PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between rukawa medina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and ZPryde Simmons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). medina comes to the cage accompanied by voices. Simmons has chosen Hood Mentality as his entrance music. ZPryde Simmons is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

medina
vs
Simmons

200 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
212 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, rukawa medina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, ZPryde Simmons!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Simmons connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Simmons misses with a jab, cross combination.
medina slips a jab and a cross from Simmons.
Simmons stuffs the takedown.

medina looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
medina throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
medina stops Simmons from standing up.
medina stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Simmons swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Simmons wants to stand but medina is controlling the position.
medina scoring with some ground and pound.

medina has gone for a leg lock! Simmons slips out almost immediately though and dives into medina's guard.
Simmons pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. medina is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
medina looking to hit a scissor sweep but Simmons is one step ahead there.
Simmons trying to stand up but can't free himself from medina's guard.

medina looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Simmons passes into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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

That's two 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.
Simmons trying to control from half guard but medina is working away.
medina knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Simmons on the ground.
It looks like Simmons is going to stand back up.
medina is trying to maintain the position but Simmons is very close to passing his half guard.
medina is trying to stand up here but Simmons is controlling him well.

Simmons postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for medina to stand up.
medina throws a hook but Simmons blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

medina drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Simmons is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, medina asserts his dominance and retains side control.
medina works to advance to full mount. Simmons defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
medina in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
medina will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
medina is landing with some decent strikes but Simmons is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
medina working the ground and pound effectively.
Simmons is trying to stand.
A nice elbow there by medina.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
medina lands with some strikes.
medina landing strikes from the mount.
medina landing strikes, looking to finish!
Simmons is in all sorts of trouble here.
Simmons looks gassed!
Simmons tries to hold on but medina pushes him away.
Simmons is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
The referee warns Simmons that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Simmons is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
medina putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Simmons is trying to escape the mount.
medina landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

rukawa medina dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Simmons throws a right and a left that medina avoids nicely.
No joy there for Simmons, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
medina has a takedown stuffed.
Simmons throws a nice looking combination but medina bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

medina shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Simmons is not content to let medina control the position.
medina looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

medina seems to be working for a kimura but Simmons defends the submission attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
medina seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Simmons does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
medina is just content to waste time from the top position. Simmons takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Simmons is looking to stand up but medina isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
medina has a takedown stuffed.
Simmons keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
medina slips a jab and a cross from Simmons.
medina closes the distance and clinches up with Simmons, looking for a takedown. medina pushes Simmons against the cage but Simmons circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for rukawa medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Simmons misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Simmons throws a right and a left that both miss.
medina takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Simmons swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
medina slips a jab and a cross from Simmons.
Simmons lands an overhand right.
medina looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
medina keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
medina throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Simmons counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Simmons scores with the left hand. medina knows he should have avoided that one.
medina dodges the punch combination from Simmons.
medina shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Simmons as he avoids it easily.
Simmons tries to close the distance and clinch but medina swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
medina dodges the punch combination from Simmons.
Simmons paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
medina tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Simmons paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Simmons misses with a two punch combination.
Simmons throws a right hand that medina ducks under and follows up with a left that medina also avoids with ease.
medina throws a combination that misses
letting Simmons counter with a right hand.

medina closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Simmons to the mat! Simmons manages to get full guard.
Simmons trying to keep a closed guard but medina is proving a slippery customer.
Simmons is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Simmons is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

medina stands up and waves to Simmons to follow him.
Simmons swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and medina counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
medina loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Simmons controls medina momentarily but medina frees himself.
Simmons is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
medina throwing strikes from guard but Simmons blocks nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that rukawa medina will probably get the nod.
That's time! medina's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

medina shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Simmons napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Simmons prevents medina from improving position.
Simmons wants to get back to his feet but medina drags him back down.
Simmons can't do much from the bottom here.

medina wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Simmons, who protects the arm well.
Simmons gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Simmons moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
medina stops Simmons from standing up.
medina stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Simmons swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Simmons has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but medina can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
medina looking to pass the guard.
Simmons keeping moving, preventing medina from controlling successfully.
medina has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Simmons is proving hard to escape from.
rukawa medina overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Simmons looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
medina lands a couple of elbows.
Simmons is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Simmons keeping moving, preventing medina from controlling successfully.

medina stands and steps away. Simmons gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Simmons throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and medina counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Simmons avoids any damage from the ground and pound of medina.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simmons is pushing medina's head away, looking to escape. medina manages to hold on to the position though.
Simmons is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on medina's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.

Simmons has one foot on medina's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
medina misses with a combination
and Simmons counters with a nice uppercut.

medina has managed to clinch.
Simmons wants to get back to striking at distance but medina won't allow it.
medina tries for a takedown. No joy.
Simmons tries to circle away but medina has him pinned against the cage.
medina landing knees to the head.
Simmons wants to break the clinch but can't.

medina breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Simmons throws a combination that misses

and medina counters by clinching up.
Simmons tries to circle away but medina has him pinned against the cage.

medina has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Simmons is trying to keep an underhook but medina manages to get the takedown into half guard.
medina tries to pass to full mount but Simmons defends it.
Simmons looks like he's trying to stand up.
Simmons is trying to defend against the ground and pound but medina scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Simmons wants to get back to his feet.
medina seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
ZPryde Simmons has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
rukawa medina is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
medina blocks the strikes from Simmons.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to rukawa medina.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for medina, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... rukawa medina!