PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mark Deeney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rico Riccio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Deeney kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is When We Ride. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Deeney
vs
Riccio

173 cm
22
162 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

177 cm
27
155 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mark Deeney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rico Riccio!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Deeney pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Riccio looks to clinch
and Deeney counters with a thumping low kick.
Riccio is looking to clinch.
Deeney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Riccio clinches up against the cage.
Riccio misses with a knee strike.
Riccio lands a nice elbow.
Deeney wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Riccio leaning his opponent against the cage.
Riccio utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Riccio throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Deeney working hard to break the clinch.
Riccio comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Deeney breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Deeney throws a lazy body kick
and Riccio counters with a nice low kick that buckles Deeney's knee momentarily.
Deeney throws a leg kick but Riccio sees it coming and moves out of range.
Riccio tries to close the distance and clinch but Deeney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Deeney misses with a head kick.
Deeney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riccio tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Deeney paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Deeney lands with a kick to the ribs.
Riccio throws a sloppy head kick and Deeney moves out of range easily.
Deeney connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Deeney throws a lazy body kick
and Riccio counters with a nice leg kick.
A head kick misses from Deeney.
Riccio tries to clinch but Deeney is having none of it.
Riccio avoids the head kick by Deeney.
Deeney tried to score with a low kick but Riccio checks it.
Deeney throws a body kick that misses.
Deeney gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Riccio counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riccio unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Riccio prevents Deeney from breaking the clinch.
Deeney blocks an elbow strike from Riccio.
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!
Riccio lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Knees to the body from Riccio.
Deeney tries a knee to the head but Riccio blocks it.
Riccio trying to stall but Deeney improves his position.
Riccio misses with an elbow over the top.

Deeney manages to break the clinch.
Riccio doesn't manage to clinch there - Deeney circles away.
Deeney misses with a head kick.
Deeney throws a nice looking combination but Riccio bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Deeney throws a leg kick
and Riccio counters with a slapping leg kick.
A swing and a miss from Deeney.
Deeney throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riccio moves in looking to clinch but Deeney pushes him off.
Riccio connects with a leg kick. Deeney looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Deeney throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Deeney. Riccio shrugs it off though.
Riccio tries to close the distance and clinch up but Deeney swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Deeney checks a low kick from Riccio.
Deeney lands with a slapping head kick.
Riccio wants to clinch up but Deeney keeps it at a distance.
A low kick from Deeney misses
and Riccio counters with a head kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Riccio.
Riccio checks a leg kick nicely.
Riccio tries to close the distance and clinch but Deeney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Deeney pivots, looking for a leg kick but Riccio is out of range and Deeney settles back down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riccio closes the distance and pushes Deeney back into the cage.
Deeney blocks an elbow strike from Riccio.
Deeney looking to slow down the pace here.
Riccio looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Deeney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Deeney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Riccio.
Deeney misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Deeney keeps the fight on the outside.
Riccio tries to clinch but Deeney moves out of range.
Deeney misses with a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Deeney throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Riccio wants to clinch up but Deeney keeps it at a distance.
Riccio tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Riccio 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.

Riccio is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mark Deeney is winning the standup battle so far.
Riccio tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Deeney manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Deeney jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Riccio tries to clinch there but Deeney circles away.
Deeney looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Riccio is looking to slow Deeney down with leg kicks.
Riccio tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Deeney misses with a leg kick
and Riccio counters with a body kick that stops Deeney in his tracks momentarily.
Deeney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Deeney throws out a leg kick but Riccio moves out of range and Deeney only half commits.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Deeney throws a lazy body kick

and Riccio counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riccio.
Riccio creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Riccio blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riccio gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Deeney's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Deeney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Riccio.
Deeney attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Riccio has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Deeney.
A head kick misses from Deeney.
An inside leg kick lands from Deeney.

Riccio clinches.
Deeney is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Riccio is defending well for now.
Deeney is trying to maintain a safe position but Riccio gets an underhook and turns Deeney into the cage.
Riccio throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Deeney blocks it with crossed arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Deeney has had enough of the clinch but Riccio keeps him there for the moment.
Riccio misses with an elbow over the top.
Deeney is trying to break the clinch but Riccio is controlling him.

