PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ezra Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Declan Duddy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ray
vs
Duddy

192 cm
34
181 lbs
25 - 9 - 1

190 cm
29
185 lbs
20 - 16 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 25 - 9 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ezra Ray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Declan Duddy!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Dmitry Maklakov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Duddy does no damage.
Ray keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Duddy moves out of range of the strikes.
Declan Duddy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Duddy has a takedown stuffed.
Ray swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Duddy.
Ray throws the left hand but Duddy avoids the punch easily.
Nice takedown defense from Ray. No joy for Duddy on that attempt.
Ezra Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Declan Duddy.
Duddy misses with a combination
and Ray counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duddy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ray swivels and escapes.
Duddy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ray swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ezra Ray is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ray fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Duddy manages to avoid it.
Duddy is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ray sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ray misses the shot to the body.
Duddy fails with an attempt to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Duddy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ray connects with a high kick.
Duddy shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ray defends it nicely.
Duddy throws a head kick but Ray moves out of range.
Duddy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Duddy fails with the takedown
and Ray cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duddy tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ray makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Duddy tries to close the distance and clinch but Ray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Duddy looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Duddy stopping the sweep attempt from Ray.
Duddy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ray wants to stand but Duddy is controlling the position.
Ray trying to control the position here.
Ray tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ray controlling Duddy's posture.
Duddy won't allow Ray to sweep him here.
Ray is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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 ref stands the fighters back up. Ezra Ray wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Duddy shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ray avoids the body shot from Duddy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Duddy shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Ray's guard.
Duddy trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ray trying to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezra Ray dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ray pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ray thows a body shot but no joy.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Duddy.
Ray looks for the body kick but Duddy saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Duddy shoots in for a takedown but Ray shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duddy closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Declan Duddy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ray connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Duddy's hands.
Ray connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Duddy momentarily.
Duddy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ray swivels and escapes.
Ezra Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Declan Duddy.
Duddy fails with the takedown
letting Ray counter with a right hand.
Duddy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Duddy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ray changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Duddy ducks under a wild hook from Ray.
Duddy slips under a jab from Ray.
Nice takedown defense from Ray. No joy for Duddy on that attempt.
Duddy tries to clinch up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Duddy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duddy walks forward, straight into a front kick from Ray.
Ray tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ray swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Duddy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ray circles away.
Horrible takedown by Duddy or perhaps it was just good defense by Ray which made him look bad.
Ray stuffs the takedown attempt from Duddy. Duddy gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duddy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ray circles away.
Duddy misses with a takedown attempt

and Ray counters with a head kick that drops Duddy to the mat! Duddy scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Duddy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ray keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Ray scores with the left hand. Duddy knows he should have avoided that one.

Duddy is rocked!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Duddy ducks under a wild hook from Ray.
Duddy dives in and grabs Ray's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ray pushes down on Duddy's head and hops out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezra Ray dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ray lands a nice looking body shot.
Ray wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Duddy shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ray has control of Duddy's left arm, preventing Duddy from doing any damage.
Duddy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ray has control of Duddy's left arm, preventing Duddy from doing any damage.
Duddy landing with the ground and pound.
Ray is pulling down on Duddy's head. It's preventing any offense from Duddy, at least for the moment.

Ezra Ray has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Duddy fails with the takedown
and Ray counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray throws a lazy uppercut

and Duddy counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ray!
Duddy throwing strikes here but Ray is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Ray manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Duddy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ray keeps working.
Ray regains full guard. Nicely done.
Ray wants to sweep here but Duddy controlling him for the moment.
Duddy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ray controlling Duddy's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ray looking for a sweep. Not yet Ray, not yet.

Ezra Ray has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ray stuffs the takedown.
Ray misses with a hook.
Ray fails to land with a series of punches.
Duddy shoots in but Ray avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ezra Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Declan Duddy.
Duddy shoots in but Ray avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ray throws an off balance right hand

and Duddy counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Duddy tries to free his leg and advance position but Ray is retaining full guard.
Duddy is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Duddy being controlled here momentarily.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Duddy postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ezra Ray just wasn't active enough.
Ray throws a front kick that sends Duddy stumbling back into the cage.
Duddy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Duddy shoots in for a double leg but Ray sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Duddy gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Declan Duddy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Duddy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ray swivels and escapes.
Ezra Ray is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ray throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Duddy counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Duddy's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Ray connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Duddy scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ray ducks under a wild hook from Duddy.
Duddy doesn't manage to clinch there - Ray circles away.

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 Ezra Ray.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ray, 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezra Ray!
Ezra Ray took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.