PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Franky Monte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Rios (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rios has chosen Forever as his entrance music. Diego Rios has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Monte
vs
Rios

177 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Franky Monte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Diego Rios!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rios tries to bum rush Monte with a series of wild strikes but Monte uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Rios gets the takedown into side control.
Monte wants to control but Rios postures up.
Monte is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rios off and has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monte looking to hold on to the position here but Rios rolls and ends up regaining guard.
Monte postures up.
Monte looking to sit in guard and control but Rios gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Monte pulls Rios in close to prevent any damage.
Monte lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rios!
Monte trying to control but Rios is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monte takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Rios has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Monte doesn't have the hooks in and Rios manages to turn into his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rios trying to control but Monte is working from the bottom.

Rios thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rios tries to stand but Monte is controlling from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rios stopping the sweep attempt from Monte.
Monte not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rios trying to stand up but can't free himself from Monte's guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rios looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rios looks gassed!
Rios lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Monte circles away quickly and effectively.
Monte tries for a takedown but Rios circles away easily
and Rios counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Monte with a poor takedown
and Rios counters with a three punch combo that has Monte backing up. Monte nods at Rios to acknowledge the strikes.
Rios lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Monte circles away quickly and effectively.
Rios tries to clinch there but Monte circles away.

Monte feints and as Rios raises his hands in defense, Monte changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Monte might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monte wants to pass the guard but Rios is keeping the position.
Monte controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rios avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Monte content to stall in guard here.
Rios is looking to stand up but Monte isn't so interested in that idea.
Monte wants to control from the top but Rios keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rios is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rios lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Monte circles away quickly and effectively.
Rios doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Monte counters with a takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Rios is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Monte trying to control the action but Rios is working from the bottom.
Monte is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rios is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franky Monte dominated that round.
That's time! Monte's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Monte shoots in but Rios avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rios lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rios moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Monte is rocked!

Rios drops Monte with a beautiful combination! Monte stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Rios is looking for the KO!
Oh Monte is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Monte throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rios was covering up waiting for the punch and Monte finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monte trying to control but Rios is working from the bottom.
Monte seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Franky Monte.
Monte shoots in for a double leg but Rios sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rios will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rios throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Monte.
Rios swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rios tries to bum rush Monte with a series of wild strikes but Monte uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Monte shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rios counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franky Monte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rios looks to land a combination but Monte avoids it well.
Monte fails with the takedown
and Rios counters with a nice uppercut.
Rios clinches but Monte breaks the clinch

and Monte counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rios is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Monte trying to control the position from guard on top but Rios is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Monte stops Rios from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monte is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rios keeping full guard, as Monte tries to pass.
Rios is looking to stand up but Monte isn't so interested in that idea.
Rios keeping moving, preventing Monte from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rios throws a low kick but Monte moves out of range easily.
Monte changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rios tries to avoid it but Monte manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rios to the ground. Rios escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rios gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Monte counters with a shoot takedown. Rios fights it but they end up in guard.
Rios wants to stand up but Monte is controlling him.
Monte is fighting to break Rios's control of his arms but Rios is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Monte drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Monte jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Diego Rios will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rios throws a series of strikes that have Monte backpedaling.
Rios works over Monte's head and body with a nice combination.
Rios tries to clinch but Monte moves out of range.
Rios misses with a takedown attempt

and Monte holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Monte tries for a takedown but Rios manages to get underhooks.

Rios escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rios throws a head kick but Monte moves out of range.
Diego Rios seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rios throws a right hand that Monte ducks under and follows up with a left that Monte also avoids with ease.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Monte.
Monte changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rios tries to avoid it but Monte manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rios to the ground. Rios escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franky Monte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rios fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Monte looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Rios gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Monte counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rios's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monte content to stall in guard here.
Monte trying to control but Rios is working from the bottom.
Monte stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rios swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rios wriggles free and stands up.
No joy there for Rios, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

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 doesn't manage to clinch there - Monte circles away.

Monte shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rios is trying to defend but Monte finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Rios pushes Monte off and gets back to his feet.
Rios rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Monte moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rios tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Monte is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rios sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rios goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Monte takes one to the chin there.
Monte fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rios avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Monte paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rios connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rios falls off balance throwing a combination

and Monte counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rios won't be happy with that.
Franky Monte overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rios tries to escape but Monte is in control.

Monte swings around for an armbar but Rios sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Monte's guard.
Monte is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Monte working for a triangle but Rios defends it easily.
Monte trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rios lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rios pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Monte is keeping the position for now.

Rios stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Monte clinches up against the cage.
Monte tries to score a body lock takedown but Rios shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Rios manages to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A punch combination from Rios misses.
Rios misses with a double jab.
Monte tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rios swivels and escapes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franky Monte showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Monte has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franky Monte!