PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Earlie Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Riddle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Byrd
vs
Riddle

180 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
18
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Zentrope Fighting Universe
Zentrope Fighting Universe

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Earlie Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Riddle!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riddle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Riddle looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Riddle shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Byrd manages to get to full guard.
Byrd looking to hit a scissor sweep but Riddle is one step ahead there.

Riddle drops back, looking for a kneebar! Byrd looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Byrd looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Byrd!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Byrd trying to control the action but Riddle is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddle is looking for a sweep.
Riddle gets back to half guard.

Riddle is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Byrd pulls his head out easily.
Byrd is looking to advance position but Riddle won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riddle wants to get back to his feet.
Byrd tries to pass the half guard into mount. Riddle knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Riddle works his way to full guard. Good work.
Byrd is stalling in the full guard.
Byrd might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Byrd trying to control the position from guard on top but Riddle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Riddle is pulling down on Byrd's head to control his posture.
Riddle doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Byrd postures up.

Tom Riddle has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
A jab from Byrd misses.
Byrd misses with a head kick.

Byrd clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Riddle misses with a body punch.
Riddle looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Byrd breaks from the clinch.
Byrd misses with a double jab.
Byrd throws a hook but Riddle blocks it.
Byrd throws out a loose jab but Riddle uses good head movement to avoid it.
Byrd thows a leg kick but Riddle checks it

and Riddle counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riddle throwing shots but Byrd is blocking nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Byrd gets back to full guard.
Byrd bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Riddle's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tom Riddle will probably get the nod.
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.

Byrd scores with a takedown into Riddle's guard.
Byrd could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Byrd's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Byrd knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Riddle on the ground.

Riddle looking for subs off his back but Byrd has passed one foot through into half guard.
Riddle is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddle is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Byrd tries to pass to full mount but Riddle defends it.
Riddle gets full guard.
Byrd stopping the sweep attempt from Riddle.
Riddle 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 two minutes gone in the round.

Riddle is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Byrd is just riding it out for now. Riddle eventually gives up the hold.
Byrd makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byrd.
Byrd on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Byrd tries to get out of the position.
Riddle postures up in Byrd's guard and throws a big left but Byrd blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Riddle throwing strikes but missing.
Byrd looking to control.
Byrd keeping full guard, as Riddle tries to pass.
Riddle throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Byrd preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Riddle thows a big elbow that misses.
Riddle throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Riddle won't allow Byrd to sweep him here.
Riddle loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Riddle postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Byrd looking for a sweep. Not yet Byrd, not yet.
Riddle throwing strikes but missing.

Riddle is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Riddle accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Riddle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Riddle enables Byrd to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Riddle manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Byrd has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Byrd engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Riddle trying to keep a closed guard but Byrd is proving a slippery customer.
Riddle controlling Byrd's posture.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Riddle is looking to stand back up but Byrd counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Riddle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Riddle controlling the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tom Riddle was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Riddle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Byrd looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Riddle!
Riddle is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Riddle is looking to escape.
Riddle tries to hold on but Byrd postures up.
Riddle is looking to improve his position but Byrd isn't that keen on the idea.
Byrd controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd looking to control but Riddle is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Riddle tries to hold on but Byrd pushes him away.
Byrd wants to control the pace but Riddle is squirming around nicely.
Riddle really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Riddle wants to hold on but Byrd pushes him away.
Earlie Byrd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tom Riddle is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Byrd throws a head kick that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Earlie Byrd showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Riddle 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Riddle!