PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rolf Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mendy Ripstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Byrd
vs
Ripstein

162 cm
23
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rolf Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mendy Ripstein!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Ripstein, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Byrd throws a push kick but Ripstein slaps the foot to one side.

Ripstein moves into the clinch successfully.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Byrd breaks the clinch.
Ripstein misses with a two punch combination.
Byrd walks into a left hand.

Ripstein gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Byrd breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ripstein throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Byrd takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ripstein looks winded!
Ripstein throws a series of punches but Byrd moves out of range.

Byrd moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byrd successfully pulls guard.
Byrd managing to control the position.

Byrd is working an open guard so Ripstein takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ripstein throws a right hand that Byrd ducks under and follows up with a left that Byrd also avoids with ease.
Byrd lands a leg kick that knocks Ripstein off balance momentarily.
Ripstein throws a nice looking combination but Byrd bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mendy Ripstein is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ripstein drives through and clinches with Byrd against the cage.
Byrd tries to pull guard but Ripstein won't allow it.
Ripstein has a couple of punches blocked by Byrd.

Byrd pulls Ripstein into guard.
Byrd looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Byrd pulls Ripstein in close to prevent any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Byrd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ripstein defends well.
Byrd doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Byrd seems keen to control Ripstein's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ripstein tries to stand but Byrd is controlling from the bottom.
Byrd looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Byrd clinches up against the cage.
Ripstein has had enough of the clinch but Byrd keeps him there for the moment.
Ripstein is trying to break the clinch but Byrd has him pressed against the cage.

Byrd pulls Ripstein into guard.
Byrd is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ripstein wanted to stand there but Byrd had control of the position.

Byrd is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Byrd is controlling Ripstein's posture.
Ripstein must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Byrd looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Byrd is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Byrd trying to control from half guard but Ripstein is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolf Byrd dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ripstein fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Byrd manages to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Ripstein.
Byrd fails with a takedown attempt.
Ripstein is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sloppy strikes from Ripstein. Those never looked like landing.
Ripstein is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Byrd misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mendy Ripstein seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ripstein moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ripstein just stands there and leans against the cage.
Byrd is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ripstein to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rolf Byrd. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ripstein pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Byrd fails to land the takedown.

Ripstein darts in and clinches Byrd up against the cage.
Byrd tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ripstein smiles and moves away.
Byrd dodges the punch combination from Ripstein.

Ripstein moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd jumps guard but Ripstein stands there with Byrd around his waist. Byrd gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Byrd manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Ripstein stands up and waves to Byrd to follow him.
Sloppy strikes from Ripstein. Those never looked like landing.
A nice combination there by Ripstein.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ripstein swinging wildly here.
Byrd misses with a body kick.
Ripstein clobbers Byrd with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Ripstein misses with the combination.
Byrd throws a big shot that misses.

Byrd shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Byrd working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ripstein works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Byrd with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ripstein wants to get back to his feet but Byrd passes into half guard.
Byrd looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Byrd is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rolf Byrd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Byrd is trying to work for a kimura but Ripstein is defending well.
We've been informed that Ripstein has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Byrd working the head and body with 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.

Ripstein is defending against the submission attempts here by Byrd.
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 Rolf Byrd will probably get the nod.
That's time! Byrd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Byrd misses with a lunging right hand
and Ripstein counters with a one-two to the body.
Byrd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ripstein rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Byrd moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ripstein throws a right and a left that both miss.
Byrd fails to land the takedown.
Byrd misses with a body kick.
Ripstein takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ripstein missing with a left hand there. Byrd was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nice sprawl there from Ripstein as Byrd shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Ripstein crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Byrd - the referee stops the clock and Ripstein gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Byrd. Ripstein manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Ripstein takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Ripstein throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Byrd on the side of the head.
Ripstein is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Ripstein misses with a wild combination.

Ripstein moves into the clinch.
Ripstein blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Byrd breaks from the clinch.

Byrd bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Byrd wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ripstein, who protects the arm well.
Byrd lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ripstein tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Byrd has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Byrd connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Ripstein to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ripstein grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

Byrd is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Ripstein is defending well though. Byrd let's go of the attempt for now.

Byrd is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Ripstein knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Ripstein for a finish.
Byrd looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Byrd has Ripstein flattened out and is raining down punches.
Ripstein is trying to get back to his feet but Byrd has full control of the position and if anything, Ripstein has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Byrd tries to keep control of the position but Ripstein is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Byrd has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Byrd patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Ripstein manages to escape to his feet.
Crunch! Byrd slams his shin into Ripstein's torso.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ripstein misses with an uppercut
and Byrd counters with a big head kick but Ripstein shrugs it off.
Ripstein misses with a wild body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rolf Byrd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Byrd, 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rolf Byrd!