PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rick Rich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zeddicus Starburst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zeddicus Starburst has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rich
vs
Starburst

177 cm
28
180 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

185 cm
28
182 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rick Rich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zeddicus Starburst!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starburst scores with a nice right hand.
Nice shot by Starburst.

Rich dives in and scores a takedown into Starburst's guard.
We've been hearing that Rich has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Starburst keeping moving, preventing Rich from controlling successfully.
Starburst looking for a sweep. Not yet Starburst, not yet.
Starburst is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rich is stalling in the full guard.

Rick Rich has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Starburst lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Starburst takes a swing at Rich's ribcage but misses.
Rich shoots in but Starburst avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starburst working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Rich escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rich wants to clinch.
Rich shoots in but no luck this time.

Starburst gets tackled into the cage by Rich. Rich maintains the clinch.
Starburst effectively controlling the action here.
Rich stalling the fight.
Starburst lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rich backwards.
Starburst fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Rich breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rich misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starburst lands a jab to Rich's midsection.
Rich tries to clinch but Starburst is having none of it.
Starburst uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rich.
Rich looks for a takedown but Starburst sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Rich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starburst slaps away a takedown attempt from Rich, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rich fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice body kick from Starburst.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Starburst misses with an uppercut.
Starburst cracks the inside of Rich's front leg.
Starburst misses with a wild body shot.
Starburst throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Starburst takes the fight into the clinch.

Starburst is fighting off a takedown attempt but Rich is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Starburst to the mat. Starburst regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rich landing with the ground and pound.
Starburst throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Starburst looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Starburst wants to stand up but Rich is controlling him.
Rich engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Starburst doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Rich won't allow Starburst to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rich drops back looking for a leg! Starburst is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Starburst manages to kick Rich off! Rich jumps back into Starburst's guard.
Rich trying to control but Starburst is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starburst is looking to stand up but Rich isn't so interested in that idea.
Rich trying to control the position from guard on top but Starburst is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rick Rich.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rich. Starburst does a little dance to reset his feet.

Rich moves into the clinch successfully.
Starburst swings wildly with an uppercut but Rich uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Zeddicus Starburst will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rich is defended easily by Starburst.
Starburst throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Rich fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Starburst, pushing him back against the cage.
Rich is working for takedown but Starburst is calmly controlling the position for now.
Starburst lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Starburst lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rich prevents a body shot from Starburst.
Rich jumps guard but Starburst turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Rich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Starburst misses with a hook to the ribs.
Starburst has a couple of punches blocked by Rich.
Rich wants a takedown.
Starburst stops a takedown attempt from Rich.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Starburst scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rich goes for a takedown in the clinch but Starburst prevents it.
Rich's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rich has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Starburst after a bit of a struggle.
Starburst can't find room to land a body shot as Rich controls the action.
Starburst swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Starburst working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Starburst fails to land.
Starburst throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Rich works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Rich trying to control but Starburst is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starburst throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Starburst is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rick Rich has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Rich moves into range and clinches up with Starburst.
Rich prevents a body shot from Starburst.
Starburst throws a punch but it's blocked by Rich.

Rich pulls Starburst into guard.
Rich lands a decent shot there.
Starburst wanted to stand there but Rich had control of the position.

Starburst stands up and waves to Rich to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starburst misses with a straight right.
Starburst lands a jab to Rich's midsection.
Starburst is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rich rather than just go for the knockout.
Rich tries to clinch up.
Rich misses with a head kick.
Rich tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Starburst dodges the punch combination from Rich.
Rich tries to clinch up.
Starburst lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Starburst misses with a wild body shot.
Rich avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rich shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Starburst pinned against the cage. Starburst gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Starburst misses.
Starburst looks for the body kick but Rich saw that one coming.
Starburst lands a nice hook to Rich's body. Rich takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Rich avoids a kick to the body.
Starburst lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rich at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rich avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rich is looking to clinch but Starburst is avoiding it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Starburst throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rich avoids the head kick by Starburst.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rich looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rick Rich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rich swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zeddicus Starburst showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rich moves out of range as Starburst strikes.
Rich tries to clinch but Starburst moves out of range.
Rich tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Starburst counters with an outside leg kick.
Starburst misses the shot to the body.
Starburst misses with a low kick.
Rich avoids the head kick by Starburst.
Rich doesn't manage to clinch there - Starburst circles away.
Rich avoids the head kick by Starburst.
Rich tries to clinch but Starburst moves out of range.
Rich lands a nice looking body shot.
Starburst scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Rich will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starburst misses with a double jab

and Rich moves into the clinch.
Rich tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Starburst smiles and moves away.
Zeddicus Starburst seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rich tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Starburst with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Starburst jabs at Rich's body.
Donk. Starburst catches Rich right on the button with a cross.
Rich is looking to clinch.
Starburst looks to land a left hand but Rich moved out of range nicely.
Zeddicus Starburst is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rich ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A shot to the body from Starburst misses
and Rich cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rich uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Starburst.
Rich is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Starburst uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rich.

Rich shoots in and bounces Starburst off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Rich stands up and waves to Starburst to follow him.
Nice defenses there by Rich.
Rich on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Starburst. Starburst obviously looking to wear him down.
Starburst swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Starburst scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starburst fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rich tries to clinch but Starburst is having none of it.
Rich misses with a head kick.
Rich tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Starburst defends well and Rich ends up having to push Starburst into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Starburst tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rich wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Starburst has him pressed against the cage.
Starburst lands a left hand.
Starburst misses with the head strike.
Starburst lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rich drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Starburst gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Zeddicus Starburst is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rick Rich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Starburst can't find room to land a body shot as Rich controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starburst is pressed up against the cage. Rich has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Starburst down to the mat. Starburst avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Starburst buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Starburst sizes up Rich with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Starburst misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rich.

Rich drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Starburst looking to control.
Starburst wants to get back to his feet but Rich is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Starburst being controlled here, momentarily.
Rick Rich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Starburst trying to keep a closed guard but Rich is proving a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zeddicus Starburst comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Starburst 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zeddicus Starburst!
After winning the bout, Zeddicus Starburst thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.