PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cj Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Areeno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cj Riley has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Riley
vs
Areeno

176 cm
30
153 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

175 cm
23
155 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cj Riley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Areeno!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riley tries to land a body kick
and Areeno counters with a nice uppercut.
Areeno feints and then cracks Riley's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Riley down.
Areeno tries to bum rush Riley with a series of wild strikes but Riley uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Areeno takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Areeno throws an off balance right hand
and Riley counters with a nice body shot.
Areeno misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A telegraphed right hand from Areeno misses the target.
Areeno misses with a takedown attempt
and Riley connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Areeno swings widly with a right hand

and Riley counters with a takedown into side control.
Areeno manages to get back to half guard.
Riley wants to take a breather but Areeno is having none of it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Areeno manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Riley preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areeno is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Riley trying to control the position from guard on top but Areeno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Areeno avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Riley distracts Areeno with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Riley is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Riley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Riley drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Areeno manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Riley has Areeno in his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riley is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Areeno pulls Riley in close to prevent any damage.
Areeno is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Riley makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Riley.

Riley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Riley working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areeno trying to control the position from guard on top but Riley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riley is trying to control the position but Areeno postures up.
Riley is looking to stand back up but Areeno counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Riley.
Areeno is looking to pass Riley's guard but actually Riley recovers to full guard.
Areeno trying to control but Riley is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Areeno wants to pass the guard but Riley is keeping the position.
Areeno passes into half guard.
Areeno looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Riley is holding on to half guard well.
Areeno lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cj Riley dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Areeno throws a sloppy head kick
and Areeno takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Riley throws a lazy body kick
and Areeno counters with a nice leg kick.
Areeno throws out a powerful jab.
Areeno wants to slow Riley down by chopping away at his legs.
Areeno wants to clinch up but Riley keeps it at a distance.
Areeno misses with a looping left.
Riley throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Areeno makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Riley thows a leg kick but Areeno checks it
and Areeno counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Riley takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Areeno thows a leg kick but Riley checks it
and Riley counters with a leg kick.
Riley lands a jab to the nose.
Areeno moves away from the strike by Riley.
Areeno missing with a left hand there. Riley was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areeno throws a predictable looking body shot
and Riley counters with a straight right hand.
Areeno misses with a kick to the body
and Riley makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Areeno throws a sloppy head kick
letting Riley counter with a right hand.
Riley misses with a low kick.
Areeno throws a lazy uppercut
and Riley counters with a leg kick.
Areeno is looking to slow Riley down with leg kicks.
Areeno lands a jab to the nose.
Areeno fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Riley missing with a left hand there. Areeno was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Riley clobbers Areeno with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Areeno gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riley throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areeno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Riley is looking to work some ground and pound but Areeno has wrist control.
Riley looking to sit in guard and control but Areeno gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Areeno wants to control from the top but Riley keeps moving.
Areeno sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Areeno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riley swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Areeno got a little sloppy there for a moment and Riley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Areeno has managed to get both his arms back between Riley's legs - danger averted.
Areeno is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Riley bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Areeno's guard.
Riley scoring with punches to the head and body.
Riley with a nice head shot there.
Riley trying to control but Areeno is working from the bottom.
Riley postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley trying to control the position from guard on top but Areeno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riley advances to half guard.
Well, if Riley is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Riley is looking to advance position but Areeno won't allow it.
Areeno is staying active underneath Riley, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Riley is looking for a kimura but Areeno is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Riley to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Areeno motions for Riley to come forward. Areeno throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Areeno steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Riley.
Riley throws a leg kick
and Areeno counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A shot to the body from Areeno misses
and Riley counters with an inside leg kick.
Areeno lands with a thumping leg kick.
Areeno lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Areeno steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Riley.
Riley scores with a one two! Areeno had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Areeno chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Riley can pounce on him.
Riley misses the jab.
Areeno throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Riley.
Riley connects with a single shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areeno on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A punch combination from Areeno misses.
Riley is looking to chop away at Areeno's legs.
Riley throws a hook to the side of Areeno's head but Areeno sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Areeno fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Riley on the side of the head.
A low kick from Riley is predictable there
and Areeno counters with a slapping leg kick.
Areeno throws a poor cross that misses
and Riley counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Areeno throws a leg kick
and Riley counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Riley stuffs the takedown.
Areeno with a poor takedown

and Riley counters with a shoot takedown. Areeno fights it but they end up in guard.
Riley throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areeno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Areeno keeping moving, preventing Riley from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Riley's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Areeno wants to sweep but no luck.
Areeno keeping moving, preventing Riley from controlling successfully.
Areeno is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Areeno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Riley throws a strike but Areeno rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Riley not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areeno wants to control from the top but Riley keeps moving.
Riley pulls Areeno in close to his closed guard and prevents Areeno from doing any damage or advancing position.

Riley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Areeno trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Riley keeping full guard, as Areeno tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riley is on top in guard.
Areeno not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Riley wants to control from the top but Areeno keeps moving.
Cj Riley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Areeno looking for a sweep. Not yet Areeno, not yet.
Areeno manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Riley manages to get himself to full guard.
Areeno stopping the sweep attempt from Riley.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cj Riley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Riley 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cj Riley!