PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Daniels (ranked 4834 p4p, 4873 weight class) and Miles North (ranked 400 p4p, 407 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.

Daniels
vs
North

175 cm
18
155
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricardo Daniels!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Miles North!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from North.
North has a takedown stuffed.
Daniels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
North lands a nice looking body shot.
North stuffs the takedown.
North tries for a takedown but Daniels sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ricardo Daniels has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Miles North.
Daniels rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but North moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Daniels throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
North steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Daniels.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
North shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Daniels as he avoids it easily.

North is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Daniels's half guard.
Daniels is looking for a sweep. North is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

North decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
North is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Daniels looks for a takedown but North sprawls well.
Daniels sets himself, and North steps forward looking for the clinch! Daniels avoids it this time.

North looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Daniels!

North is trying to get an arm triangle but Daniels is defending well.
North throws a strike aimed at the side of Daniels's head but Daniels avoids it well.
Daniels looking for a sweep but North has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

North looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
North thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
North thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
North looking to control and managing it successfully.
Daniels working to try and regain half guard.
North looking to control but Daniels is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
North tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Daniels slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
North not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Daniels wants to improve his position but North is controlling well.
North is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Daniels tries to roll over but North keeps him under control.
North throwing shots but Daniels is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daniels keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
North tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Daniels.
Daniels is trying to stand back up but North is controlling him
Daniels won't allow North to pass to mount.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with North in particular looking to stall.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

North shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
North missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Miles North dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

North shoots in for a takedown but Daniels shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Daniels fails with a takedown attempt.

Daniels drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
North is looking for a sweep.
North stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
North is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Daniels asserts his dominance and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daniels is trying to move to mount but North reverses beautifully and ends up in Daniels's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
North seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
North working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Miles North has got the better of the ground game so far.
Daniels is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
North trying to control but Daniels is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Daniels is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Daniels thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed North's head.
North avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Daniels.
Daniels wants to free his trapped foot but North is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Daniels wants to stand up but North is controlling the position.

Daniels is sneakily working for an arm triangle but North sees it coming and defends easily.
North has his hands clasped together around Daniels's back. He's all about the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daniels throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Daniels seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Daniels wants to take a breather but North is having none of it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

Daniels is working for a kimura but North is defending it quite comfortably.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

North closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - North lands in his opponent's guard.
Daniels keeping full guard, as North tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daniels keeping moving, preventing North from controlling successfully.
Daniels is trying to keep North in close.
Daniels trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
North tries to stand but Daniels is controlling from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Miles North will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

North scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Daniels moves into the clinch.

Daniels is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. North can't fight it off and eventually Daniels manages to take the fight to the floor. North looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
North wants to stand but Daniels is controlling the position.
Daniels throwing strikes from guard but North blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daniels would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
North is trying to keep Daniels in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daniels is looking to stand up but North won't let him.
North working a defensive guard here.
North wants to sweep but no luck.
Daniels controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Daniels scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Daniels stuns North with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

North gets a double leg takedown into Daniels's guard.
Daniels working a defensive guard here.
North throwing strikes from guard but Daniels blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daniels is looking to sweep but instead, North has passed into half guard.
Daniels trying to control from the bottom.

Daniels actively working from the bottom here.
Daniels is trying to control but can't.
North seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Daniels does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Daniels is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
North seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
North fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Daniels swats away the attempt to clinch by North.
Daniels darts in looking for a takedown but North gets double underhooks and turns Daniels into the cage.
Daniels wants a takedown.
Daniels is working for takedown but North is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Daniels. That's going to take a lot out of him.
North tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Daniels is trying to drag North to the mat but North just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Daniels goes for a takedown attempt but North pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - North looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Daniels darts in and clinches North up against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Daniels breaks from the clinch.
North tries to clinch up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
North scores with a head kick. Daniels tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Daniels misses with the body kick
and North counters with a two punch combo.
North tries to clinch there but Daniels circles away.
Ricardo Daniels has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Miles North is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

North shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Daniels is trying to defend but North finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Daniels tries to push off, looking to stand up, but North manages to move to mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Daniels showed his dominance in that final round.
I think North 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!