PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kraig Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vice Ganda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Richards
vs
Ganda

200 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

187 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kraig Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vice Ganda!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ganda ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Richards circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ganda throws a sloppy head kick and Richards moves out of range easily.

Ganda drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ganda sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Richards is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Richards can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ganda controls the position from side control.
Richards is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ganda off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards scores with punches to the body.
Ganda is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Ganda prevents Richards from getting a body triangle.
You can see the frustration on Ganda's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Richards struggling to keep hold of the position.
Ganda covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Richards not allowing Ganda to control his hands.
Richards really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Richards scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Ganda is looking for a way out.
I really don't envy Ganda right now.
Richards slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Richards's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Richards looking for the choke but no joy.
Richards lands with a hammerfist to the side of Ganda's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Richards lands with a hammerfist to the side of Ganda's head.
A lull in the action here.
Richards avoiding Ganda 's attempts to control his hands.
Richards controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards scores with punches to the body.
Richards looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Richards lands a shot to the head.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Richards. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
I really don't envy Ganda right now.
Richards will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ganda looks winded!
Ganda just trying to survive but Richards is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Ganda really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Richards. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Richards is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Ganda defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Richards is not going to allow Ganda to sit and survive in this position.
Ganda is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Richards.
Richards 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.
Richards is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Ganda up.
Richards is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Ganda. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Richards really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Ganda.
Richards is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Ganda. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kraig Richards dominated that round.
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.

Ganda wants to clinch up but Richards keeps it at a distance.

Ganda gets a takedown into half guard.
Richards is pressing down on Ganda's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ganda trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Richards manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Richards sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ganda looking for a sweep. Not yet Ganda, not yet.
Ganda keeping moving, preventing Richards from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Richards wants to get up but he can't break Ganda's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ganda is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Richards is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ganda can do to turn this around?
Ganda is breathing heavily.
Richards trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Richards controlling from the top position.

Richards decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Richards shoots for a double leg takedown but Ganda sprawls well. He's pushed Richards's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Vice Ganda is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ganda throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Richards closes the distance and clinches up with Ganda, looking for a takedown. Richards pushes Ganda against the cage but Ganda circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Richards shoots in for a takedown but Ganda shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kraig Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ganda is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Richards's half guard.
Richards is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Richards is staying active underneath Ganda, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ganda is thwarting Richards's attempts to control the position.
Ganda blocks the strikes from Richards.
Richards is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Richards trying to control from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Richards looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ganda is fending him off so far but Richards persists. Nope, Ganda circles away and we're back to standing.
Ganda throws a shot to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ganda.
Richards tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ganda defends well and Richards ends up having to push Ganda into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Richards decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Richards is looking to take a break and control but Ganda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vice Ganda showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Richards looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Ganda closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Richards struggling a bit here.

Ganda tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ganda has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richards wants to control but Ganda postures up.
Ganda takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ganda tries to stand but Richards is controlling his head.
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You can see the frustration on Richards's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Richards fails with a takedown attempt.

Ganda decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganda stalling away here and it's allowed Richards to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Ganda trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Richards working for a triangle but Ganda defends it easily.
Richards controls Ganda momentarily but Ganda frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards has Ganda pulled in close to control his posture.
Richards bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ganda's guard.

Richards wants to stand but Ganda is controlling his posture from full guard.
Richards loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Ganda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kraig Richards overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richards is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Richards lands a couple of digs.
Richards engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Richards passes Ganda's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Richards looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vice Ganda comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ganda has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vice Ganda!