PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rico Ramos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shacka Fardul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rico Ramos could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Shacka Fardul's chin.

Ramos
vs
Fardul

181 cm
26
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
26
180 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rico Ramos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Shacka Fardul!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Ryoma Takatsuka and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ramos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fardul moves to clinch but Ramos breaks away

and Ramos counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fardul won't be happy with that.
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.
Fardul is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Ramos working away.
Ramos is looking to take a break and control but Fardul is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fardul gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ramos wants to control but Fardul is keeping him busy.
Ramos performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fardul is looking for a sweep. Ramos is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramos is trying to control. Fardul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fardul tries to kick Ramos off but Ramos keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ramos is trying to control. Fardul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

We're going to have a standup here because Rico Ramos wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Fardul gets a clinch.

Ramos jumps guard and drags Fardul to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ramos manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Fardul is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ramos can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Fardul is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fardul is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Ramos trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ramos tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ramos dominating with strikes here.
Ramos unloading with bombs!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ramos has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Fardul's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramos controlling the position easily from mount.
Fardul prevents Ramos from taking his back.
Ramos looking to control but Fardul is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ramos manages to capitalize on a mistake by Fardul to take his back!

Ramos is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Fardul is defending well though. Ramos let's go of the attempt for now.
Ramos struggling to land strikes to the head as Fardul covers up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ramos controlling the position well here. Fardul rolled but Ramos kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

Fardul preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ramos.

Fardul is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fardul is trying to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Ramos dominated that round.
That's time! Ramos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ramos changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fardul tries to avoid it but Ramos manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fardul to the ground. Fardul escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Fardul gets tackled into the cage by Ramos. Ramos maintains the clinch.
Ramos controlling the action here for a moment.
Fardul wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fardul has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Fardul manages to break the clinch.
Shacka Fardul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fardul fails to land the takedown.
Ramos shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Fardul defends it nicely.
Ramos shoots and misses

and Fardul counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Ramos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ramos manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Ramos pulls guard effortlessly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramos wants to sweep here but Fardul controlling him for the moment.
Ramos working a defensive guard here.
Ramos is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ramos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ramos with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Ramos is looking to advance position but Fardul won't allow it.
Ramos throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ramos looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ramos is trying to control. Fardul wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Fardul trying to control but Ramos postures up.
Fardul slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ramos controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ramos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramos sitting in guard here, content to control.
Fardul is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ramos stopping the sweep attempt from Fardul.
Ramos looking to pass the guard.
Ramos stays in close to Fardul's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rico Ramos.

Ramos dives in and scores a takedown into Fardul's guard.
Ramos trying to control the position from guard on top but Fardul is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fardul 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.
Fardul keeping moving, preventing Ramos from controlling successfully.
Ramos working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fardul's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fardul looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ramos trying to control but Fardul is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Ramos dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ramos shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ramos.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Fardul checks a leg kick.
Fardul tries to clinch up.

Ramos is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Fardul's half guard.

Ramos is working for a submission of some sort.
Fardul controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fardul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ramos missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ramos thows a huge punch but Fardul dodges it nicely.
Ramos passes to side control.
Ramos is staying tight to Fardul's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ramos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ramos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fardul keeps working.
Ramos misses with the ground and pound.
Rico Ramos overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Ramos seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Fardul is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Fardul avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ramos.

Ramos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Fardul tries to bench press Ramos off him but Ramos keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Fardul's face as Ramos controls the position.
Shacka Fardul has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fardul is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ramos off and has taken his back!
Fardul throwing sloppy strikes.
Fardul is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Ramos up.
Fardul trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Fardul missing with punches from the back.
Ramos turns into Fardul and is now in his guard.
Fardul keeping moving, preventing Ramos from controlling successfully.
Ramos is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rico Ramos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ramos wants to control from the top but Fardul keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rico Ramos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ramos, 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rico Ramos!
In his post fight interview, Rico Ramos started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.