PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chuck Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Ritter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liddell has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Liddell
vs
Ritter

188 cm
22
213 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

190 cm
24
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chuck Liddell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Ritter!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ritter changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Liddell looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Liddell is breathing heavily.
Liddell takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Liddell on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Ritter is trying to get an arm triangle but Liddell is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Liddell sneaks out the side door and pushes Ritter away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Ritter shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ritter showed some decent athleticism there.
Ritter lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ritter working the head and body with strikes.
Ground and pound from Ritter.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ritter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Liddell defending well though.
Ritter landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Ritter lands with a punch from half guard.
Liddell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ritter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell taking some punishment here, with Ritter in his half guard.

Ritter seems to be looking for submissions.
Ritter takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Ritter lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Ritter is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Liddell defends it well.
Ritter wants to free his trapped foot but Liddell is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ritter working Liddell over with strikes.
Ritter is nestled in close to Liddell, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ritter is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Ritter is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ritter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Liddell defending well though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ritter dodges the punch combination from Liddell.

Ritter bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Liddell is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Ritter prevents Liddell from escaping the position.
Ritter in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Liddell is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Ritter scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Liddell to see if he's OK.
Ritter works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Check out the look on Ritter's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Ritter lands a decent elbow from side control.
Liddell is pushing Ritter's head away, looking to escape. Ritter manages to hold on to the position though.
The referee asks Ritter politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ritter prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddell tries to bench press Ritter off him but Ritter keeps the position.
Ritter trying to control the action but Liddell is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Liddell!
Ritter shoots in looking for a takedown. Liddell tries to sprawl out of it but Ritter keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Liddell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ritter drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Ritter clinches up against the cage.
Liddell tries to break the clinch but Ritter is controlling the position.
Ritter pushes Liddell back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Ritter scores with a nice hook to the head.

Ritter has Liddell pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Ritter pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Liddell tumbling to the mat - Ritter dives into Liddell's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ritter works over Liddell with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Ritter dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Liddell tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Ritter counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ritter.
Ritter wants a takedown.
Ritter tries for a takedown but Liddell manages to get underhooks.

Ritter gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ritter lands strikes from half guard.
Ritter throwing shots but Liddell is blocking nicely.
Ritter is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Ritter throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Liddell is trying to stand.
Nice strikes from Ritter there.

Liddell has one foot on Ritter's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Liddell throws a leg kick but Ritter moved away.
Liddell waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ritter.

Ritter closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Liddell did well to prevent Ritter getting side control.

Liddell kicks Ritter off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A combination from Liddell does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Ritter clinches up against the cage.

Ritter has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Liddell regains guard immediately.
Liddell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Liddell wriggles free and stands up.
Liddell tries to clinch

and Ritter counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ritter working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Liddell's thigh. Liddell counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet but Ritter is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ritter working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but Ritter is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ritter working some strikes from top position.
Liddell looking to control.
Ritter scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ritter lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Ritter manages to pass to side control.
Ritter drops an elbow to the side of Liddell's head.
Ritter scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Liddell is trying to stand.
Liddell trying to hold on to Ritter's head to control him but Ritter postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ritter slips a nice elbow through Liddell's hands, connecting with Liddell's forehead.
Liddell trying to control from the bottom.
Ritter looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Liddell with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Ritter looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Liddell wants to stand up but Ritter is controlling him.
Ritter throwing strikes but missing.
Daniel Ritter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ritter stops Liddell from standing up.
Ritter with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Liddell is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ritter loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ritter postures up.
Ritter is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ritter shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Chuck Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Ritter.
Liddell works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Nice sprawl there from Liddell as Ritter shoots in.
Horrible takedown by Ritter or perhaps it was just good defense by Liddell which made him look bad.
A head kick misses from Liddell.
Liddell misses with a combination

and Ritter decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Liddell's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ritter throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liddell works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ritter working some strikes from top position.
Ritter content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Ritter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. 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.

Ritter moves into the clinch.
Ritter drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ritter wants a takedown but no success here.
Ritter wants a takedown but no success here.
Chuck Liddell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Ritter.
Ritter gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Liddell.

Ritter successfully pulls guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ritter can do anything to dispel that myth.
Liddell wants to stand and escape but instead Ritter has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Liddell wants to stand up but Ritter is controlling him.
Ritter with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ritter missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ritter thows a big elbow that misses.
Ritter stops Liddell from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liddell is controlling Ritter's posture.
Ritter won't allow Liddell to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Ritter looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Liddell!
Ritter with a couple of short strikes.
Ritter landing shots from mount.
Ritter won't let Liddell get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Liddell taking shots to the head.
Ritter looking to finish Liddell with some ground and pound. This is bad for Liddell!
Liddell is trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ritter is landing with some decent strikes but Liddell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Ritter with a couple of short strikes.
Liddell tries to hold on but Ritter postures up.
Ritter is landing with some decent strikes but Liddell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Liddell is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Ritter tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Liddell is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ritter landing shots from mount.
Ritter lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Liddell is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell tries to lock up and control but Ritter gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ritter fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Liddell squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Liddell tries to hold on but Ritter pushes him away.

Ritter has control of Liddell's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Liddell regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Ritter scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Liddell?
Ritter landing strikes from the mount.
Liddell wants to hold on but Ritter pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ritter working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Liddell tries to hold on but Ritter pushes him away.
The referee warns Liddell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Ritter wants to control the pace but Liddell is squirming around nicely.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.
Ritter landing strikes from the mount and Liddell is in trouble!
Liddell is looking to improve his position but Ritter isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ritter working for a submission but Liddell is keeping him at bay.
Chuck Liddell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Daniel Ritter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ritter fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Ritter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ritter winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Ritter!