PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Mike Richards has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Richards
vs
Liddell

175 cm
22
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kurt Liddell!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Richards or perhaps it was just good defense by Liddell which made him look bad.
Liddell with a lazy takedown attempt

and Richards counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Richards.
Liddell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Liddell is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Richards pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Liddell is keeping the position for now.
Liddell 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.
Richards wants to control from the top but Liddell keeps moving.
Richards is looking to stand up but Liddell won't let him.
Liddell throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Liddell working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Liddell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice body kick from Richards.
Richards shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Liddell as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Richards tries to close the distance and clinch but Liddell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Liddell drives through with a takedown into guard.
Richards is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards 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.
Liddell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Richards's head.

Liddell gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Liddell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Liddell fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Richards sprawls well initially but Liddell persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Richards is looking to improve his position.
Liddell with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Liddell landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Liddell is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Liddell is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Liddell working the head and body with strikes.
Liddell lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Liddell works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liddell has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Richards's face.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards tries to hold on but Liddell pushes him away.
Richards is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Richards is trying to escape the mount.
Liddell landing strikes, looking to finish!
Richards really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Richards tries to hold on but Liddell pushes him away.
Liddell prevents Richards from getting the reversal.
Liddell working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Richards is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Liddell content just to control the position here.
Liddell landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
A nice elbow there by Liddell.
Liddell dominating with strikes here.
Richards tries to hold on but Liddell pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Liddell cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Liddell lands a heavy elbow.
Richards in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Richards is trying to escape the mount.
Liddell in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Richards wants to hold on but Liddell pushes him away.
Liddell fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Liddell is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Liddell working Richards over with strikes here.
Liddell takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Liddell landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Liddell trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Liddell is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Richards can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Richards wants to hold on but Liddell pushes him away.
Liddell with the ground and pound from mount.
Richards in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Liddell scoring with strikes but Richards is staying in there.
Liddell takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Liddell prevents Richards from getting the reversal.
Liddell lands a heavy elbow.

It looks like Mike Richards has been cut.
Liddell landing strikes from the mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Richards tries to lock up and control but Liddell gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Liddell putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Liddell has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Richards's face.

Richards is rocked!

Mike Richards's cut is getting worse.
Liddell unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Liddell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Richards's cut.
That's time! Richards's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Liddell closes the distance looking for a takedown. Richards stuffs it but Liddell still has hold of him. Liddell picks Richards up in a fireman's lift! The crowd roars in approval. Liddell slams Richards to the floor and that's really hurt Richards - he doesn't know where he is! Liddell throws a couple of strikes and the referee steps in to save him! This one is in the books!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kurt Liddell!