PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Cirianni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pierre Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards has chosen Kittie - Johnny as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Cirianni
vs
Richards

182 cm
22
185 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

189 cm
23
189 lbs
2 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Cirianni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pierre Richards!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, William Peck and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cirianni moves in looking to clinch but Richards pushes him off.
Cirianni doesn't manage to clinch there - Richards circles away.
Cirianni throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Richards works Cirianni's body with a nice hook.

Richards gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Cirianni wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Richards drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cirianni gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Cirianni manages to break the clinch.

Richards drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Richards stands up and waves to Cirianni to follow him.
Cirianni wants to clinch

and Richards counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cirianni swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Richards's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Cirianni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cirianni gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Richards counters by clinching up.
Richards lands an elbow inside that Cirianni shrugs off.

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

Cirianni looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Richards is wriggling around but Cirianni manages to pass to half guard.
Richards is looking to escape.

Cirianni stands up and beckons Richards to join him on the feet.
Richards tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Cirianni swivels and escapes.
Cirianni throws a left and a right that both miss

and Richards counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Richards's efforts to push away.
Richards is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mike Cirianni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierre Richards.
Richards looks gassed!

Cirianni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cirianni tries to clinch up but Richards circles away and keeps his distance.
Cirianni lands a nice leg kick that just misses Richards's sensitive parts.

Cirianni pushes Richards up against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Cirianni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cirianni tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Richards counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Cirianni!
Cirianni wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Cirianni bucks up and throws Richards to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni throws a nice looking combination but Richards bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cirianni is looking to clinch.
Richards throws a nice looking combination but Cirianni bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cirianni tries to clinch there but Richards circles away.
Mike Cirianni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cirianni throws a head kick that Richards semi-blocks.

Cirianni scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Cirianni decides to return to a standing position.

Cirianni moves into the clinch.
Richards can't break the clinch.

Cirianni has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Richards clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cirianni scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Cirianni is landing with strikes from the back.

Cirianni is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Richards defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards tries to roll but Cirianni sticks to his back.

Richards is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Cirianni gets his way!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Cirianni patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cirianni dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Richards with a lazy takedown attempt

and Cirianni counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cirianni thows a huge punch but Richards dodges it nicely.
Cirianni passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Richards!
Cirianni breaks from Richards's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Cirianni can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Richards is looking to escape.

Cirianni looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards is looking to get to half guard.
Richards is in a horrible position here. Cirianni smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Cirianni content just to control the position here.

Cirianni is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Richards can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cirianni working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Richards in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Cirianni is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Cirianni tries to close the distance and clinch up but Richards swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni tries to clinch up but Richards circles away and keeps his distance.
Cirianni misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Cirianni is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Richards's half guard.
Richards is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cirianni working Richards over with strikes.
Cirianni prevents Richards from improving his position.

Cirianni decides to return to a standing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni fails to land with a series of punches.
Richards keeps the fight on the outside.

Cirianni gets the takedown into side control.

Cirianni decides to stand up, so the ref orders Richards to his feet.

Cirianni gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

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

Richards closes the distance and clinches.

Richards is fighting off a takedown attempt but Cirianni is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Richards to the mat. Richards regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Mike Cirianni overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Cirianni stands and steps away. Richards gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richards gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Cirianni counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cirianni won't allow Richards to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Cirianni dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Richards is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cirianni tries to clinch but Richards moves out of range.
Cirianni will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Richards scores with a leg kick.
Cirianni misses with a two punch combination.
Cirianni swats away the attempt to clinch by Richards.
Richards throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cirianni throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Richards's head.

Richards gets caught flat footed, as Cirianni shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Richards is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Cirianni is aware though and is defending well.
Richards working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cirianni stands up and waves to Richards to follow him.
Cirianni is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Richards can do to turn this around?
Richards swats away the attempt to clinch by Cirianni.
Mike Cirianni is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cirianni looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Richards tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Cirianni counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cirianni.
Cirianni trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Cirianni wants to pass the guard but Richards is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cirianni puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Cirianni looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Richards with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Cirianni wants to work for an arm triangle but Richards is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Richards trying to control from the bottom.
Richards is trying to get back to full guard.

Cirianni stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cirianni is looking to clinch but Richards is avoiding it.
Richards tries to clinch but Cirianni moves away

and Cirianni moves into the clinch.
A hook to the body from Cirianni.

Cirianni pulls Richards into guard.
Cirianni tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Cirianni pushes Richards off and scrambles back to his feet.
Richards shoots and misses

and Cirianni counters by clinching up.

Cirianni breaks from the clinch.

Cirianni moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Richards tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cirianni just stands there and leans against the cage.
Mike Cirianni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierre Richards.
Cirianni drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Richards gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cirianni lands a left hand that snaps the head of Richards backwards.
A short left from Cirianni.

Cirianni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pierre Richards has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Cirianni closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Richards trying to land knees to the body.

Cirianni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cirianni feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Mike Cirianni is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cirianni has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Richards throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Cirianni showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cirianni has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:26
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:26
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Cirianni!