PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stan Richard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richard comes to the cage accompanied by In Ashes They Shall Reap. Stan Richard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Richard
vs
Michaels

168 cm
20
163 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

177 cm
25
166 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stan Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shawn Michaels!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michaels tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Michaels throws a combination. Richard tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
A jab from Richard misses.

Richard clinches with his opponent.
Michaels wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Richard has him pressed against the cage.
Michaels prevents a body shot from Richard.
Richard throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Richard pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Richard stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Michaels wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Richard has him pressed against the cage.

Michaels breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Michaels defending well as Richard loads up on a big left hand.
Michaels throws a head kick that misses.
Shawn Michaels seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Michaels cracks the inside of Richard's front leg.
Michaels pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Michaels dodges the punch combination from Richard.
Richard closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Michaels darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard lands a lovely overhand right.
Richard wants to clinch up but Michaels keeps it at a distance.
Michaels throws a head kick but Richard moves out of range.
Michaels tries a head kick but it misses.

Richard shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Michaels napping and manages to drive through into side control!
An elbow from Richard crashes against the mat.
Richard throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Richard has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Richard misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Michaels regains half guard.
Richard misses with a head shot. Michaels uses the momentum to regain guard.
Richard throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard throwing strikes but missing.
Richard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Michaels utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Richard throwing strikes but missing.
Richard distracts Michaels with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Michaels is trying to control the position but Richard 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.
Michaels is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Richard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Michaels wants to stand but Richard is controlling the position.
Michaels working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Richard.
Michaels looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shawn Michaels was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Richard lands a left and a right that send Michaels crashing to the mat, dazed. Richard thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Michaels is rocked!
Richard fails with the takedown.
Michaels is still on wobbly legs! Can Richard finish him?

Richard darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Michaels wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richard working over Michaels with some ground and pound. Michaels looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Michaels seems to have recovered his senses.
Richard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Richard sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Michaels defending well though.
Michaels looks like he's trying to stand up.
Michaels looks gassed!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Michaels is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Richard dominated that round.
That's time! Richard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Michaels swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Richard counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Michaels lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Richard shoots in but Michaels avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Michaels takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Michaels misses the shot to the body.
Michaels tries to bum rush Richard with a series of wild strikes but Richard uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Richard misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Michaels.
Michaels avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Richard lands a glancing blow to the side of Michaels's head.
Michaels takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Richard closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Michaels to the mat! Michaels manages to get full guard.
Richard landing with the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michaels pulls Richard in close to prevent any damage.
Michaels is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard postures up in Michaels's guard and throws a big left but Michaels blocks it.
Richard throwing strikes from guard but Michaels blocks nicely.
Richard tries to free his leg and advance position but Michaels is retaining full guard.
Richard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Michaels's head.
Richard is looking to work some ground and pound but Michaels has wrist control.
Richard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Richard thows a big elbow that misses.
Richard throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Michaels wants to stand and escape but Richard is having none of it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Richard's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Richard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michaels is keeping the position for now.
Michaels wants to stand up but Richard is controlling him.
Richard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Richard stops Michaels from standing up.
Richard throwing strikes from guard but Michaels blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Michaels is keeping the position for now.
Richard advances position into side control!
Richard working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Michaels regains half guard.
Richard tries to pass the half guard into mount. Michaels knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Richard drops an elbow to the side of Michaels's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Richard tries to pass the half guard into mount. Michaels knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Richard scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Richard missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Richard wants to free his trapped foot but Michaels is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Richard missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Richard dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Richard clinches up with Michaels and pushes him back against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Richard as the two fighters clinch.
Richard stalling.
Richard tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Michaels avoids it.
Michaels's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Richard lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Michaels tries to circle away but Richard has him pinned against the cage.
Michaels is trying to break free.
Richard lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Michaels.
Richard misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Michaels is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Richard.
Michaels takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Michaels breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Michaels throws a predictable looking body shot
and Richard makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Richard moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Richard uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Stan Richard is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Michaels.

Richard changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Michaels looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Michaels parries the strikes from Richard easily there. Richard is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Michaels to escape.
Richard throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Richard scoring with punches from side control.
An elbow from Richard crashes against the mat.
Richard in side control lands a decent elbow.

Richard decides to stand up, so the ref orders Michaels to his feet.
Richard lands a nice hook to Michaels's body. Michaels takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Richard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Richard is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Michaels!
Richard lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Richard landing strikes from the mount and Michaels is in trouble!
A nice elbow there by Richard.
Michaels takes a big shot to the dome and his eyes have rolled back in his head! Richard's killer instinct has kicked in as he finishes the fight with more strikes. Impressive finish.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Stan Richard!