PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Riordan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pete Mercury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tommy Riordan has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Riordan
vs
Mercury

182 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

168 cm
28
188 lbs
4 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Fight Night Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tommy Riordan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Pete Mercury!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Roger Salmon and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riordan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Mercury jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Riordan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mercury's waist but Mercury gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Riordan off to one side.
Riordan fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Riordan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Riordan tries for a takedown but Mercury circles away easily
and Mercury counters with a straight right hand.
Mercury lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Mercury connects with a single shot there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Riordan.
Mercury looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Riordan closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Mercury quickly recovers to half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Riordan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Riordan is thwarting Mercury's attempts to control the position.

Riordan is looking for submissions but instead, Mercury has regained full guard.
Mercury has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Riordan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mercury looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Riordan wants to control from the top but Mercury keeps moving.
Mercury controlling the position.
Riordan 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.
Riordan trying to control the position from guard on top but Mercury is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riordan with a nice head shot there.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mercury holds on and takes a little breather.
Let's hope that Mercury has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Pete Mercury.
Mercury lands a body shot.
Riordan misses with a takedown attempt - Mercury sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Riordan doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mercury scores with a punch to the head.
Riordan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mercury but Mercury pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mercury tries to clinch up but Riordan circles away and keeps his distance.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Riordan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mercury swivels and escapes.
Mercury dips to his left and cracks Riordan with an uppercut!
Mercury lands the left hand.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Riordan is defended easily by Mercury.
Mercury catches Riordan with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nice uppercut there from Mercury.
Mercury sizes up Riordan with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Mercury throws a leg kick but Riordan moved away.
Nice body punch from Mercury.
The crowd cheers as Mercury lands an impressive looking overhand right. Riordan doesn't seem phased though.
Riordan shoots in for a takedown but Mercury shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Mercury shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Riordan is trying to defend but Mercury finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Riordan is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riordan wants to get back to full guard.
Mercury is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Riordan!
Riordan in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Mercury avoids the attempt from Riordan to control.
Mercury sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mercury with shots to the head and body - Riordan looks very uncomfortable down there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Mercury cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mercury with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Mercury cracks Riordan with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Mercury dominating with strikes here.
Riordan can't escape the position.
Riordan sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Mercury is nestled in close to Riordan, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riordan is trying to control but can't.
Mercury working Riordan over with strikes.

Riordan actively working from the bottom here.
Mercury takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Riordan is trying to control but can't.
Mercury seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Mercury is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Mercury lands a nice short elbow.
Mercury takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Mercury connects with a nice short shot to Riordan's temple.
Mercury is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Riordan is rocked!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Riordan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mercury is working away from the top position though.
Riordan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mercury.
Riordan wants to improve his position but Mercury is controlling well.
Riordan taking some punishment here, with Mercury in his half guard.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Riordan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mercury working Riordan over with strikes.
Riordan trying to control but Mercury postures up.
Mercury working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Mercury is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Riordan is just riding it out for now. Mercury eventually gives up the hold.
Riordan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mercury is working away from the top position though.
Riordan slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mercury postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Riordan has momentary wrist control but Mercury slips an elbow through the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mercury postures up and lands a big shot to Riordan's brow.
Mercury stands up over Riordan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Riordan wants to sweep here but Mercury controlling him for the moment.
Mercury connects with a couple of short punches.
Riordan has momentary wrist control but Mercury slips an elbow through the middle.
Oh Riordan is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Mercury wants to control from the top but Riordan keeps moving.
Riordan seems to have got his legs back now.
Riordan wants to sweep but no luck.
Mercury is stalling in the full guard.
Riordan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Riordan has his foot on Mercury's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mercury works his way back into a safe position though.
Mercury postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mercury throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riordan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Mercury got a little sloppy there for a moment and Riordan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mercury has managed to get both his arms back between Riordan's legs - danger averted.
Mercury with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mercury landing some decent shots from guard.
Mercury stands up over Riordan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Mercury gets to his feet - Riordan follows without any prompting.
Mercury tries to close the distance and clinch up but Riordan swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Mercury instigates a clinch.
Riordan prevents Mercury from breaking the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Mercury creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Mercury wants to get back to striking at distance but Riordan won't allow it.
Mercury working hard to break the clinch.

Riordan tightens his grip and picks Mercury up, before dumping him to the ground. Mercury manages to land in guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Riordan is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mercury is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mercury has escaped and now he's on top!
Mercury landing with the ground and pound.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Riordan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mercury looking to pass the guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mercury is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Riordan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mercury trying to control but Riordan is working from the bottom.

Riordan looking for a guillotine here but Mercury defends easily.
Mercury trying to control but Riordan is working from the bottom.

Mercury got a little sloppy there for a moment and Riordan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mercury has managed to get both his arms back between Riordan's legs - danger averted.
Riordan 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.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Mercury connects with a couple of short punches.
Mercury with a nice head shot there.

Riordan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mercury doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mercury manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mercury scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mercury lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Riordan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Riordan is breathing heavily.
Mercury working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Riordan's head.
Mercury landing some decent shots from guard.
Mercury chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Riordan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mercury doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mercury manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mercury must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Riordan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Riordan will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Mercury landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pete Mercury dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A decent looking cross lands there for Mercury.
Riordan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mercury swivels and escapes.
Mercury lands a glancing blow to the side of Riordan's head.
Riordan shoots in but no luck this time.
A jab from Mercury does it's job there.

Mercury lands a left and a right that send Riordan crashing to the mat, dazed. Mercury thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Riordan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mercury is fending him off so far but Riordan persists. Nope, Mercury circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Riordan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mercury dives in and scores a takedown into Riordan's guard.

Riordan is looking for a triangle but Mercury pushes his legs off easily.
Mercury stands up over Riordan, holding on to his feet. Mercury throws the legs to one side and dives in with a huge shot that lands flush on the chin! Riordan is out cold! Mercury lands a couple more shots and the ref tackles him out of the way! What a brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Pete Mercury!
Pete Mercury made sure to mention his sponsor, Fight Night Nutrition in his post fight interview.