PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Ponting (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Aries (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Ponting
vs
Aries

170 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

173 cm
25
167 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ricky Ponting!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Austin Aries!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, John Mangel and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Aries shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Aries is stalling here. Ponting is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Aries seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ponting has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Aries struggling a bit here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Aries can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ponting landing strikes.
Aries is trying to buck Ponting off.
Ponting misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Ponting throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Aries really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ponting. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ponting taking a breather here.
Ponting is looking to take a break and control but Aries is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ponting is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Aries knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Aries is looking to regain half guard here but Ponting keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ponting in side control lands a decent elbow.
Ponting wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aries keeps working.
Ponting lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponting scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aries to see if he's OK.
Ponting throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ponting misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Aries dodges the ground and pound from Ponting.
Aries takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
You can see the frustration on Aries's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ponting lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Aries tries to buck Ponting off but Ponting is having none of it.
Ponting scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Aries to see if he's OK.
Ponting working away.
Aries tries to bench press Ponting off him but Ponting keeps the position.
Ponting working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponting is working Aries over with some ground and pound from side control.
You can see the frustration on Aries's face as Ponting controls the position.
Aries tries to bench press Ponting off him but Ponting keeps the position.
Ponting controlling from side mount.

Ponting is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Aries has escaped the position, nice work there.
Ponting fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Ponting postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Aries is trying to get back to half guard.
Ponting works to advance to full mount. Aries defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponting connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Ponting working the ground and pound effectively.
Aries taking shots to the head.
Ponting lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ponting 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.

Ponting is working for a guillotine from mount but Aries frees his head quite easily.
Ponting lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Aries is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Aries is bucking up trying to escape but Ponting cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Aries in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ponting dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ponting swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Aries counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ponting!
Aries wants to take Ponting's back but he can't do it this time.
Aries misses with a head shot.
Ponting regains half guard.
Aries wants to free his trapped foot but Ponting is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Ricky Ponting overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Aries trying to control from Ponting's half guard. Ponting has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Aries looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponting tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Aries looking to pass the guard.
Aries is looking to stand up but Ponting won't let him.
Ponting has control of Aries's left arm, preventing Aries from doing any damage.
Aries is looking to stand up but Ponting won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ponting controls Aries momentarily but Aries frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ricky Ponting.
Ponting misses with a hook

and Aries counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Aries.
Aries trying to control the position from guard on top but Ponting is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aries postures up in Ponting's guard and throws a big left but Ponting blocks it.
Ponting not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Aries throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ponting has Aries pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aries looking to sit in guard and control but Ponting gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ponting content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Aries working a defensive guard here.
Ponting is pushing down on Aries's leg trying to pass to half guard. Aries is fighting to maintain full guard but Ponting has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ponting stops Aries from getting back to his feet.
Ponting looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Aries with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ponting in particular looking to stall.
Ponting is thwarting Aries's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponting missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ponting not doing much here.
Ponting sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Aries defending well though.
Ponting thows a huge punch but Aries dodges it nicely.
Aries is trying to get back to full guard.
Aries pushes Ponting off looking to stand but Ponting dives back in and keeps control.
Ponting is looking to take a break and control but Aries is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Aries showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ponting connects with a body shot.
A right-left combo lands from Ponting.
Ponting throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Aries counters with a shoot takedown. Ponting fights it but they end up in guard.

Ponting looking for a triangle here. Aries is fighting it but it looks tight! Ponting pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Aries is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Ricky Ponting!