PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Riccardo Toma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bill Clinton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Toma
vs
Clinton

179 cm
18
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent MT
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Riccardo Toma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bill Clinton!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toma throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Clinton looking to score a takedown here. Toma is defending well but Clinton drives through and ends up in Toma's guard.
Clinton slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Toma could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Clinton's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bill Clinton wasn't active enough on the ground.

Clinton clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toma goes for a takedown in the clinch but Clinton prevents it.
Clinton is pressed up against the cage. Toma has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Clinton down to the mat. Clinton avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Toma throws the left hand but Clinton avoids the punch easily.
Toma loads up on a big right hand but Clinton slips the punch.
Clinton tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Toma ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Clinton moves away.

Clinton manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Toma on his heels. He'll look to pass Toma's guard now, I'm sure.
Clinton trying to control the position from guard on top but Toma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Toma being controlled here, momentarily.
Clinton trying to control the position from guard on top but Toma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clinton is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Bill Clinton hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Clinton blocks the body kick.

Clinton scores with a takedown into Toma's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Clinton is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Clinton trying to control but Toma is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Clinton content to stall in guard here.

Bill Clinton has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Clinton.
Toma is pushing Clinton's head away, looking to escape. Clinton manages to hold on to the position though.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Toma is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Clinton is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clinton remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Clinton trying to control the position but Toma is working away.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bill Clinton.
Toma throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toma thows a body shot but no joy.

Clinton rushes Toma and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Toma wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Clinton has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Clinton dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Clinton gets tackled into the cage by Toma. Toma maintains the clinch.
Toma with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Clinton tries to break free but Toma pushes him back against the cage.
Clinton is trying to break the clinch but Toma has him pressed against the cage.
Toma using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Clinton. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Toma misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clinton.
Toma looking to slow down the pace here.
Toma misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clinton.
Clinton looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Toma is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Toma creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clinton blocks the elbow strike.
Clinton trying to control the position but instead, Toma has worked for underhooks and has pushed Clinton into the cage.
Toma tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Toma tries to break free but Clinton pushes him back against the cage.
Toma throws an elbow that misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Toma has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Clinton is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toma tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Clinton avoids it.
Toma stops a takedown attempt from Clinton.
Toma is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Clinton is keeping busy.
Toma tries for a takedown but Clinton manages to get underhooks.
Toma creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Toma with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Toma misses with an elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Toma throws an elbow but misses.
Toma drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Riccardo Toma. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toma looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toma tries for a takedown but Clinton manages to get underhooks.
Toma wants to stall.
Toma can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Clinton tries for a takedown. No joy.
Clinton taking a breather.
Toma is working for takedown but Clinton is calmly controlling the position for now.
Toma is trying to break the clinch but Clinton has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toma looking to stall.
Clinton trying to control the position but instead, Toma has worked for underhooks and has pushed Clinton into the cage.
Toma looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Clinton blocks the elbow strike.
Clinton jumps guard but Toma stands there with Clinton around his waist. Clinton gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Toma keeps control of Clinton as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riccardo Toma dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A punch combination from Clinton misses.
Clinton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Clinton closes the distance and clinches.
Clinton avoids the elbow strike from Toma, against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Toma misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clinton.
Toma tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Clinton blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Clinton tries for a takedown but Toma manages to get underhooks.
Toma has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Clinton is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Clinton trying to stall but Toma improves his position.
Clinton blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toma taking a breather.
Toma looking for a takedown.
Riccardo Toma has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Clinton avoiding damage as Toma throws knees to the body.
Toma missing with knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Toma throws an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Toma just misses with a elbow thrown towards Clinton's brow.
Clinton blocks an elbow strike from Toma.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Clinton avoids the elbow strike from Toma, against the cage.
Toma pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Toma breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Clinton shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Clinton was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Clinton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Clinton won't let Toma get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toma is squirming around, avoiding Clinton's attempts to control the action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Clinton sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Bill Clinton has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Clinton changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Toma looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Clinton trying to control the action but Toma is working from the bottom.
Bill Clinton has got the better of the ground game so far.
Toma pushes Clinton away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Clinton gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clinton slows the pace down.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bill Clinton.
Toma throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Clinton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Clinton has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Clinton!