PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Moreira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and cindy vanikke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). cindy vanikke struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.8lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. The key to victory for Ricardo Moreira has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Moreira
vs
vanikke

160 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

169 cm
20
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ricardo Moreira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, cindy vanikke!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Moreira shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Moreira wants to stand but vanikke is controlling his posture from full guard.

vanikke looking for a guillotine here but Moreira defends easily.
vanikke looks gassed!
vanikke has a closed guard, preventing Moreira from standing up.
Moreira stays in close to vanikke's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moreira has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Moreira has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Moreira just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Moreira darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Moreira perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Moreira controlling the position easily from mount.
Moreira seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down vanikke for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moreira raining down shots from the mount!
Moreira looking to control and managing it successfully.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Moreira just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Moreira looks to land a combination but vanikke avoids it well.
Moreira misses with a wild body shot.
Moreira throws a series of punches but vanikke avoids them all with ease.

Moreira takes the fight into the clinch.

Moreira pulls guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

vanikke got a little sloppy there for a moment and Moreira has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, vanikke has managed to get both his arms back between Moreira's legs - danger averted.
Moreira keeping moving, preventing vanikke from controlling successfully.
vanikke won't allow Moreira to sweep him here.

Moreira looking for a guillotine here but vanikke defends easily.
Moreira manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. vanikke manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Moreira closes the distance and pushes vanikke back into the cage.
vanikke keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Moreira's efforts to push away.
Moreira tries to break free but vanikke pushes him back against the cage.
Moreira lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Moreira.
Moreira scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Moreira has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics vanikke uses from the top position.
Moreira is looking to stand up but vanikke isn't so interested in that idea.
Moreira looking for a sweep. Not yet Moreira, not yet.
vanikke is breathing heavily.
Moreira looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreira looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Moreira with a hook.
Moreira misses with the combination.
vanikke circles away from the clinch attempt.

Moreira shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Moreira was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Moreira looking to control but vanikke is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira controlling the position easily from mount.
vanikke tries to reverse the position but Moreira maintains control.
Moreira content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Moreira just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Moreira tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but vanikke was well out of range. Poor timing from Moreira.
Moreira lands a jab to vanikke's midsection.

vanikke tries to keep at a distance but Moreira has taken the fight into the clinch.
Moreira pressing his opponent against the cage.
vanikke tries to pull guard but Moreira holds him up against the cage and eventually vanikke drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
vanikke tries to score a body lock takedown but Moreira shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Moreira pulls guard.

Moreira has his foot on vanikke's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. vanikke works his way back into a safe position though.
vanikke preventing the sweep.
vanikke postures up in Moreira's guard and throws a big left but Moreira blocks it.

Moreira looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Moreira manages to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

vanikke gets caught flat footed, as Moreira shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Moreira looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Moreira postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
vanikke keeping moving, preventing Moreira from controlling successfully.
Moreira is really struggling to control vanikke but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Moreira tries to stand but vanikke is controlling from the bottom.
vanikke takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Moreira is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreira working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Moreira controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Moreira drops back looking for a leg! vanikke is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and vanikke manages to kick Moreira off! Moreira jumps back into vanikke's guard.
Moreira trying to control the position from guard on top but vanikke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Moreira slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Moreira just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Moreira rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but vanikke moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Moreira swings for the body but vanikke moves out of range.
vanikke tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Moreira counters with a nice double leg into side control. vanikke won't be happy with that.
Moreira controlling from side mount.
Moreira creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on vanikke's face as Moreira controls the position.
vanikke struggling a bit here.
Moreira just content to control the position.
Moreira scoring with punches and elbows.
vanikke is letting Moreira control him for a moment.
Moreira tries to advance to mount but vanikke denies him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Moreira controlling the position from side mount.
vanikke is looking for a sweep.
Ricardo Moreira is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Ricardo Moreira just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Moreira fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. vanikke sprawls well initially but Moreira persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Moreira controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Moreira showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Moreira 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:25
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Moreira!