PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rickson Caceres (ranked 951 p4p, 990 weight class) and Finlay Standifer (ranked 136 p4p, 142 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Caceres
vs
Standifer

180 cm
29
157
14 - 6 - 0

172 cm
22
160
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rickson Caceres!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finlay Standifer!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Caceres shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Standifer napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Caceres tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Standifer tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Caceres tries to move into full mount but can't pass Standifer's legs.
Standifer holding on.
Caceres is looking to take a break and control but Standifer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
You can see the frustration on Standifer's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Caceres is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Standifer has escaped the position, nice work there.

Caceres is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Standifer knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Standifer dodges the ground and pound from Caceres.

Caceres tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Caceres has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Standifer manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Caceres is looking to pass Standifer's guard but actually Standifer recovers to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Standifer wants to hit a sweep here but Caceres passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Standifer there!
Standifer tries to reverse the position but Caceres maintains control.
Caceres tries to control but Standifer wriggling away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Standifer tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Caceres avoids the attempt from Standifer to control.
Caceres thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Caceres landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer tries to reverse the position but Caceres maintains control.
Caceres avoids the attempt from Standifer to control.
Caceres trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Standifer is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Caceres wants to control the pace but Standifer is squirming around nicely.

Caceres has control of Standifer's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Standifer regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Standifer is desperately trying to improve his position but Caceres has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caceres has control of Standifer's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Standifer regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Standifer really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Standifer keeps trying to improve his position.

Caceres looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Caceres is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Standifer to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Standifer shrugs it off.
Standifer tries to reverse the position but Caceres maintains control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Caceres dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Caceres fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Standifer avoids it really well and circles away.
Caceres doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Standifer counters with a left to the body.

Caceres looking to score a takedown here. Standifer is defending well but Caceres drives through and ends up in Standifer's guard.
Standifer is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Caceres preventing the sweep.
Standifer controls Caceres momentarily but Caceres frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caceres throwing strikes from guard but Standifer blocks nicely.
Caceres trying to control the position from guard on top but Standifer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Standifer in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Caceres is trying to control Standifer's posture but Standifer avoids it.
Caceres is not content to let Standifer control the position.
Caceres is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
A lull in the action here as Standifer stalls from top position.
Caceres tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Standifer controls the position.
Caceres is trying to get back to half guard.
Caceres is trying to escape the position but Standifer is controlling the position.
Let's hope that Standifer has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Caceres is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Caceres keeps working.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Rickson Caceres overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Caceres is looking for a sweep.
Standifer working the head with strikes.
Standifer working away.
Standifer wants to control but Caceres is keeping him busy.
Standifer scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Standifer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Caceres keeps working.
The referee asks Standifer politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Standifer prefers to stall for the moment though.
Caceres has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Caceres is looking for a sweep.
Caceres is not content to let Standifer control the position.
Standifer controlling the position.
Caceres is trying to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finlay Standifer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Standifer throws a hook but Caceres blocks it.
Standifer lands with a shot to the body.
Caceres ducks under a wild hook from Standifer.
Standifer missing with a left hand there. Caceres was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Caceres shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Standifer but Standifer pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A swing and a miss from Standifer.
Standifer connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

Standifer gets caught flat footed, as Caceres shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Caceres being controlled here momentarily.
Standifer keeping moving, preventing Caceres from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caceres is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Standifer looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caceres pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Standifer is keeping the position for now.

Caceres being controlled for a moment.
Caceres takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Standifer advances to mount.
Caceres tries to hold on but Standifer postures up.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Standifer cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Caceres sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Standifer stalling away here and it's allowed Caceres to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Standifer avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Caceres being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Standifer advances to half guard.
Standifer is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Caceres is defending against the submission attempts here by Standifer.

Standifer is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Caceres sees it coming and defends easily.
Caceres is not content to let Standifer control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Caceres avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Standifer.
Caceres works his way to full guard. Good work.
Caceres looking to control.

Caceres throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Caceres had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Standifer defends it easily.
Standifer advances position into side control!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Caceres is trying to get back to half guard.
Standifer landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Finlay Standifer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Standifer 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finlay Standifer!