Deeney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Riccio keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Deeney.
Deeney throws a wild body kick that Riccio sees coming a mile off.
Deeney throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Riccio slips a straight right by Deeney.
Deeney looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Deeney throws a leg kick that is checked

and Riccio counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Riccio.

Deeney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Deeney circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riccio wants to clinch up but Deeney keeps it at a distance.
Riccio tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Deeney manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Deeney circles away from the clinch attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Deeney takes an elbow to the forehead.
Deeney tries a knee to the head but Riccio blocks it.
Riccio missing with knees to the body.
Deeney looking to throw knees to the head but Riccio is blocking nicely.
Riccio tries to land knees in the clinch but Deeney avoids the damage to the body.

Deeney pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Deeney throws a combination that misses
and Riccio counters with a low kick, right behind Deeney 's knee.
Deeney with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Riccio moves in looking to clinch but Deeney pushes him off.
Deeney misses with a hook
and Riccio counters with a nice leg kick.
Deeney is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
A low kick from Deeney misses

and Riccio holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Riccio creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Deeney's defenses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Deeney looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Riccio missing with knees to the body.
Riccio tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Deeney avoids it.
Deeney misses with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Riccio.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Riccio using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Deeney throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Riccio blocks it with crossed arms.
Riccio working Deeney over with knees to the body.
Riccio gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Riccio throws an elbow but it misses.
Riccio lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Deeney dodges an elbow strike from Riccio.
Riccio pressing his opponent against the cage.
Riccio missing with knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Deeney with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Deeney takes an elbow to the forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Riccio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Riccio is looking to clinch.
Riccio is looking to clinch but Deeney is avoiding it.
Deeney throws a leg kick
and Riccio counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Deeney throws a head kick but Riccio moves out of range.
Deeney on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Deeney misses with a straight right.
Deeney scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Deeney lands with a kick to the temple. Riccio shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Riccio scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Deeney throws a leg kick

and Riccio moves into the clinch.
Deeney tries to circle away but Riccio has him pinned against the cage.
Deeney is trying to break the clinch but Riccio has him pressed against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Riccio takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Riccio misses with a knee to the head.
Rico Riccio seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Deeney lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Riccio backwards.
Deeney missing with knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Riccio throws an elbow but misses.
Deeney landing knees to the head.
Deeney misses with a knee strike.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Riccio throws an elbow that misses.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Deeney as Riccio tries to tie him up.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Riccio just misses with a elbow thrown towards Deeney's brow.
Riccio throws an elbow but it misses.
Riccio has Deeney pressed against the cage, preventing Deeney from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Riccio trying to land knees to the body.
Riccio looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Deeney slows down the pace here.
Deeney with a knee to the head.
Rico Riccio is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Riccio lands an elbow just above Deeney 's eye.

Deeney manages to break the clinch.
Deeney lands a nice shot to the body.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Riccio crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Deeney - the referee stops the clock and Riccio gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Deeney. Riccio manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Deeney throws a lazy body kick
and Riccio counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Deeney looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Deeney pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mark Deeney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riccio lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
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!
Deeney throws a low kick but Riccio moves out of range easily.
Riccio is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Deeney misses with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Deeney throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Deeney swats away the attempt to clinch by Riccio.
Riccio wants to clinch up but Deeney keeps it at a distance.
Riccio connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Riccio moves out of range as Deeney throws a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Riccio. That's going to slow Deeney down.
Deeney misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Deeney throws a leg kick
and Riccio counters with a leg kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Riccio!
Mark Deeney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Riccio on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Deeney throws a sloppy head kick and Riccio moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Deeney throws a body kick the misses

and Riccio moves into the clinch.
Deeney trying to land knees to the body.
Riccio prevents Deeney from breaking the clinch.
Riccio comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Deeney tries to land a knee to the head but Riccio blocks with his arms.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Riccio.
Riccio blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Riccio keeps control of Deeney as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riccio tries to land a knee to the head but Deeney blocks with his arms.
Deeney connects with a nasty looking knee right to Riccio's face.
Deeney wants to break the clinch but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mark Deeney.
I think Riccio 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 28:29

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