PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kody Dangerfield (ranked 1112 p4p, 1504 weight class) and Kuol Riak (ranked 115 p4p, 170 weight class). Riak is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Eye Of The Tiger. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Dangerfield
vs
Riak

175 cm
24
146
8 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
152
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Solid chin

PWNAGE™

IC&E Nutrition
Hoarse Pills

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kody Dangerfield!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kuol Riak!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, David Schapiro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dangerfield darts in and clinches Riak up against the cage.
A short left from Dangerfield.
Riak jumps guard but Dangerfield stands there with Riak around his waist. Riak gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Riak tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Riak tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dangerfield smiles and moves away.
Kody Dangerfield has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kuol Riak.

Riak has managed to clinch.
Riak tries to pull guard but Dangerfield holds him up against the cage and eventually Riak drops back down to his feet.
Dangerfield swings wildly with an uppercut but Riak uses good head movement to avoid it.
Riak jumps guard but Dangerfield stands there with Riak around his waist. Riak gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Riak tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dangerfield just stands there and leans against the cage.
Dangerfield lands a damaging elbow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Dangerfield.
Dangerfield throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Nice elbow from Dangerfield.

It looks like Kuol Riak has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dangerfield works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Riak looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Dangerfield has picked Riak up and slammed him! Riak can't keep hold of the triangle and Dangerfield manages to pass to side control!
Dangerfield advances nicely into full mount.
Riak is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dangerfield punching from mount but Riak doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Dangerfield wants to control the pace but Riak is squirming around nicely.
Riak is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dangerfield trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Dangerfield goes for an armbar but Riak turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Riak.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Riak drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Dangerfield manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Riak has Dangerfield in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Dangerfield drops back, looking for a kneebar! Riak looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Riak looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Riak!

Riak looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dangerfield is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Reach Around, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

Riak is trying to get an arm triangle but Dangerfield is defending well.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Dangerfield takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Riak looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Riak is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dangerfield pulls his head out easily.
Dangerfield is keen to just control but Riak is a slippery customer.

Riak looking for submissions off his back.
Riak looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Dangerfield is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Riak doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Dangerfield.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dangerfield is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Dangerfield thows a huge punch but Riak dodges it nicely.
Dangerfield is stalling here. Riak is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Dangerfield seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Riak has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Dangerfield pushes Riak away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Riak gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Riak looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kody Dangerfield dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kuol Riak's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Riak looks to score with a jab to the body but Dangerfield is just out of range.

Dangerfield closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Riak quickly recovers to half guard.
Dangerfield wants to control but Riak is keeping him busy.
Riak is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dangerfield's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dangerfield's back!
I really don't envy Dangerfield right now.

Dangerfield 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 Riak gets his way!

Riak is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Dangerfield has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Riak working for the choke.
Dangerfield tries to escape but Riak has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dangerfield is trying to defend against the choke here but Riak has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. Riak Tightens the hold and Dangerfield taps out furiously! Riak displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Kuol Riak!
Kuol Riak is the new featherweight champion!
Kuol Riak really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that Bondi MMA 🏝️ logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.