PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hong Kong (ranked 1452 p4p, 2810 weight class) and Rory Riddle (ranked 211 p4p, 365 weight class). Rory Riddle has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kong
vs
Riddle

185 cm
21
176
5 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
176
3 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Fast

HARDCORE
Hardcore Alchemy

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Hong Kong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rory Riddle!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Phil Schofield and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riddle throws out a loose jab but Kong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kong bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Kong changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Riddle tries to avoid it but Kong manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Riddle to the ground. Riddle escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Kong decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Riddle is trying to get back to full guard.
Kong works his foot free and advances to mount.
Riddle is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
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.
Riddle is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Riddle takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kong cracks Riddle with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Riddle taking shots to the head.
Kong landing punches.
Riddle working to try and regain half guard.
Riddle keeps trying to improve his position.
Kong lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Riddle hang on?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kong unloading with bombs!
Riddle is desperately trying to improve his position but Kong has a good base and remains in mount.
Kong 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.
Kong looking to control but Riddle is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Riddle working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Riddle regains half guard.
Riddle is looking to improve his position.
Riddle on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Kong wants to free his trapped foot but Riddle is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kong winds up and cracks Riddle with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Riddle has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kong is working away from the top position though.
Riddle is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kong's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kong's back!

Kong defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.
Kong preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong landing with the ground and pound.
Kong scoring with punches to the head and body.
Kong trying to control but Riddle is working from the bottom.
Kong pushes down on Riddle's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Riddle tries to roll over but Kong keeps him under control.
Riddle gets full guard.

Riddle looking for a guillotine here but Kong defends easily.

Riddle looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kong passes into half guard.
Kong wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riddle is looking to improve his position.
Kong tries to pass to full mount but Riddle defends it.
Kong is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Riddle is looking for a sweep. Kong is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Kong is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Riddle is just riding it out for now. Kong eventually gives up the hold.
Kong prevents Riddle from improving his position.
Kong is keen to just control but Riddle is a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hong Kong dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Riddle lands with a straight right. Kong didn't see that one coming.

Kong drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riddle is on top in guard.

Riddle sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Riddle looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Riddle looking to pass the guard.
Kong working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kong can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Riddle controls the pace.

Kong has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Riddle can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kong is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddle tries to get to full guard but Kong has control of the leg.
Kong is keen to just control but Riddle is a slippery customer.
Kong is thwarting Riddle's attempts to control the position.
Kong wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.
Riddle has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kong is working away from the top position though.
Kong 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.
Riddle is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kong is looking to advance position but Riddle won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Kong seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Riddle does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Riddle won't allow Kong to pass to mount.
Riddle has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kong is working away from the top position though.
Kong wants to take a breather but Riddle is having none of it.
Kong thows a huge punch but Riddle dodges it nicely.
Riddle tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Kong has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Kong postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Riddle looks a forlorn figure.
Riddle working to try and regain half guard.
Kong landing strikes from the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Riddle is looking to escape.
Kong lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Riddle is trying to escape the mount.
Riddle gets back to half guard.
Riddle slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kong works over Riddle with some ground and pound from guard.
Kong looking to pass the guard.
Kong trying to control the position from guard on top but Riddle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Riddle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Riddle keeping full guard, as Kong tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kong preventing the sweep.
Kong postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Riddle wants to sweep but no luck.
Kong makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Riddle controls Kong momentarily but Kong frees himself.
Riddle keeping moving, preventing Kong from controlling successfully.
Riddle looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kong is working Riddle over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Riddle keeping moving, preventing Kong from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hong Kong dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Riddle throws an overhand right that lands on Kong's shoulder, as Kong tries to avoid the shot.
Kong changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Riddle is fending him off so far but Kong persists. Nope, Riddle circles away and we're back to standing.

Kong closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Riddle trying to hold on to Kong's head to control him but Kong postures up.
Kong is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Riddle can do to turn this around?
Kong wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kong lands a nice short elbow.
Kong not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Riddle moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Riddle is on top in guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kong keeping moving, preventing Riddle from controlling successfully.
Kong is trying to control the position but Riddle postures up.

Riddle drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kong looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kong looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kong!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kong looking to control but instead Riddle has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Riddle moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kong preventing the sweep.
Kong is looking to work some ground and pound but Riddle has wrist control.
Riddle wants to sweep here but Kong controlling him for the moment.

Kong got a little sloppy there for a moment and Riddle has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kong has managed to get both his arms back between Riddle's legs - danger averted.
Riddle keeping full guard, as Kong tries to pass.
Riddle wants to control but Kong passes easily into half guard.
Kong trying to pass the guard but Riddle defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kong seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Riddle does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Riddle is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kong is just content to waste time from the top position. Riddle takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

Riddle looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Kong passes into side control.
Kong trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Riddle tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kong controlling from side mount.
Riddle is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kong is chipping away with strikes.
Riddle tries to improve position but can't.
Kong trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Kong is working Riddle over with some ground and pound from side control.
Riddle is trying to get back to half guard.
Riddle taking punishment in the form of punches.
Kong trying to control the action but Riddle is working from the bottom.
Kong is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Riddle is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Riddle tries to buck Kong off but Kong is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kong working the ground and pound from side control.
Riddle struggling a bit here.
Kong trying to control the action but Riddle is working from the bottom.
Hong Kong overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Riddle is trying to improve his position.
Kong lands a decent elbow from side control.
Riddle is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kong wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.
Rory Riddle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kong lands a nice forearm strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hong Kong showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kong, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Gold scores the fight for Hong Kong!
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight for Hong Kong!
Judge James Atkins scores the fight for Hong Kong!

Hong Kong wins by unanimous decision!
A victorious Hong Kong thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.