PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manuel Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Allen Ivory (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manuel Rico could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Allen Ivory's chin.

Rico
vs
Ivory

190 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
19
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 Rio de Janeiro, Manuel Rico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Allen Ivory!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rico wants to clinch.

Rico looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rico trying to control but Ivory is working from the bottom.

Ivory looking for a guillotine here but Rico defends easily.
Rico slips nicely into half guard.
Ivory tries to get to full guard but Rico has control of the leg.
Ivory punching from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico is keen to just control but Ivory is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivory trying to control from the bottom.
Ivory tries to kick Rico off but Rico keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rico sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rico slips a nice elbow through Ivory's hands, connecting with Ivory's forehead.
Rico is looking to advance position but Ivory won't allow it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rico looks for the body kick but Ivory saw that one coming.

Rico has managed to clinch.

Rico pulls guard.
Ivory must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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.
Rico is trying to control the position but Ivory postures up.
Ivory works over Rico with some ground and pound from guard.
Rico controls Ivory momentarily but Ivory frees himself.
Ivory looking to pass the guard.
Ivory is looking to stand up but Rico won't let him.
Ivory looks gassed!
Rico wants to sweep but no luck.
Rico is trying to keep Ivory in close.
Rico is looking to sweep but instead, Ivory has passed into half guard.

Rico makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivory misses with a few strikes there.

Rico fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ivory sprawls well initially but Rico persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ivory won't allow Rico to pass to mount.
Rico looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ivory with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rico moves nicely into side control.
Rico landing strikes.
Rico landing strikes.
Ivory tries to buck Rico off but Rico is having none of it.
Rico moves into full mount!
Rico 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.
Rico controlling his opponent.

Rico working for a submission but Ivory is keeping him at bay.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivory tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rico punishing his opponent with strikes.
Rico sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Ivory defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rico.
Ivory is trying desperately to improve position.
Rico trying to control but Ivory is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rico fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ivory keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Good leg kick by Ivory there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ivory is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rico looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rico fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manuel Rico. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ivory tries to close the distance and clinch but Rico swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Manuel Rico is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivory misses with a takedown

and Rico counters with a single leg into guard. Ivory didn't expect that.

Rico gets to his feet. Ivory looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Ivory looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rico wants to control but Ivory is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Ivory.
Ivory is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rico!
Ivory scoring with strikes but Rico is staying in there.
Ivory sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Ivory is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rico has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Ivory lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rico is squirming around, avoiding Ivory's attempts to control the action.
Rico wants to hold on but Ivory pushes him away.

Ivory has control of Rico's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rico regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rico is trying to escape the mount.

Ivory stands up from mount. Strange move.
Ivory misses with a takedown

and Rico counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rico is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ivory throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Rico working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Ivory working for submissions but it's allowed Rico to get to half guard.
Rico is tying to control. Ivory wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Rico wants to work for an arm triangle but Ivory is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ivory trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Rico manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rico tries to control but Ivory wriggling away.
Rico raining down shots from the mount!
Ivory throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Rico looking to secure an arm triangle but Ivory defends it well.
Rico lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Manuel Rico overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice elbow there by Rico.

Rico is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Rico fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Manuel Rico will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ivory with a lazy takedown attempt

so Rico counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rico wants to stand but Ivory has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Ivory is looking for a triangle but Rico pushes his legs off easily.
Rico wants to control from the top but Ivory keeps moving.

Ivory has his foot on Rico's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rico works his way back into a safe position though.
Rico is looking to advance position but Ivory has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Rico is desperately trying to improve his position but Ivory has a good base and remains in mount.
Rico wants to hold on but Ivory pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ivory scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rico?
Rico keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivory wants to control the pace but Rico is squirming around nicely.
Ivory takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Ivory scores with punches from the back.

Rico defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Ivory's arms.
Ivory misses with a punch to the head.
Rico breaks Ivory's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Ivory is looking to sweep but instead, Rico has passed into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rico trying to control from half guard but Ivory is working away.
Ivory wants to get back to full guard.
Ivory is looking to control Rico's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ivory avoid being mounted?
Ivory blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rico.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rico gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ivory decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rico's guard.

Ivory gets to his feet. Rico looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rico rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ivory counters with a series of strikes. Rico will be more careful next time no doubt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rico.
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!

Rico stands up and beckons Ivory to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico swinging wilding here.
Ivory misses with a takedown attempt

and Rico counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rico has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rico cracks Ivory with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Rico looking to control but Ivory is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Rico gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Allen Ivory seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rico closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ivory to the mat! Ivory manages to get full guard.
Rico trying to control the position from guard on top but Ivory is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Allen Ivory has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rico won't allow Ivory to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico is stalling in the full guard.

Rico decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Ivory, up you get!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rico looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rico changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ivory looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ivory is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Ivory is rocked!
Ivory is trying to control Rico's posture but Rico avoids it.
Rico has knee on belly and moves into mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rico punishing his opponent with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manuel Rico showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rico, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manuel Rico!