PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sheamus Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Ripkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Belfort
vs
Ripkin

185 cm
25
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
218 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sheamus Belfort!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jack Ripkin!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Jeff Smith and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ripkin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Sheamus Belfort seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Belfort shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Belfort tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ripkin controls his leg.

Belfort decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Belfort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belfort shoots in looking for a takedown. Ripkin tries to sprawl out of it but Belfort keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ripkin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Belfort has taken the fight to the clinch.
Belfort tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sheamus Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ripkin tries to score a body lock takedown but Belfort shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ripkin wants a takedown but no success here.
Belfort is looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ripkin working hard to break the clinch.
Belfort with a knee to the head.
Ripkin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Belfort gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Belfort tries for a takedown. No joy.
Ripkin is trying to drag Belfort to the mat but Belfort just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Belfort escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Belfort closes the distance and clinches.
Ripkin is looking to take this one to the mat.
Belfort works on Ripkin's body with a couple of short punches.

Belfort jumps guard and drags Ripkin to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Belfort is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Belfort keeping moving, preventing Ripkin from controlling successfully.
Ripkin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Belfort can't keep his opponent in guard - Ripkin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Belfort trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ripkin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ripkin looks winded!

Belfort actively working from the bottom here.

Ripkin is looking for a kimura here.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ripkin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ripkin is thwarting Belfort's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Belfort drives through with a takedown into Ripkin's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ripkin looking to control.
Belfort wants to stand but Ripkin is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ripkin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Belfort's guard.

Ripkin postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Belfort is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ripkin, into his guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ripkin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Belfort trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ripkin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ripkin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Belfort trying to control but Ripkin is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sheamus Belfort wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Belfort clinches with his opponent.

Belfort pulls guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort wants to get back to his feet but Ripkin is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Ripkin drops back looking for a leg! Belfort is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Belfort manages to kick Ripkin off! Ripkin jumps back into Belfort's guard.
Belfort working a defensive guard here.
Ripkin scoring with some ground and pound.
Ripkin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ripkin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ripkin trying to control but Belfort is working from the bottom.
Belfort trying to strike off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Belfort working a defensive guard but Ripkin manages to pass into side control anyway.
Ripkin trying to control the position but Belfort is working away.
Belfort is trying to get back to half guard.
Belfort taking punishment in the form of punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belfort wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Belfort tries to control but Ripkin manages to take his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ripkin patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Belfort rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sheamus Belfort will probably get the nod.
That's time! Belfort's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Belfort gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ripkin counters with a single leg into guard. Belfort didn't expect that.

Belfort wriggles free and stands up.
Ripkin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Belfort tries to avoid it but Ripkin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Belfort to the ground. Belfort escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ripkin misses with a takedown attempt

and Belfort counters with a single leg into guard. Ripkin didn't expect that.
Belfort has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Belfort is fighting to break Ripkin's control of his arms but Ripkin is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Ripkin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Belfort trying to control the position from guard on top but Ripkin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Ripkin 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Belfort changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ripkin tries to avoid it but Belfort manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ripkin to the ground. Ripkin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Belfort feints and as Ripkin raises his hands in defense, Belfort changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ripkin keeping moving, preventing Belfort from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sheamus Belfort wasn't doing enough on the ground.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Belfort taking a breather.
Ripkin is pressed up against the cage. Belfort has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ripkin down to the mat. Ripkin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sheamus Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ripkin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Belfort but Belfort pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ripkin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Belfort moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Ripkin enables Belfort to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Ripkin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Belfort trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Ripkin has his feet on Belfort's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Belfort slaps away a takedown attempt from Ripkin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Belfort scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Ripkin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Belfort is trying to defend but Ripkin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Belfort trying to control from the bottom.
Belfort knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ripkin on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ripkin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Belfort is trying to maintain the position but Ripkin is very close to passing his half guard.
Ground and pound from Ripkin.
Jack Ripkin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Belfort is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ripkin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ripkin working over Belfort with some ground and pound. Belfort looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Belfort is defending against the submission attempts here by Ripkin.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belfort is looking to improve his position.

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 Sheamus Belfort.
Well Belfort has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sheamus Belfort!