PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alejandro Rios (ranked 3816 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kwang Yul Il (ranked 5574 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Rios
vs
Yul Il

175 cm
25
156 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Hates pizza

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alejandro Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kwang Yul Il!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Reed Andrews and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Il.
Rios looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Il.
Il fails to land the takedown.
Alejandro Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kwang Yul Il.
Il throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rios's waist but Rios gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Il off to one side.
Il with a poor takedown

and Rios counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Il is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rios is defending well.
Il can't get the takedown.

Rios works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Il lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rios avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Il working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rios avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Il cracks Rios with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Il lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Il is in close to Rios's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rios has momentary wrist control but Il slips an elbow through the middle.
Rios will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Il throwing strikes but missing.
Il loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Il has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Il trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rios on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rios tries to get out of the position.
Il postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Rios has his foot on Il's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Il works his way back into a safe position though.
Il lands a couple of digs.
Il scoring with some ground and pound.
Il scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Il lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Il content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rios is trying to control the position but Il postures up.
Rios knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Il on the ground.
Rios wants to sweep here but Il controlling him for the moment.
Il distracts Rios with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Il lands a couple of digs.
Il pushes down on Rios's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Rios on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rios is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Il scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ground and pound from Il.
Rios is trying to get back to full guard.
Il working over Rios with some ground and pound. Rios looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Il drops an elbow to the side of Rios's head.
Nice strikes from Il there.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Il lands a nice short elbow.
Rios missing with punches from the bottom.
Il prevents Rios from standing back up.
Il landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Rios trying to control here.
Il is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Il looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rios with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Il not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Il working the head and body with strikes.
Il working over Rios with some ground and pound. Rios looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Il landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Il seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Rios is rocked!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rios has hold of Il's hands but Il slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Oh Rios is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rios holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Il lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Il landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Il prevents Rios from improving his position.
Il looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rios on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Rios looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Il lands a nice short elbow.
Rios is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Il scores with a couple of nice shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kwang Yul Il dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Rios stuffs the takedown attempt from Il. Il gets slowly back to his feet.
Rios seems to have got his legs back now.
Il with a poor takedown

and Rios counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Il changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rios fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Alejandro Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kwang Yul Il.
Il misses with a takedown attempt - Rios sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Il tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rios sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Il somewhat.

Rios drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Il striking off his back but it's not causing Rios any problems.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Il trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Il will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Il throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rios stopping the sweep attempt from Il.
Il is still trying to improve position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Il throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Il fails with the takedown

and Rios counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Il has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rios avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Il is looking to take this one to the mat.
Il tries to score a body lock takedown but Rios shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Rios.
Rios is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Il is looking for a takedown.
Il tries for a takedown but Rios manages to get underhooks.
I was talking to Rios's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios stops a takedown attempt from Il.
Il tries to score a body lock takedown but Rios shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rios gets underhooks to prevent Il's takedown attempt.

Rios breaks the clinch.
Il fails with the takedown

and Rios counters with a takedown into side control.
Il throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Kwang Yul Il has got the better of the ground game so far.
Il wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Il pecks away with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Il is looking for a sweep.
Il throws a few strikes from the bottom but Rios takes advantage and mounts!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rios blocks Il's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rios raining down shots from the mount!
Il throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rios. What's that going to do exactly?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Il working to try and regain half guard.
Il throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Il throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rios. What's that going to do exactly?
Il is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Rios breaks from Il's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rios is trying to take his opponent's back.
Rios blocks Il's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Il throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rios. What's that going to do exactly?
Il regains half guard.
Il tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Il tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Il wants to improve his position but Rios is controlling well.
Il flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Il throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Rios with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Il moves into full guard.
Rios content to stall in guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Il thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejandro Rios dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Il tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rios swivels and escapes.
Il slips under a jab from Rios.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Il.
Il fails with a takedown attempt.
Alejandro Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kwang Yul Il.
Il misses with a takedown attempt

and Rios counters by clinching up.

Rios pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Il dives in for a single leg takedown but Rios sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Il closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rios circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Il fails with the takedown

and Rios counters with a single leg into guard. Il didn't expect that.
Il striking off his back but it's not causing Rios any problems.
Rios showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Il trying to strike off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Il throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Il keeping moving, preventing Rios from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Il thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Il striking off his back but it's not causing Rios any problems.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Il doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Il enables Rios to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Il manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rios controlling from the top position.
Rios content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Il 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.
Rios on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Il working over Rios with some ground and pound. Rios looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Rios is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rios is looking to escape.
Rios keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Il working Rios over with strikes.
Rios tries to get to full guard but Il has control of the leg.
Rios is trying to stand back up but Il is controlling him
Rios regains full guard. Nicely done.
Il keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rios's head.
Rios is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Il is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Il is in close to Rios's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rios has momentary wrist control but Il slips an elbow through the middle.
Il won't allow Rios to sweep him here.
Il connects with a couple of short punches.
Il stands up over Rios, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rios is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Il scoring with punches to the head and body.
Il postures up in Rios's guard and throws a big left but Rios blocks it.

Rios is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rios has momentary wrist control but Il slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Il trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Il lands a couple of elbows.
Rios utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Il with a flurry of punches that miss.

Rios is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Il presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Nice body punch from Rios.
Il drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rios gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Il goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rios prevents it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Il is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Rios is defending well.
Rios stops a takedown attempt from Il.
Il drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alejandro Rios showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rios has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alejandro Rios!