PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Diego Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stevie Ray Samson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rios kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Way I Am. 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?

Rios
vs
Ray Samson

193 cm
18
180 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stevie Ray Samson!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Samson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rios sprawls well. Rios wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Samson gets slowly back to his feet.
No joy there for Samson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Samson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Samson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rios's guard.

Samson gets to his feet - Rios follows without any prompting.
Rios misses with a takedown attempt

and Samson moves into the clinch.
Rios is breathing heavily.
Samson is trying to drag Rios to the mat but Rios just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Diego Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stevie Ray Samson.
Samson stalling the fight.

Samson jumps guard.
Samson wants to sweep here but Rios controlling him for the moment.
Rios wants to control from the top but Samson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samson is adopting a defensive guard.
Rios advances to half guard.
Samson punching from the bottom.
Samson is trying is best to control the position here.
Rios tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Samson.
Samson is looking to improve his position.

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.
Samson is looking to control Rios's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Samson avoid being mounted?
Rios stops Samson from getting back to his feet.
Samson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Samson uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Samson gets the takedown into side control.
Samson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rios keeps working.
Samson is working Rios over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios is trying to improve his position.

Samson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Samson tries for a takedown but Rios circles away easily

and Rios counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Samson!
A nice elbow there by Rios.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Samson wants to control but Rios is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samson working to try and regain half guard.
Rios scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Samson is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Samson looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Samson tries to reverse the position but Rios maintains control.
Rios trying to control but Samson is having none of it.
Samson manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Ray Samson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Diego Rios's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Samson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rios counters with a head kick. That will keep Samson thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Samson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Samson manages to pull guard.
Samson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Samson trying to keep a closed guard but Rios is proving a slippery customer.
Samson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rios's guard.
Samson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samson stopping the sweep attempt from Rios.

Samson gets to his feet - Rios follows without any prompting.
Rios with a poor takedown

and Samson counters by moving into the clinch.
Samson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rios's face.
Samson tries to land knees in the clinch but Rios avoids the damage to the body.
Samson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Samson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rios is trying to stall.
Rios has Samson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Samson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samson has Rios pressed against the cage.

Samson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Samson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Samson throws a predictable looking body shot

and Rios counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Samson trying to keep a closed guard but Rios is proving a slippery customer.
Samson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Samson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rios doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rios manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Samson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Rios wants to get up but he can't break Samson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Samson is looking for a triangle but Rios pushes his legs off easily.

Samson scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Rios tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Samson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rios!
Samson controlling the position easily from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Samson.
Samson looking to control but Rios is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Samson controlling his opponent.
Rios is trying to escape the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stevie Ray Samson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Diego Rios's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Rios tries to close the distance and clinch but Samson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rios misses with a wild combination.
Samson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rios swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Samson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rios, pushing him back against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Samson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Samson jumps into guard, dragging Rios to the mat.
Stevie Ray Samson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Samson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Samson wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Samson is on top in guard.
Samson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samson trying to control but Rios is working from the bottom.
Samson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Samson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Samson trying to control but Rios is working from the bottom.
Samson is stalling in the full guard.
Samson wanted to stand there but Rios had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Samson looking to sit in guard and control but Rios gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Samson wants to get back to his feet but Rios is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Samson trying to control the position.
Samson is pulling down on Rios's head. It's preventing any offense from Rios, at least for the moment.
Rios wants to stand but Samson is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios trying to control but Samson is working from the bottom.
Samson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Samson has managed to clinch.

Samson drags the fight down to the ground.
Rios is looking to stand up but Samson won't let him.

Rios postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Samson is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rios, into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Samson wants to control from the top but Rios keeps moving.
Rios preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Diego Rios has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Samson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rios swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Stevie Ray Samson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Samson 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stevie Ray Samson!