley is keeping the position.
Riley manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Riley breaks from Solo's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Solo is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Cono Solo just about did enough to take it.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Riley throws a head kick but Solo moves out of range.
Solo keeps the fight on the outside.
Riley misses with a head kick.
A punch combination from Riley misses.
Solo misses with a takedown
and Riley counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riley scores with a shot to the body.
Solo slips under a jab.
Riley looks to land a combination but Solo avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Riley misses.

Solo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Solo tries to move into full mount but can't pass Riley's legs.
Cono Solo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Riley manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Riley is looking to take a break and control but Solo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Solo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Riley wants to stand but Solo has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Markus Riley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solo is trying to maintain the position but Riley is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Riley wants to clinch up but Solo keeps it at a distance.
Riley throws a sloppy head kick and Solo moves out of range easily.
Riley throws a head kick that half lands.
Riley misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riley looks to land a combination but Solo avoids it well.
Solo fails to land the takedown.
Riley throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cono Solo.
I've got Solo winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 36:40
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 37:40
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 36:40

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cono Solo!
Cono Solo is the new middleweight champion!