PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Roussow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Riddler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Roussow has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Roussow
vs
Riddler

210 cm
26
222 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

198 cm
32
220 lbs
8 - 16 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Roussow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Riddler!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Roussow shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Riddler's guard.
Roussow sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Roussow throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Riddler works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Riddler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Roussow is controlling him.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Riddler can do anything to dispel that myth.
Roussow wants to control from the top but Riddler keeps moving.
Roussow 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.
Roussow is really struggling to control Riddler but he's trying to hold on to the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Roussow wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Riddler uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Roussow.
Roussow listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Roussow has managed to clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Roussow - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Riddler is trying to break the clinch but Roussow is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roussow doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Riddler wants to break free but Roussow has control.
Stalling in the clinch from Roussow.
Good body shot from Roussow.
A frustrated look appears on Riddler's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Riddler dodges an elbow strike from Roussow.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Roussow.
Riddler can't break the clinch.
Riddler tries to circle away but Roussow has him pinned against the cage.
Roussow can't find room to land a body shot as Riddler controls the action.
Riddler blocks a body shot from Roussow.
Riddler can't break the clinch.

Riddler's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice body punch from Roussow.
Roussow misses with a straight left.
Riddler cracks Roussow with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Roussow works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Riddler pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Riddler tries to keep at a distance but Roussow has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Roussow scores with a shot to the side of Riddler's head.
Roussow just leaning against Riddler, taking a breather.
Riddler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roussow has him pressed against the cage.
Roussow really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Riddler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Riddler smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Roussow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Roussow works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Riddler misses with an attempted mid kick.
Roussow lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Mike Roussow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roussow misses with a straight right.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Roussow takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Mike Roussow has been cut.

Riddler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Roussow instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddler comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Still in the clinch, Roussow scores with a nice short uppercut.
Riddler blocks a body shot from Roussow.
Roussow tries for a takedown. No joy.

Riddler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Roussow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Roussow tries to clinch but Riddler is having none of it.
Riddler blocks a head kick by Roussow.
A nice inside leg kick there by Roussow. That's going to slow Riddler down.
Roussow blocks a head kick by Riddler.
Riddler takes a swing at Roussow's ribcage but misses.
Roussow throws a nice head kick!
Riddler misses with a low kick as Roussow jumps back.
Riddler misses with a hook to the body
and Roussow cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Riddler fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Roussow lands with an overhand left.
Roussow moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riddler avoids the head kick by Roussow.
Riddler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riddler ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Roussow moves away.
A head kick misses from Riddler.

Riddler pushes Roussow up against the cage in a clinch.
Riddler wants to stall.
Riddler working hard to break the clinch.
Riddler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Roussow has him pressed against the cage.

Roussow has hold of one of Riddler's legs. Riddler is fighting the takedown attempt but Roussow gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Roussow advances to half guard.
Roussow drops an elbow to the side of Riddler's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Riddler wants to get back to his feet.
Roussow moves nicely into side control.
Riddler gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Roussow dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Roussow's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A big right from Riddler misses.
Riddler throws a head kick that misses.
Riddler takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Mike Roussow is winning the standup battle so far.

Roussow drives through with a takedown into Riddler's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Riddler keeping moving, preventing Roussow from controlling successfully.
Roussow pushes down on Riddler's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Roussow tries to pass to full mount but Riddler defends it.
Roussow is trying to control. Riddler wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Roussow passes to side control.
Riddler really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Roussow. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Roussow is trying to get an arm triangle but Riddler is defending well.

Roussow tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Roussow has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Riddler wants to get back to his feet but Roussow drags him back down.
Roussow in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Roussow has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Riddler is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. Roussow yanks on the arm and Riddler is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by Roussow.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mike Roussow!