PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stephan Lucas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Lucas
vs
Rice

195 cm
19
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephan Lucas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Rice!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Paul Tew and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rice takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Rice slaps away a takedown attempt from Lucas, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rice leaves Lucas with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lucas tries for a takedown but Rice sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephan Lucas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rice uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lucas.
Lucas leaves Rice with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lucas defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rice.
Rice throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Lucas shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rice as he avoids it easily.
Lucas tries to close the distance and clinch but Rice swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lucas tries a low kick but Rice avoids it.
Rice swats away the attempt to clinch by Lucas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rice changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lucas tries to avoid it but Rice manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lucas to the ground. Lucas escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
No luck for Lucas with that takedown attempt.
Lucas goes for a double leg but Rice avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rice continues to drive forward.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Lucas manages to pull guard.
Rice throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lucas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rice's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Lucas working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rice wants to pass the guard but Lucas is keeping the position.
Lucas is trying to control the position but Rice postures up.

Stephan Lucas has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Rice shoots in looking for a takedown but Lucas manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rice's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lucas will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lucas shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lucas is breathing heavily.
Rice shoots in but Lucas avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lucas avoids the head kick by Rice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucas tries to clinch up but Rice circles away and keeps his distance.
Lucas misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Rice shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lucas but Lucas pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rice swats away the attempt to clinch by Lucas.

Rice forces Lucas back against the cage and clinches.
Lucas prevents the takedown attempt.
Lucas misses with a body punch.
Lucas stops a takedown attempt from Rice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rice manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rice managing to control the position.
Lucas throws a big right hand that misses.
Lucas wants to stand but Rice is controlling his posture from full guard.
Rice keeping moving, preventing Lucas from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rice trying to keep a closed guard but Lucas is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Stephan Lucas will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rice blocks a low kick nicely.
Rice fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lucas wants to clinch up but Rice keeps it at a distance.
Rice shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lucas sprawls well. Lucas wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rice gets slowly back to his feet.
Lucas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rice as he jumps to the side.
Lucas misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rice tries to clinch but Lucas moves away

and Lucas counters by moving into the clinch.
Rice tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stephan Lucas has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Rice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas tries to score a body lock takedown but Rice shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Lucas is trying to force a seperation but Rice has the dominant position.

Rice pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rice keeping moving, preventing Lucas from controlling successfully.
Lucas postures up.
Rice is controlling Lucas's posture.

Rice is working an open guard so Lucas takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Lucas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rice tries to clinch but Lucas moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rice bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rice.
Rice tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lucas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rice pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Lucas as Rice shoots in.
Rice is breathing heavily.
Lucas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rice as he jumps to the side.
Rice stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rice wants it to stay on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Lucas. No joy for Rice on that attempt.
Lucas wants to clinch up but Rice keeps it at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rice shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lucas as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rice doesn't manage to clinch there - Lucas circles away.
Rice misses with a wild combination.
Rice fails with an attempt to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lucas tries to pull guard but Rice holds him up against the cage and eventually Lucas drops back down to his feet.
Lucas is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rice to keep the fight standing.
Rice tries to stall but Lucas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rice working hard to break the clinch.
Lucas gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rice.
Lucas tries to pull guard but Rice won't allow it.
Lucas tries to score a body lock takedown but Rice shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Lucas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Stephan Lucas is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lucas tries to clinch up.
Lucas fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rice has a takedown stuffed.
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 Stephan Lucas will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Lucas closes the distance and clinches up with Rice, looking for a takedown. Lucas pushes Rice against the cage but Rice circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rice takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lucas tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rice defends well and Lucas ends up having to push Rice into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Rice pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rice darts in and clinches Lucas up against the cage.
Lucas tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rice smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephan Lucas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rice stuffs the takedown attempt from Lucas. Lucas gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rice tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lucas swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucas misses with a hook to the body
and Rice counters with a straight right hand.
Lucas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rice.

Rice pushes Lucas up against the cage in a clinch.
Lucas jumps guard but Rice turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rice slowing the pace effectively.
Lucas on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rice wants a takedown but no success here.

Rice gets control of Lucas's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rice will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rice is trying to keep Lucas in close.
Lucas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucas trying to control the position from guard on top but Rice is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rice looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lucas is one step ahead there.
Lucas is looking to stand up but Rice won't let him.
Lucas wants to pass the guard but Rice is keeping the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rice wants to sweep here but Lucas controlling him for the moment.
Lucas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Stephan Lucas.
Rice tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lucas swivels and escapes.

Lucas gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rice can't get the takedown.
Rice tries to pull guard but Lucas holds him up against the cage and eventually Rice drops back down to his feet.
Lucas has Rice pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rice manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lucas tries to score a body lock takedown but Rice shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rice is trying to push Lucas away but Lucas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucas tries to pull guard but Rice holds him up against the cage and eventually Lucas drops back down to his feet.
Lucas can't break the clinch.
Rice prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rice misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lucas.
Rice wants to stall.
Rice misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lucas.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Lucas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Joe Rice has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stephan Lucas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A head kick misses from Rice.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Rice.
I think Lucas has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fotheringham scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!