PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Vatali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barry Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Barry Richards enters the cage!

Vatali
vs
Richards

188 cm
19
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Team S.W.A.T.

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Vatali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Barry Richards!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Steve Montenegro and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richards will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Vatali shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vatali was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Richards really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Vatali looking to ground and pound but Richards is blocking nicely.
Vatali punching from mount but Richards doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Vatali with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Vatali thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Vatali is working for a guillotine from mount but Richards frees his head quite easily.
Vatali looking to finish Richards with some ground and pound. This is bad for Richards!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatali misses with a head shot.

Vatali is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Richards is surviving well by controlling Vatali's body position as best he can.
Richards is in a horrible position here. Vatali smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Vatali avoids the attempt from Richards to control.
Richards taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vatali landing shots from mount.
Vatali looking to ground and pound but Richards is blocking nicely.
Vatali scoring with strikes but Richards is staying in there.

Vatali jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Richards manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Richards on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Vatali thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Vatali wants to control but Richards is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vatali swings around for an armbar but Richards sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Vatali's guard.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Vatali is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richards preventing the sweep.

Richards stands and steps away. Vatali gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Richards swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vatali fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Vatali shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vatali misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Vatali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vatali fails to land the takedown.
Vatali is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards cracks a nice hook into Vatali's ribs.
Richards throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vatali stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

Vatali closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vatali lands in his opponent's guard.
Vatali stops Richards from standing up.
Vatali postures up in Richards's guard and throws a big left but Richards blocks it.
Vatali stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richards swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Vatali dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Richards looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Vatali looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vatali lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Vatali stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richards swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vatali scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Richards is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vatali throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Richards is breathing heavily.

Vatali postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Richards is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Vatali, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatali trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Vatali is looking to sweep but instead, Richards has passed into half guard.
Vatali gets full guard.

Vatali working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Richards has passed into half guard!
Vatali tries to get to full guard but Richards has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vatali is pressing down on Richards's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Richards preventing the sweep.
Vatali is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatali bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Richards's guard.
Vatali stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richards swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Richards working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vatali.
Vatali lands a couple of elbows.
Vatali pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Richards is keeping the position for now.
Vatali sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Richards's guard.
Vatali works his way into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Richards manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Richards is trying to maintain the position but Vatali is very close to passing his half guard.
Vatali 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.
Richards tries to roll over but Vatali keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vatali thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Vatali dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Vatali moves into range and clinches up with Richards.
Vatali misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right handed body shot lands from Vatali.
Vatali changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Richards fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Vatali shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Richards but Richards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Joe Vatali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vatali connects with a nice looking jab.
Richards lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Richards.

It looks like Joe Vatali has been cut.
Joe Vatali seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vatali fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vatali fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Vatali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vatali takes a jab right on the kisser.
Richards throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Vatali on the side of the head.

Vatali is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards connects with a nice cross there... Vatali is looking wobbly and Richards recognises it - he's rushed in and lands two more brutal shots that send Vatali to the canvas, out cold! A brutal finish to the fight - Richards jumps onto the cage to celebrate with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:06 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Barry Richards!