PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Blue Cup (ranked 1714 p4p, 220 weight class) and Joe Risley (ranked 3334 p4p, 380 weight class). Joe Risley has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cup
vs
Risley

190 cm
28
183 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

179 cm
40
177 lbs
27 - 18 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Velocity Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Blue Cup!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 18 - 1, fighting out of New York, Joe Risley!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cup misses with a wild body shot.
Cup throws a right hand that misses
and Risley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cup catches Risley with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Cup throws a jab when Risley was well out of range.
Cup throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cup lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Cup pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Cup throws out a loose jab but Risley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cup looks to land a left hand but Risley moved out of range nicely.
Cup throws a body punch but Risley moves out of range.
Risley throws out a counter right but Cup avoids it with no problem.
Risley connects with a nice looking jab.
Risley is looking to slow Cup down with leg kicks.
Cup throws a right and a left that both miss.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cup tries to close the distance and clinch up but Risley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cup throws a combination that misses

and Risley counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Risley is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Risley is trying to control. Cup wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Risley uses his free foot to push down on Cup's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Cup.

Risley moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Cup has worked his arm free - good work by Cup!

Risley is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cup is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Risley is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cup has escaped the position, nice work there.

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.

Risley goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Cup has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Risley but great work by Cup.

Cup is trying to get an arm triangle but Risley is defending well.
Risley is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Cup's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Cup seems to be working for a kimura but Risley defends the submission attempt.
Cup will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cup is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cup not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Risley is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cup's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cup's back!

Risley looking for the choke but no joy.

Risley working for a choke but Cup is defending well.

Cup is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Risley gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cup defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

Risley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Risley is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Cup's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Cup has gone for a leg lock! Risley slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cup's guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Blue Cup will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Cup throws a jab when Risley was well out of range.
Risley uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cup.
A little jabbing left from Risley on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Cup looks to land a left hand but Risley moved out of range nicely.
Cup ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Risley moves away.
Cup definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Cup swings for the body but Risley moves out of range.
Risley looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Risley clinches with his opponent.
Cup tries to pull guard but Risley forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Cup is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Risley pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Cup is trying to drag Risley to the mat but Risley just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Blue Cup. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cup prevents a body shot from Risley.
Risley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Risley tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Cup's elbow.
Risley digs a right hand into Cup's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Cup's gas tank.
Risley taking a breather.
Cup is trying to pull guard but Risley has him pressed against the cage.
Risley throws a punch but it's blocked by Cup.

Risley pulls guard.
Cup in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Risley is controlling Cup's posture.
Cup pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Risley is keeping the position for now.

Risley working for a triangle but Cup defends it easily.

Risley is working an open guard so Cup takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Risley is looking to clinch.
Risley throws a nice inside leg kick.
Cup lands a right hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cup throws a poor cross that misses
and Risley counters with a nice uppercut.
Risley throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cup stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Risley misses with a looping right.
Risley moves out of range as Cup strikes.
Risley misses the jab.
Risley sizes up Cup with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Risley digs a good hook to Cup's body.
Cup tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Risley was well out of range. Poor timing from Cup.
Risley is looking to clinch.
Cup slips a straight right by Risley.
Cup throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Blue Cup is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Risley has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cup finds it's way round the side to connect with Risley's head.
Cup throws out a loose jab but Risley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Risley tests Cup's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A big left from Cup misses.
Cup needs to keep his hands up - Risley had a free shot at his head there.
Risley has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Risley uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Cup.
Risley displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cup throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Risley moves out of range as Cup strikes.
Cup ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cup goes for a double leg but Risley avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Risley continues to drive forward.
Cup lands a body shot.
Risley clobbers Cup with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Cup looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Joe Risley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cup scores with a nice head shot.
Risley scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Cup doesn't seem bothered though.
A head kick misses from Cup.
Risley chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Risley avoids the head kick by Cup.
Cup throws a series of punches but Risley avoids them all with ease.
Risley misses with a two punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Risley cracks Cup with a good jab.
Cup misses with a low kick as Risley jumps back.
Cup misses the shot to the body.
Risley uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Risley lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Risley with a jab.

Cup gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Risley looking to stall.

Risley jumps guard and drags Cup to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Risley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Risley is working for a submission of some sort.
Cup moves into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Risley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Risley slips under a jab from Cup.
Risley thows a left - swing and a miss!
Cup dips to his left and cracks Risley with an uppercut!
Risley throws a big shot that misses.
A slow jab from Cup misses its intended target.
Risley cracks Cup with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Blue Cup seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cup cracks Risley with a hook to the temple - Risley is on wobbly legs here! Cup swarms him with hook after hook, landing with each one! Risley falls to the canvas face first and the referee dives in to stop the fight! Cup wins by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Blue Cup!
During a confident post fight interview, Blue Cup thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.