PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Lombard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricardo Lombard told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

James
vs
Lombard

178 cm
27
178 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

178 cm
28
180 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, James James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ricardo Lombard!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James wants to clinch up but Lombard keeps it at a distance.
Lombard scores with a jab to the body.
James has his takedown stuffed
and Lombard counters with a right hand to the body.
James misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
James slips a straight right by Lombard.
James wants to clinch up but Lombard keeps it at a distance.
James punishes Lombard's body with a nice straight punch.
James connects with a right hand. Lombard shakes it off.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Lombard has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

James throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Lombard stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. James follows into mount!

It looks like Ricardo Lombard has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
James working Lombard over with strikes here.
Lombard is in all sorts of trouble here.
Lombard avoids a strike by James and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in James's guard! Fantastic escape!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lombard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lombard stopping the sweep attempt from James.
Lombard working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of James's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lombard got a little sloppy there for a moment and James has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lombard has managed to get both his arms back between James's legs - danger averted.
Lombard is in close to James's body, working some short punches and elbows.

James working for a triangle but Lombard defends it easily.
Lombard postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lombard is in close to James's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lombard throws a strike but James rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
James preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lombard is proving hard to escape from.
James wants to control from the top but Lombard keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Lombard looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
James engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Lombard trying to keep a closed guard but James is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James throwing strikes but missing.
James preventing the sweep.
Lombard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. James manages to get himself to full guard.
Lombard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
James pulls Lombard in close to his closed guard and prevents Lombard from doing any damage or advancing position.

James is looking for a triangle but Lombard pushes his legs off easily.
Lombard is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Lombard wants to pass the guard but James is keeping the position.
James working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lombard throwing strikes from guard but James blocks nicely.
James working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lombard.
Lombard is in close to James's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
James trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lombard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
James trying to control the position.
Lombard landing with the ground and pound.
Lombard wants to pass the guard but James is keeping the position.
James is looking to stand up but Lombard isn't so interested in that idea.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
James controls Lombard momentarily but Lombard frees himself.
Lombard wants to stand and escape but instead James has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
James wants to stand but Lombard is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James James dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Lombard's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

James moves out of range of the strikes.
James tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
James James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
James moves to clinch but Lombard breaks away
and Lombard counters with a nice uppercut.
James throws a head kick that misses.

James lands a head kick that stumbles Lombard and the fighters go to the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
James tries to stand but Lombard is controlling from the bottom.

Lombard is looking for a triangle but James pushes his legs off easily.

Lombard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. James is aware though and is defending well.
James trying to control but Lombard is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lombard looking for a sweep. Not yet Lombard, not yet.
Lombard keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James wants to stand but Lombard is controlling his posture from full guard.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but Lombard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

James James has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
James tests Lombard's chin there with a solid looking shot.
James lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Lombard at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lombard swats away the attempt to clinch by James.
James throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lombard sees it coming and avoids it easily.

A head kick lands from James that sends Lombard to the canvas. Lombard tries to scramble back to his feet but James brings him back down into side control.
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!
James wants to stand but Lombard is controlling his arm.
Lombard tries to buck James off but James is having none of it.

James goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Lombard has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for James but great work by Lombard.
Lombard has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
James is looking to regain half guard here but Lombard keeps moving and retains side control.

Lombard is trying to get an arm triangle but James is defending well.
James is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lombard scoring with punches and elbows.
Lombard throws a strike aimed at the side of James's head but James avoids it well.

Lombard is trying to get an arm triangle but James is defending well.
James is trying to control Lombard's posture but Lombard avoids it.
James sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Lombard is looking to advance position but James won't allow it.
Lombard thows a huge punch but James dodges it nicely.

James actively working from the bottom here.
Lombard 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.

Lombard is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, James has managed to free his arm - good work.
James is looking to control Lombard's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can James avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lombard is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and James defends it well.

Lombard is sneakily working for an arm triangle but James sees it coming and defends easily.
James is looking to improve his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lombard is sneakily working for an arm triangle but James sees it coming and defends easily.
James is looking to escape.
Ricardo Lombard has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Lombard is working for a kimura but James is defending it quite comfortably.
Lombard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James James dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Lombard's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A punch combination from Lombard misses.
James moves in looking to clinch but Lombard pushes him off.
James looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
James doesn't manage to clinch there - Lombard circles away.
James throws a right and a left that both miss.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lombard throws a jab but it's blocked by James.
James James is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lombard misses with an uppercut.
Lombard misses with a hook.
The crowd cheers as Lombard lands an impressive looking overhand right. James doesn't seem phased though.
James fails in his attempt to clinch.
James tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
James tries to clinch up.
James tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lombard manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James tries to score a power double leg takedown but Lombard sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten James somewhat.
James slips under a jab.
James uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lombard.
James James is winning the standup battle so far.
James gets cracked there but stands up to it.
James tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lombard manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
James tries to clinch but Lombard moves out of range.

James has taken the fight to the clinch.

James manages to break the clinch.
James wants to clinch.
James fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

James throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lombard was covering up waiting for the punch and James finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Lombard wants to sweep here but James controlling him for the moment.

Lombard is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. James is aware though and is defending well.
Lombard 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
James landing some decent shots from guard.

That has opened up Ricardo Lombard's cut even more.
James has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lombard is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James postures up and lands a big shot to Lombard's brow.
James has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Lombard is proving hard to escape from.
James won't allow Lombard to sweep him here.
Lombard is trying to control the position but James postures up.
Lombard has a closed guard, preventing James from standing up.
Lombard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in James's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lombard is in close to James's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Lombard loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lombard throws a big right hand that misses.
Lombard prevents James from getting back to his feet.

James working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lombard doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lombard manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

James has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lombard can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lombard throws a big right hand that misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lombard connects with a couple of short punches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lombard landing with the ground and pound.
Lombard throwing strikes from guard but James blocks nicely.

Lombard is sitting in close to James's body. James has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Lombard is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Lombard is tapping! That was a very nice submission by James.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). James James!