PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ben Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tico Mia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards comes to the cage accompanied by This Fire Burns. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Richards
vs
Mia

186 cm
24
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ben Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tico Mia!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Richards gets caught flat footed, as Mia shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Richards wants to sweep here but Mia controlling him for the moment.
Mia tries to free his leg and advance position but Richards is retaining full guard.
Mia in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mia controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mia looking to pass the guard.
Mia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tico Mia was stalling too much, according to the referee.
A right-left combo lands from Richards.
Richards keeps the fight on the outside.
Mia fails with a takedown attempt.
Mia walks into a stiff left hand from Richards.
Mia pivots, looking for a leg kick but Richards is out of range and Mia settles back down.
Mia tries to clinch there but Richards circles away.
Mia closes this distance looking for a takedown but Richards circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to close the distance and clinch but Mia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mia doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Mia will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mia throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Richards's waist but Richards gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mia off to one side.
Ben Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tico Mia.
Richards works the jab nicely.
Richards lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mia backs up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Mia shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mia thows a huge punch but Richards dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Richards is defending against the submission attempts here by Mia.

Mia is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Mia is trying to control. Richards wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Richards tries to kick Mia off but Mia keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mia stalling.

Mia is working for a kimura but Richards is defending it quite comfortably.
Richards knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mia on the ground.
Mia throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tico Mia dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Richards connects with a body shot that sends Mia's belly button to the back.
Richards lands a jab to Mia's midsection.
Richards throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sloppy strikes from Mia. Those never looked like landing.
Richards wants to clinch.
Richards misses with the combination.

Mia drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Mia tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mia is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Richards is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Mia in side control, throwing shots but Richards defends.
Richards avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Richards looking for a sweep but Mia has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Richards tries to hold on but Mia pushes him away.

Mia looking for a guillotine from mount but Richards is having none of it.
Mia with the ground and pound from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Mia has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Mia lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Mia looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Mia postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Richards looks a forlorn figure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mia with a couple of short strikes.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mia controlling from mount.
Tico Mia has got the better of the ground game so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tico Mia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Richards tries to avoid it but Mia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Richards to the ground. Richards escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Richards showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mia.
Richards feints and then cracks Mia's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Mia down.
Tico Mia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mia dives in and grabs Richards's left leg, looking for a takedown. Richards pushes down on Mia's head and hops out.
Richards misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Richards circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mia takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Richards connects with a good right hand that stumbles Mia. Mia circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Mia throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards tries to bum rush Mia with a series of wild strikes but Mia uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Richards's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Richards duly obliges.

Mia is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Richards's half guard.
Still in half guard, Mia seems content to control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Richards is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mia content to control rather than advance.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tico Mia wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mia just misses with a punch to the body.
Richards fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mia wants to clinch up but Richards keeps it at a distance.
Mia fails to land the takedown.
Ben Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tico Mia.

Mia takes the fight into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mia is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Richards gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Richards as the two fighters clinch.

Richards breaks from the clinch.
Richards swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Mia counters with a shoot takedown. Richards fights it but they end up in guard.
Richards is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Mia dives into side control.

Mia decides to stand back up.
Richards tries to clinch there but Mia circles away.
Richards fails with a takedown attempt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Mia.
Ben Richards has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Richards tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Mia lands a big elbow.
Mia cracks Richards with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mia with shots to the head and body - Richards looks very uncomfortable down there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tico Mia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mia winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tico Mia!