PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Riordan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Henley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Riordan
vs
Henley

182 cm
25
185 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

176 cm
22
178 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tommy Riordan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Henley!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henley misses with a hook. Riordan ducked under it nicely.
Henley swings widly with a right hand

and Riordan moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riordan throws an elbow but misses.
Riordan throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Riordan misses with an elbow over the top.
Riordan tries to stall but Henley uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Henley tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Henley blocks an elbow strike.
Henley letting Riordan take a breather here.
Riordan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Henley's defenses.
We've been hearing reports that Riordan has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Riordan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Henley blocks the elbow strike.
Riordan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riordan effectively controlling the action here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riordan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Henley's brow.
Riordan taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Riordan seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Henley blocks an elbow strike from Riordan.
Riordan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Henley is working for takedown but Riordan is calmly controlling the position for now.
Riordan trying to stall but Henley improves his position.
Nice elbow from Riordan.
Riordan throws an elbow that misses.
Riordan is stalling here.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riordan throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riordan throws an elbow that misses.
Henley dodges an elbow strike from Riordan.
Henley avoids a wild elbow strike from Riordan.
Riordan throws an elbow that misses.
Riordan tries to stall but Henley uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Henley blocks the elbow strike.
Riordan lands an elbow just above Henley 's eye.
Riordan is struggling to control the position.
Henley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Riordan prevents it.
Tommy Riordan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Henley.
Riordan lands an elbow that stopped Henley in his tracks for a moment.
Henley takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riordan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Riordan misses with an elbow over the top.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riordan throws an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riordan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Henley's brow.
Henley blocks the elbow strike.
Riordan avoiding damage.
Riordan trying to control the position but instead, Henley has worked for underhooks and has pushed Riordan into the cage.
Henley changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Riordan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Henley dives in and grabs Riordan's left leg, looking for a takedown. Riordan pushes down on Henley's head and hops out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henley with a hook.
Henley throws a jab but it's blocked by Riordan.
Henley misses with a straight right.
Tommy Riordan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Riordan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Henley.
Riordan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Riordan needs to keep his hands up - Henley had a free shot at his head there.
Left hook, right uppercut from Henley.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Riordan moves into range and clinches up with Henley.
Henley blocks the elbow strike.
Riordan throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Henley changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Riordan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riordan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Henley manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Henley dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Riordan 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.

A jab from Henley misses.
Riordan tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Henley connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Riordan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Henley.
The fighters circling - Henley throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A punch lands to the side of Riordan 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Riordan tries to clinch there but Henley circles away.
Henley is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Riordan.
Henley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Henley lands with an overhand left.
Henley just misses with a punch to the body.
Henley throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Riordan counters by moving into the clinch.

Henley turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Henley manages to end up in side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Riordan dodges the ground and pound from Henley.
Riordan is trying to get back to half guard.
Henley cracks Riordan with a big elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riordan tries to bench press Henley off him but Henley keeps the position.
Riordan is letting Henley control him for a moment.
Henley is looking to take a break and control but Riordan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Riordan is looking for a sweep.
Riordan can't do much from the bottom here.
Henley tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Henley looks up at the clock and then as Riordan takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Henley smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Henley tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Henley is chipping away with strikes.
Henley trying to control the position but Riordan is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henley working the head with strikes.
Henley has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henley in side control lands a decent elbow.
Riordan is working to avoid the ground and pound but Henley connects with a decent elbow.
Henley tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Henley tries to move to mount but Riordan blocks the move with his legs.
Riordan is trying to get back to half guard.
Henley trying to control the position but Riordan is working away.
Henley working away.
Riordan is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Henley is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Henley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Riordan keeps working.
Ben Henley has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riordan isn't going anywhere.

Henley is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Riordan is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Henley landing a few strikes.
Check out the look on Henley's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Henley in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Henley lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Riordan is trying to improve his position.
Henley in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riordan tries to bench press Henley off him but Henley keeps the position.
Riordan is trying to control Henley's posture but Henley avoids it.
Henley lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Henley is staying tight to Riordan's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Riordan is looking for a sweep.
Henley scoring with punches and elbows.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Henley lands an elbow.
Henley sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Riordan is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Riordan is trying to control Henley's posture but Henley avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Henley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Henley misses with an uppercut.
Riordan staying out of range there.
A jab from Henley misses.
Henley fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Henley fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Riordan manages to avoid it.
Riordan is looking to clinch but Henley is avoiding it.
Riordan tries to close the distance and clinch but Henley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Henley scores with a decent looking hook.
The fighters circling - Henley throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Henley lands a nice shot that snaps Riordan's head back.
Henley throws a hook to the side of Riordan's head but Riordan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Henley keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Riordan moves to clinch but Henley breaks away

and Henley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henley throwing shots but Riordan is blocking nicely.
Henley not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Henley throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Henley wants to work for an arm triangle but Riordan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Riordan is looking to improve his position.
Henley throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Henley working Riordan over with strikes.
Henley throwing shots but Riordan is blocking nicely.
Henley wants to pass to mount but Riordan is defending the position.
Riordan trying to control from the bottom.
Riordan holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riordan wants to improve his position but Henley is controlling well.
Henley wants to pass the guard but Riordan is defending well.
Henley is looking to take a break and control but Riordan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Henley working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Henley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Henley sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Riordan defending well though.
Riordan wants to get back to full guard.
Henley is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Riordan is refusing to be controlled, as Henley sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riordan trying to hold on to Henley's head to control him but Henley postures up.
Henley trying to control the action but Riordan is working from the bottom.
Henley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Riordan is trying to get back to full guard.

Henley is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Riordan as he works his way to full guard.
Riordan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Riordan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riordan keeping moving, preventing Henley from controlling successfully.
Riordan looking for a sweep. Not yet Riordan, not yet.
Henley postures up in Riordan's guard and throws a big left but Riordan blocks it.
Riordan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Henley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Henley trying to control the position from guard on top but Riordan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riordan managing to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Henley throws a big shot that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Henley bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Riordan is looking to clinch but Henley is avoiding it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Henley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Henley has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Henley!
An out of breath Ben Henley thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.