PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Ross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Ford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Ford has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ricky Ross's chin.

Ross
vs
Ford

200 cm
25
285 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

190 cm
24
265 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

PhoQus Sports Nutrition and Fund Transfer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ricky Ross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Ford!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ross misses with a head kick.
A swing and a miss from Ross.
Ford ducks under a wild hook from Ross.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Ross and Ford goes tumbling to the canvas! Ross follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.

It looks like James Ford has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ross thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ford's head.
Ford blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ross.
Ford keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ross throwing shots but Ford is blocking nicely.
Ford regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Ross.
Ross trying to control the position from guard on top but Ford is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ross keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ford's head.
Ross 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ford not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ross trying to control but Ford is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ross scoring with some ground and pound.
Ross working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ford's head.
Ford looking for a sweep. Not yet Ford, not yet.
Ross throws and elbow that misses. Ford uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ross's guard. Nice move by Ford!
Ford slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ford throws a strike aimed at the side of Ross's head but Ross avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ford stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Ford blocks a jab.
Ford cracks Ross with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ford keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ross scores with a crisp jab that stopped Ford in his tracks.
Ross tries a head kick but it misses.
Jab, jab by Ross - just one landing.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ross tries to sprawl but Ford drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ross manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ross trying to keep a closed guard but Ford is proving a slippery customer.

Ross working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ford doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ford manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ross wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ford throwing strikes but missing.
Ford throws a strike but Ross rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Ross throwing strikes from guard but Ford blocks nicely.
Ross pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ford is keeping the position for now.

That's four 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.
Ross makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ross postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ross trying to control but Ford is working from the bottom.
Ross thows a big elbow that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ford keeping full guard, as Ross tries to pass.
Ross with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ross dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Ford's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ford keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ross.
Ross bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ford wants to clinch.
Ricky Ross is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ford slips a jab and a cross from Ross.
Ross takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ford rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ross moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ross throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ford is looking to score with low kicks.
James Ford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ross looks to land a right hand but Ford moved out of range.
Ford shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ross as he jumps to the side.
Ross takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ross blocks a jab.
Ford lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Ford throws a sloppy head kick and Ross moves out of range easily.
Ross shoots in for a takedown but Ford shows good takedown defense.
Ford smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Ross takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Ross misses with a hook.
Ross shoots in and drives through. Ford sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab from Ford.

Ford moves into the clinch.

Ford manages to break the clinch.
Ford lands with a nice combination. Ross backs away looking to recover.
Ross fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Ross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ross takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Nice straight punches there by Ford. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ford.
Ford lands with an uppercut that bounces Ross off the cage and back into rage.
Ford scores with a hook.
Ford rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ross moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ford walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ford pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ford uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Ross ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ford swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ford scores with a nice strike.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Danga de danga de dang - Ford scores with a four punch combination!
Ford uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ross.
Ford throws a good cross that connects.
Ford lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ross throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ross avoids the head kick by Ford.
Ford feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ross's calf.
Ford lands a jab to Ross's midsection.
Ford scores with a one two! Ross had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
James Ford seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Ford instigates a clinch.
Ross tries for a takedown but Ford manages to get underhooks.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ross.

Ford manages to break the clinch.
Ross throws a jab when Ford was well out of range.
Ross gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Ford works over Ross's head and body with a nice combination.
Ford throws a combination. Ross tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Ross is rocked!
The fighters circling - Ross throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ford thuds his right hand into Ross's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Jab from Ford.
Oh Ross is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ford lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ross moves forwards but Ford connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Ross is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ford fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Ross avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ross on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Ford.
Ross seems to have got his legs back now.
Ford scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Ford closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ross to the mat! Ross manages to get full guard.
Ford distracts Ross with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Ford thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Ford drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Ross dives on top into guard.
Ross throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ford wants to stand and escape but Ross is having none of it.
Ross looking to sit in guard and control but Ford gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ross tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ford trying to control the position from guard on top but Ross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ford keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Ross's head.
Ross working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ford.
Ford trying to control the position from guard on top but Ross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ross utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ross looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Ford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on James Ford's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Ross fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ford wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ross shoots and misses
and Ford counters with a stiff right hand.
Ross takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Ross misses with a few strikes there.
Ross looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Ford clinches.
Ross throws a head punch that misses.
Ross scores with a shot to the side of Ford's head.

Ford jumps guard.
Ross being controlled here momentarily.
Ford is trying to control the position but Ross postures up.
Ross with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ross connects with a couple of short punches.
Ross throws and elbow that misses. Ford uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ross's guard. Nice move by Ford!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ford throwing strikes but missing.
Ford throws a big right hand that misses.
Ford loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ford thows a big elbow that misses.
Ross working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ford.
Ford connects with a couple of short punches.

Ross has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ford can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ford 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.

Ross is working an open guard so Ford takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ford listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ford looks to throw the jab but Ross is out of range.
A big right from Ford misses.
A shot to the liver by Ross. Beautiful body shot.
Ford takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ross shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Ross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ross throws a head kick but Ford moves out of range.
Ross lands a really nice looking cross but Ford seems unphased.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ross.
Ford staying out of range there.
Ford uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ross.
Ford cracks Ross with a good jab.
Ford lands with a cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ross misses with a head kick.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ford.
Ford lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Ross takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Ross shoots and misses
and Ford cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ross paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ford slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Ross. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

Ford closes the distance and clinches.
Ford lands with a short shot to the head.
Ford lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Ross doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Ford breaks the clinch.
Ford takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Ford scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ross doesn't seem bothered though.
Ross throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Ross pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ford lands a jab to the nose.
Ford lands with a kick to the temple. Ross shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Ross walks into a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ross takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ford lands a body shot.
Ross avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ford looks to land a combination. Ross sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A slow jab from Ross misses its intended target.
Good standup being displayed there by Ford as he connects with a hook.
Ford connects with a solid leg kick.
Ross needs to keep his hands up - Ford had a free shot at his head there.
Ford lands with a nice combination. Ross backs away looking to recover.
A punch lands to the side of Ford 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ford.
Ford closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Ross throws a body kick that misses.
Ford is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ford looks to land a combination but Ross avoids it well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ford connects with a right hand. Ross shakes it off.
Ross fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ford walks into a jab.
Ford misses with a series of wild punches.
No joy there for Ford, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Ford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ford has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Ford!