PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnny Rico will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Sonnen
vs
Rico

170 cm
25
275 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

200 cm
28
275 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Johnny Rico!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Seu Braga and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rico looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Sonnen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Rico dodges it nicely.
Rico trying to control but Sonnen postures up.

Sonnen is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rico tries to get to full guard but Sonnen has control of the leg.
Rico punching from the bottom.
Rico striking from half guard on the bottom.
Sonnen throwing shots but Rico is blocking nicely.
Sonnen is trying to control the action in half guard but Rico is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonnen.
Rico gets full guard.
Rico throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rico is striking from the bottom but Sonnen uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rico has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rico makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rico.
Rico throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sonnen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sonnen trying to control but Rico is working from the bottom.
Sonnen advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen tries for a kimura but Rico is defending well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rico is looking to regain half guard here but Sonnen keeps moving and retains side control.
Rico is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Sonnen off and has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rico misses with an elbow to the head.
Rico doesn't have the hooks in and Sonnen manages to turn into his guard.
Rico wants to sweep but no luck.
Rico is looking to sweep but instead, Sonnen has passed into half guard.
Rico gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sonnen is one step ahead there.
Sonnen passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Sonnen scoring with punches and elbows.
Sonnen working the ground and pound from side control.
Rico throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rico to see if he's OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sonnen scoring with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Sonnen.
Rico prevents Sonnen from moving into mount.
Sonnen scores with punches from side control.
Rico gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rico flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sonnen is trying to control. Rico wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Rico tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rico missing with punches from the bottom.
Rico is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sonnen closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rico quickly recovers to half guard.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rico manages to get to full guard.
Rico throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rico is on top in guard.
Rico postures up in Sonnen's guard and throws a big left but Sonnen blocks it.
Sonnen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rico with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rico throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rico trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.
Rico in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sonnen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rico working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rico scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rico throwing strikes from guard but Sonnen blocks nicely.
Rico postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rico with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sonnen is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sonnen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rico in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Chael Sonnen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two 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.
Rico throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sonnen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rico.
Rico postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sonnen on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Sonnen tries to get out of the position.
Sonnen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rico wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.
Sonnen wants to sweep but no luck.
Sonnen bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rico's guard.
Rico tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sonnen landing some decent shots from guard.
Sonnen postures up and lands a big shot to Rico's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen looking to pass the guard.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rico throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Sonnen has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Sonnen pushing down on Rico's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sonnen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sonnen is thwarting Rico's attempts to control the position.
Sonnen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sonnen working Rico over with strikes.
Sonnen looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico missing with punches from the bottom.
Rico punching from the bottom.
Rico is breathing heavily.
Sonnen working the head and body with strikes.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen wants to take a breather but Rico is having none of it.
Rico misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Rico has hold of Sonnen's hands but Sonnen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rico is not content to let Sonnen control the position.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sonnen is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rico sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Rico gets a takedown into half guard.
Sonnen trying to control from the bottom.
Rico thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sonnen's head.
Sonnen is looking for a sweep. Rico is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rico trying to control from half guard but Sonnen is working away.
Rico thows a huge punch but Sonnen dodges it nicely.
Sonnen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rico.
Sonnen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Sonnen.
Sonnen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rico accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rico lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rico stops Sonnen from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rico throwing strikes but missing.
Rico working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rico throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sonnen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rico postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rico throwing strikes from guard but Sonnen blocks nicely.
Rico loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rico stopping the sweep attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen is pulling down on Rico's head. It's preventing any offense from Rico, at least for the moment.
Rico throws a big right hand that misses.
Rico throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sonnen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rico.
Rico wants to control from the top but Sonnen keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sonnen controls Rico momentarily but Rico frees himself.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rico trying to control but Sonnen is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Rico shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rico was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rico wants to control the pace but Sonnen is squirming around nicely.
Rico lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sonnen blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rico lands a nice shot to the head.
Rico thowing shots but they're missing.
Rico raining down hammerfists from mount.
Rico thowing shots but they're missing.
Rico wants to control the pace but Sonnen is squirming around nicely.
Johnny Rico has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonnen is trying to escape the mount.
Sonnen holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Rico tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Rico comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sonnen 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonnen!