PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stanley Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Ricard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Graves
vs
Ricard

177 cm
20
197 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

184 cm
23
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great low kicks
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Stanley Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Frank Ricard!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graves defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ricard.
Graves connects with a solid leg kick.
Graves feints and then cracks Ricard's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ricard down.
Graves misses with a leg kick

and Ricard counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Graves's guard now.
Ricard postures up.
Ricard wants to control from the top but Graves keeps moving.
Graves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ricard on the ground.
Ricard throwing strikes from guard but Graves blocks nicely.
Graves is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ricard won't allow Graves to sweep him here.
Ricard sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Graves's guard.
Graves is looking to get back to full guard here but Ricard has managed to pass to side control instead.
Ricard trying to control the action but Graves is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves defending against the ground and pound.
An elbow from Ricard crashes against the mat.
Ricard throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ricard misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Ricard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Graves takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Graves is looking to reverse the position.
Ricard landing strikes.
Ricard trying to control the action but Graves is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ricard scores with a couple of short elbows.
Ricard in side control lands a decent elbow.
Ricard tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Graves takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Ricard tries to score with some ground and pound. Graves controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Ricard landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

Ricard decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Graves misses.
Graves throws a front kick aimed at Ricard's knee but Ricard avoids it well.
Ricard on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Graves misses with a kick to the body

and Ricard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ricard.
Ricard tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ricard looks gassed!
Graves wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Graves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Ricard clinches up with Graves and pushes him back against the cage.
Graves wants to break free but Ricard has control.
Graves wants to get back to striking at distance but Ricard won't allow it.
Graves looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Graves is trying to break the clinch but Ricard is controlling him.
Ricard drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stanley Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Ricard.
Ricard blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ricard is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Graves pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Graves trying to stall but Ricard improves his position.
Ricard tries for a takedown but Graves manages to get underhooks.
Ricard can't get the takedown.
Graves looking to throw knees to the head but Ricard is blocking nicely.
Graves tries to circle away but Ricard has him pinned against the cage.
Graves throws an elbow but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Ricard has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Graves avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Ricard prevents Graves from breaking the clinch.
Ricard goes for a takedown attempt but Graves pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Graves connects with an inside leg kick.
Graves misses with a low kick as Ricard jumps back.
Graves scores with a push kick.
Graves thumps Ricard with a low kick.
Graves throws a quick inside leg kick.
Graves looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Graves pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Graves thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ricard if he has to take too many more of those.
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!
Ricard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Graves. Graves obviously looking to wear him down.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ricard avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
No luck for Ricard with that takedown attempt.
Graves lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ricard's sensitive parts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Stanley Graves will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Graves connects with a solid leg kick.
Graves throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Graves chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Graves is looking to score with low kicks.
Graves leaves Ricard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Frank Ricard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Graves lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ricard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Graves. Graves obviously looking to wear him down.
Graves scores with a leg kick.
Ricard's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Graves moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Graves is looking to slow Ricard down with leg kicks.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Graves throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Frank Ricard has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Graves chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Graves connects with a solid leg kick.
Graves throws a low kick but Ricard moves out of range easily.
Ricard takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
An inside leg kick from Graves misses.
Stanley Graves is winning the standup battle so far.
Graves scores with a leg kick.
Ricard is breathing heavily.
Ricard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Graves. Graves obviously looking to wear him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ricard steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Graves. That one must have hurt.
Graves cracks the inside of Ricard's front leg.
Graves buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Graves scores with a kick to the body.
Graves thumps Ricard with a low kick.
Graves goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Graves throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ricard.
Graves lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Graves throws a nice inside leg kick.
Graves fakes the leg kick and cracks Ricard in the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ricard avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Graves throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Good leg kick by Graves there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Good leg kick by Graves there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ricard blocks a low kick nicely.
Graves scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves misses with a low kick.
Graves lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Graves scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Graves misses with a leg kick.

Ricard shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ricard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Graves's head.
Graves is looking for a sweep. Ricard is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Graves on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Graves tries to get out of the position.
Ricard thows a huge punch but Graves dodges it nicely.
Ricard working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ricard misses with a head shot. Graves uses the momentum to regain guard.
Ricard is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricard works over Graves with some ground and pound from guard.
Ricard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Graves is keeping the position for now.
Ricard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ricard throwing strikes but missing.
Ricard with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four 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.
Ricard preventing the sweep.
Ricard passes into half guard.
Graves won't allow Ricard to pass to mount.
Ricard seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ricard scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stanley Graves dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Frank Ricard's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ricard shoots in and gets a takedown into Graves's guard.
Ricard scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ricard is stalling in the full guard.
Ricard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ricard won't allow Graves to get back to his feet.
Ricard chips away with some ground and pound.
Ricard lands a couple of elbows.
Ricard advances position into side control!
Graves tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ricard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ricard works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Graves takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Ricard working the ground and pound but Graves is defending the strikes.

Ricard looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ricard sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Graves is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Stanley Graves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ricard decides to stand back up.

Ricard shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Graves is trying to defend but Ricard finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Ricard stands up and beckons Graves to join him on the feet.
Graves fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Ricard shoots in but no luck this time.
Graves scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Ricard takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Graves misses with a low kick.
Graves throws a leg kick which misses Ricard's front leg but catches the back leg as Ricard tries to avoid it.
Ricard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Graves swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Graves throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Graves throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Ricard takes the fight into the clinch.
Ricard blocks a body shot from Graves.
Ricard tries to pull guard but Graves won't allow it.
Graves throws a head punch that misses.
Graves is trying to break the clinch but Ricard is controlling him.
Ricard looking for a takedown.
Stanley Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Ricard.
Graves working hard to break the clinch.
Graves wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ricard has him pressed against the cage.
Graves pushes off an throws an elbow but Ricard leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ricard tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ricard has Graves pressed against the cage, preventing Graves from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Graves missing with knees to the body.
Ricard goes for a takedown attempt but Graves pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Graves throws a low kick but Ricard avoids it.
Graves throws a head kick but Ricard moves out of range.
Graves throws a front kick aimed at Ricard's knee but Ricard avoids it well.
Nice body kick there by Graves.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Graves, right into the meat.
Graves feints and then cracks Ricard's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ricard down.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Graves, right into the meat.
A nice leg kick lands there from Graves.
Graves throws a chopping leg kick but Ricard manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Frank Ricard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graves scoring well with a low kick there.
Graves lands with a kick to the ribs.
Graves thows a body kick. Ricard tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Graves throws out a leg kick but Ricard moves out of range and Graves only half commits.
Ricard tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Graves lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Ricard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Graves 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Stanley Graves!