PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Rice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Clint Ducharme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rice comes to the cage accompanied by AC/DC - Thunderstruck. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rice
vs
Ducharme

175 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Rice!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Clint Ducharme!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ducharme misses with a straight left.
Rice misses with a low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rice is defended easily by Ducharme.

Rice scores with a takedown into Ducharme's guard.
Rice postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ducharme controlling Rice's posture.

Rice decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ducharme drops his hands momentarily and Rice takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ducharme clinches.
Ducharme slowing the pace effectively.
Ducharme scores with a knee to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ducharme takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rice wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ducharme has him pressed against the cage.
The referee calls for Ducharme to work.
Rice has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ducharme lands a body shot in the clinch.
Ducharme lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rice backwards.
Ducharme is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Clint Ducharme.
Ducharme throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Ducharme stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ducharme wants it to stay on the feet.
Rice fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rice throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rice pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rice misses with a body shot.
Ducharme stuffs the takedown attempt from Rice. Rice gets slowly back to his feet.
Rice throws a series of punches but Ducharme avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rice avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ducharme looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rice lands a jab to the head.
Rice swinging wilding here.
Ducharme tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rice paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ducharme checks a leg kick.
Ducharme bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ducharme tries to clinch there but Rice circles away.
Rice throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rice throws a series of punches but Ducharme avoids them all with ease.

That's four 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.
Rice throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ducharme swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rice counters with a straight right hand.
No joy there for Ducharme, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ducharme slips a jab and a cross from Rice.
Ducharme tries to clinch but Rice is having none of it.
Rice tries a head kick but it misses.
Ducharme fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ducharme is looking to clinch but Rice is avoiding it.
Ducharme tries a head kick but it misses.
Rice looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Ducharme gets a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Clint Ducharme will probably get the nod.
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.

Rice scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ducharme is looking to clinch but Rice is avoiding it.
Ducharme dives in and grabs Rice's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rice pushes down on Ducharme's head and hops out.
Ducharme avoids the head kick by Rice.

Ducharme closes the distance and clinches.
Rice wants a takedown but no success here.
Rice is trying to break free.
Rice drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ducharme breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ducharme closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rice to the mat! Rice manages to get full guard.
Ducharme wants to control from the top but Rice keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ducharme tries to free his leg and advance position but Rice is retaining full guard.
Ducharme trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rice has his feet on Ducharme's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Ducharme fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rice shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ducharme's guard.
Rice being controlled here momentarily.
Ducharme is breathing heavily.

Ducharme throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rice trying to control but Ducharme is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ducharme is pulling down on Rice's head to control his posture.
Rice throwing strikes from guard but Ducharme blocks nicely.
Rice looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rice got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ducharme has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rice has managed to get both his arms back between Ducharme's legs - danger averted.
Rice is pushing down on Ducharme's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ducharme is fighting to maintain full guard but Rice has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ducharme is trying to control but can't.
Ducharme is staying active underneath Rice, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Still in half guard, Rice seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rice has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Ducharme is positioning himself well to prevent Rice advancing to mount.
Rice content to control rather than advance.
Ducharme is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rice dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rice misses with the combination.
A head kick misses from Rice.
Ducharme drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Rice falls off balance throwing a combination

and Ducharme counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ducharme.

Rice turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Ducharme is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rice asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Rice moves into full mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ducharme wants to control but Rice is having none of it.
Ducharme slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ducharme takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rice throwing shots but Ducharme is blocking nicely.
Rice thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Rice gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Some wild striking there from Rice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rice shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ducharme moves into the clinch.
Ducharme misses with an elbow over the top.
Ducharme misses with a knee strike.
A knee to the head by Ducharme.
Rice has Ducharme pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ducharme manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
With the fighters up against the cage, Ducharme throws an elbow but misses.
Ducharme fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ducharme gets underhooks to prevent Rice's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ducharme.
Ducharme tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rice avoids it.
Ducharme throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ducharme manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ducharme gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rice.
Ducharme looking to throw knees to the head but Rice is blocking nicely.
Rice prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rice can't get the takedown.
Ducharme is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Ducharme trying to stall but Rice improves his position.
Ducharme lands with a light punch inside.
Rice takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rice looking for a takedown.
Rice is looking to break free of the clinch but Ducharme has double underhooks.
Rice is trying to break the clinch but Ducharme is controlling him.
Ducharme tries for a takedown but Rice manages to get underhooks.
Ducharme tries a knee to the head but Rice blocks it.
Ducharme pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rice wants a takedown.

Rice ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rice no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rice wants to stand and escape but Ducharme is having none of it.
Ducharme passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Rice showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rice 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Rice!