Alright, sat down this weekend to really dig into that Hill vs. Riccio fight. Wanted to share how I went about breaking it down, step-by-step, like I usually do.
First off, I made sure I had some uninterrupted time. Grabbed some water, settled in. You can’t really review a fight properly with distractions popping up every few minutes. Just doesn’t work.
I did an initial watch-through, just live, without pausing much. Trying to get the overall vibe, you know? Who seemed to be controlling things, the big moments, the energy of the fight. Made a few quick mental notes, maybe scribbled down a word or two if something really jumped out.
Going Back for Details
After that first pass, I let it sit for a bit. Then I went back to the recording. This is where the real work started. I rewatched the whole thing, but this time round by round.
- Round 1: Focused on how they both started. Looked at the striking exchanges – who landed cleaner, who was setting the pace. Paid attention to footwork too.
- Round 2: Things usually change up by the second. I looked for adjustments. Did Hill change her approach? Did Riccio try something different? Watched the grappling sequences closely if there were any, looking at control and attempts.
- Round 3 (and onwards if it went longer): Stamina becomes a big thing here. Who looked fresher? Were the punches still crisp? Did the defense hold up? I specifically looked for moments where the momentum might have shifted. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s subtle.
During this rewatch, I paused a lot. Rewound key moments – maybe a big takedown attempt, a heavy punch landing, or a close submission. Gotta see those angles, understand what really happened, not just what it looked like at full speed.
Putting it Together
Once I felt I’d seen enough, I gathered my thoughts. Looked over any scribbled notes I’d made. Started thinking about the key takeaways.
What stood out?
- Hill’s pressure, maybe?
- Riccio’s counter-striking?
- A specific moment that turned the fight?
- How did the judges likely see it round by round? (Even if I disagree, gotta consider it).
Then I just started writing. Didn’t aim for perfection straight away. Just got the main points down. Talked about each fighter’s performance, what worked, what didn’t. Tried to explain why I thought certain things happened based on what I saw during the rewatches.
Cleaned it up a bit after that, made sure it flowed okay. Read it out loud once, helps catch weird phrasing. And that was pretty much it. Felt good to get a handle on the fight, beyond just the initial excitement. It’s a process, but worth it to really understand what went down in the cage.
