PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alejandro Rios (ranked 3522 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khon Saroth (ranked 24886 p4p, 0 weight class). Khon Saroth will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rios
vs
Saroth

175 cm
25
156 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 7 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alejandro Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Khon Saroth!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Dean Styles and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rios throws a head kick that misses.
Saroth tries to counter by closing the distance.

Rios gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Saroth misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Saroth is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rios stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Rios pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Saroth shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rios sprawls well. Rios wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saroth gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saroth misses with a takedown

and Rios counters with a takedown into side control.
Saroth is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saroth is trying to control Rios's posture but Rios avoids it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rios is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Saroth's shoulder. That is not cool.
Rios scoring with punches from side control.
Rios takes a little break here. Saroth wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Saroth takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Saroth wants to control but Rios postures up.
Saroth really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rios. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rios controls the position.
Rios seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Saroth for as long as he can get away with.

Rios tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Rios tries for a kimura but Saroth is defending well.
Rios is looking to take a break and control but Saroth is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios cracks Saroth with a big right hand but Saroth just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
You can see the frustration on Saroth's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rios 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.

Rios is trying to get an arm triangle but Saroth is defending well.
Saroth is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Rios has just dragged him back down to the mat.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rios takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Rios fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Saroth, pushing him back against the cage.

Rios's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Saroth doesn't manage to clinch there - Rios circles away.
Rios appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Rios takes the fight into the clinch.
Saroth is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rios gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alejandro Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khon Saroth.
Rios is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Saroth is defending well for now.
Rios drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Saroth jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rios walks away with a smile on his face. Saroth gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Saroth shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rios defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Rios dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight stays on the outside here - Saroth looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Saroth closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rios circles away.
Saroth moves to clinch but Rios breaks away
and Rios counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Rios closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Saroth to the mat! Saroth manages to get full guard.
Saroth throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Saroth is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rios is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rios showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rios is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Saroth is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rios tries to stand but Saroth is controlling from the bottom.
Saroth being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rios lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rios makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Saroth looking for a sweep. Not yet Saroth, not yet.
Rios passes Saroth's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rios keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rios is looking for a kimura but Saroth is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rios to get the leverage.
Rios is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rios uses his free foot to push down on Saroth's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Saroth.

Rios stands up from mount. Strange move.

Rios closes the distance and clinches.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rios - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Saroth wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios has Saroth pushed against the cage.

Rios works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Rios slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Saroth.
Saroth is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saroth pushes Rios off looking to stand but Rios dives back in and keeps control.
Rios looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Saroth wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rios stands up from half guard.
Alejandro Rios is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rios has Saroth up against the cage in a clinch.

Rios pulls Saroth into guard.
Rios is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rios passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Saroth!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rios is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Rios dominated that second round.
That's time! Rios's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Saroth enables Rios to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Saroth manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rios has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Saroth is proving hard to escape from.
Saroth throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Rios decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Saroth, up you get!
Rios is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Saroth can do to turn this around?

Rios fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Saroth, pushing him back against the cage.
Saroth tries for a takedown but Rios manages to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saroth jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rios walks away with a smile on his face. Saroth gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Saroth is defended easily by Rios.
Alejandro Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khon Saroth.
Saroth takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rios throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Saroth was covering up waiting for the punch and Rios finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Rios gets to his feet. Saroth looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Rios shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Alejandro Rios overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rios is looking for a kimura but Saroth is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Rios to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saroth is trying to maintain the position but Rios is very close to passing his half guard.
Still in half guard, Rios seems content to control.

Rios is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Saroth sees it coming and defends easily.
Saroth trying to control but Rios postures up.
Rios is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rios decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Saroth scores with a leg kick.

Rios closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Saroth did well to prevent Rios getting side control.
Rios is nestled in close to Saroth, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rios in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios prevents Saroth from improving his position.
Rios working Saroth over with strikes.
Rios stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Alejandro Rios showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rios has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alejandro Rios!