PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pierre Whitley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spike Reaper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spike Reaper has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Pierre Whitley's chin.

Whitley
vs
Reaper

196 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 4 - 1

190 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid 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 0 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Pierre Whitley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Spike Reaper!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Chris Edwards and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Whitley bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Whitley tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Whitley working the head with strikes.
Whitley sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Reaper is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Reaper manages to work his way to half guard, despite Whitley's best efforts.

Reaper looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Whitley landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Reaper trying to control from the bottom.
Reaper is doing well to control the position and prevent Whitley from advancing to side control.
Whitley blocks the strikes from Reaper.
Whitley prevents Reaper from improving his position.
Whitley throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Whitley thows a huge punch but Reaper dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reaper is trying to control but can't.
Reaper desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Reaper wants to get back to full guard.
Reaper trying to control here.
Reaper slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Whitley wants to get up but he can't break Reaper's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Reaper is pulling down on Whitley's head to control his posture.
Reaper not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick by Whitley misses

and Reaper counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reaper not doing much here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Reaper lands a nice short elbow.
Reaper stops Whitley from getting back to his feet.
Whitley is trying to get back to full guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Reaper is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Whitley is just riding it out for now. Reaper eventually gives up the hold.

Reaper 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.

Reaper stands up from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitley scores with a one two! Reaper had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Reaper closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Whitley did well to prevent Reaper getting side control.
Reaper trying to mount his opponent but Whitley defends it.

Reaper wants to work for an arm triangle but Whitley is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Reaper trying to mount his opponent but Whitley defends it.
Whitley knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Reaper on the ground.
Reaper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Whitley keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitley is looking for a sweep. Reaper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Reaper working his ground and pound in the gym.
Whitley wants to control but Reaper is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Whitley is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Reaper is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Reaper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Reaper wants to take a breather but Whitley is having none of it.
Whitley moves into full guard.
Reaper won't allow Whitley to sweep him here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Reaper passes Whitley's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Reaper content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Spike Reaper will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Whitley dives in and scores a takedown into Reaper's guard.

Reaper escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Whitley gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Whitley wants to stand but Reaper is controlling his posture from full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Reaper is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reaper won't allow Whitley to sweep him here.
Whitley wants to improve his position but instead Reaper has moved into half guard.
Whitley is looking to control Reaper's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Whitley avoid being mounted?

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reaper is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Whitley is just riding it out for now. Reaper eventually gives up the hold.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reaper wants to control but Whitley is keeping him busy.
Whitley has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Reaper is working away from the top position though.
Whitley is not content to let Reaper control the position.
Reaper looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Whitley with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Reaper seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Let's hope that Reaper 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.

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.
Whitley trying to control from the bottom.
Reaper wants to pass the guard but Whitley is defending well.
Whitley is looking to improve his position.
Whitley blocking the ground and pound attempt from Reaper.
Reaper is looking to take a break and control but Whitley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Reaper stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitley is looking to improve his position.
Reaper is looking to take a break and control but Whitley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Reaper drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Reaper trying to control the action but Whitley is working from the bottom.
Spike Reaper has got the better of the ground game so far.
Whitley is trying to get back to half guard.
Whitley is letting Reaper control him for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitley is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Reaper asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Reaper is looking to take a break and control but Whitley is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Reaper cracks Whitley with a big elbow.
Whitley trying to remain calm as Reaper controls from the top position.
Whitley wants to get back to his feet but Reaper drags him back down.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reaper slows the pace down.
Reaper wants to control but Whitley is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spike Reaper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Reaper throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Whitley was covering up waiting for the punch and Reaper finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Whitley throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Reaper escapes and throws Whitley's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Whitley is trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Check out the look on Reaper's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Reaper trying to control the position but Whitley is working away.
Reaper working the head with strikes.

It looks like Pierre Whitley has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reaper decides to stand back up.

Reaper shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Reaper wants to pass the guard but Whitley is keeping the position.
Reaper postures up in Whitley's guard and throws a big left but Whitley blocks it.
Reaper wants to control from the top but Whitley keeps moving.
Whitley working a defensive guard here.
Reaper looking to pass the guard.

Whitley is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Reaper defends well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Reaper postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reaper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Reaper is continuing to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Whitley shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Reaper is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Whitley's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Whitley's back!
Good control from Reaper.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reaper trying to control.
I really don't envy Whitley right now.

Reaper has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Whitley has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

Reaper has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Whitley is in real trouble here. Reaper gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Whitley is tapping out! Reaper wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Spike Reaper!
Our winner, Spike Reaper, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.