PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mads Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ethan Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Nielsen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Metallica - Enter Sandman. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Nielsen
vs
Riley

188 cm
21
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
215 lbs
2 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mads Nielsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ethan Riley!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Nielsen closes the distance but Riley moves to the side

and Riley counters with a takedown into side control.
What's Nielsen going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Riley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nielsen keeps working.
Nielsen is looking to reverse the position.
Nielsen is trying to control Riley's posture but Riley avoids it.
Nielsen is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Riley is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Riley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nielsen keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Nielsen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley is looking to take a break and control but Nielsen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Riley misses with a takedown attempt

and Nielsen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Riley is trying to drag Nielsen to the mat but Nielsen just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Riley has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Nielsen after a bit of a struggle.
Mads Nielsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ethan Riley.

Nielsen gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Riley regains guard.
Nielsen is looking to pass into half guard but Riley pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Riley is in guard.
Nielsen keeping moving, preventing Riley from controlling successfully.
Nielsen is controlling Riley's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riley wants to pass the guard but Nielsen is keeping the position.
Nielsen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Riley manages to get himself to full 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!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riley is on top in guard.
Nielsen is adopting a defensive guard.
Riley stopping the sweep attempt from Nielsen.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nielsen is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Riley is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen working a defensive guard here.
Nielsen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Riley is controlling him.
Riley won't allow Nielsen to sweep him here.

Nielsen is looking for a triangle but Riley pushes his legs off easily.
Riley pushes down on Nielsen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Riley is trying to control the action in half guard but Nielsen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Riley is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Nielsen is just riding it out for now. Riley eventually gives up the hold.
Riley is looking to advance position but Nielsen won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley stops Nielsen from getting back to his feet.
Riley sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Nielsen is looking to control Riley's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Nielsen avoid being mounted?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riley scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Riley wants to take a breather but Nielsen is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ethan Riley will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nielsen takes the fight into the clinch.
Nielsen lands a hook that snaps the head of Riley backwards.
Nielsen is pressed up against the cage. Riley has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Nielsen down to the mat. Nielsen avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nielsen tries to close the distance and clinch but Riley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nielsen tries to bum rush Riley with a series of wild strikes but Riley uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Riley shoots in and bounces Nielsen off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Riley wants to control from the top but Nielsen keeps moving.
Riley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nielsen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley postures up.

Nielsen has an active guard here but Riley has managed to pass into half guard.

Nielsen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Riley pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riley wants to control but Nielsen is keeping him busy.
Nielsen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Nielsen tries to get out of the position.
Nielsen has hold of Riley's hands but Riley slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Nielsen is refusing to be controlled, as Riley sits in half guard.
Riley takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riley looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Nielsen has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Riley is working away from the top position though.
Riley is pressing down on Nielsen's thigh, looking to free his foot. Nielsen is holding on for now.
Riley trying to control the action but Nielsen is working from the bottom.

Nielsen is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Riley pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is looking for a sweep. Riley is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nielsen trying to control but Riley postures up.
Nielsen tries to get to full guard but Riley has control of the leg.
Riley trying to control from half guard but Nielsen is working away.
Riley controlling the pace.
Riley looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Riley is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riley closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
A lull in the action here as Riley stalls from top position.
Riley wants to control but Nielsen is keeping him busy.
Riley might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Nielsen haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Nielsen is trying to control Riley's posture but Riley avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The ground and pound from Riley seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

Nielsen throws Riley to one side and escapes!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ethan Riley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Riley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riley tries to clinch but Nielsen is having none of it.
Nielsen with a poor takedown

and Riley counters with a single leg into guard. Nielsen didn't expect that.
Riley stays in close to Nielsen's body and controls the position.
Riley trying to control the position from guard on top but Nielsen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ethan Riley wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nielsen tries to clinch up

and Riley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riley.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riley using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nielsen jumps guard but Riley turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Nielsen has hold of one of Riley's legs. Riley is fighting the takedown attempt but Nielsen gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Nielsen slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Riley is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Nielsen taking some punishment here, with Riley in his half guard.
Nielsen is trying to stand.
Riley uses his free foot to push down on Nielsen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Nielsen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nielsen is squirming around, avoiding Riley's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riley lands a nice shot to the head.
Nielsen is squirming around, avoiding Riley's attempts to control the action.
Nielsen gets back to half guard.

Nielsen kicks Riley off and gets back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Nielsen. No joy for Riley on that attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nielsen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Riley shoots in looking for a takedown. Nielsen tries to sprawl out of it but Riley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Nielsen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Riley as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mads Nielsen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Riley shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Nielsen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Nielsen wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Nielsen wants to control but Riley postures up.
Nielsen taking a bit of punishment here - Riley scoring with strikes.
Nielsen tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Riley is staying tight to Nielsen's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley wants to control but Nielsen is keeping him busy.

Riley working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Riley staying calm.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ethan Riley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Riley 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ethan Riley!
Ethan Riley bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.