PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ray Rice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim Degrizz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jim Degrizz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rice
vs
Degrizz

190 cm
31
215 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

187 cm
30
210 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ray Rice!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jim Degrizz!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rice misses with a takedown
and Degrizz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rice swats away the attempt to clinch by Degrizz.

Rice dives in and scores a takedown into Degrizz's guard.

Degrizz uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Rice fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rice misses with a takedown attempt
and Degrizz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rice shoots in and bounces Degrizz off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Degrizz has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rice off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Rice.

It looks like Jim Degrizz has been cut.

Rice fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Degrizz to the ground. Rice is now in Degrizz's guard.
Rice working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rice throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Degrizz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rice pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Degrizz is keeping the position for now.
Degrizz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rice looking to sit in guard and control but Degrizz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Degrizz throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rice looking for a sweep. Not yet Rice, not yet.

Rice has an active guard here but Degrizz has managed to pass into half guard.
Rice is looking for a sweep. Degrizz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Degrizz thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rice's head.
Rice controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rice has his takedown stuffed
and Degrizz counters with a nice uppercut.
Rice shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Degrizz as he avoids it easily.
Rice shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Degrizz counters with a head kick.
Degrizz stuffs the takedown.
Rice moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromDegrizz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Degrizz misses the jab.

Rice throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Degrizz tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Rice is in Degrizz's guard.
Degrizz wants to sweep here but Rice controlling him for the moment.

Degrizz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rice defends well.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rice accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Rice postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Degrizz is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rice, into his guard.
Degrizz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rice swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Degrizz trying to control the position from guard on top but Rice is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rice is trying to control the position but Degrizz postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Degrizz tries to sprawl but Rice drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Degrizz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rice seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Degrizz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Degrizz tries to roll over but Rice keeps him under control.

Rice is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jim Degrizz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jim Degrizz's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rice ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Degrizz moves away.
A jab from Rice misses.
Degrizz tries to counter with a clinch but Rice shakes him off and moves away.
Rice with a lazy takedown attempt

so Degrizz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Degrizz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Degrizz throws a strike but Rice rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rice got a little sloppy there for a moment and Degrizz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rice has managed to get both his arms back between Degrizz's legs - danger averted.
We've been hearing good reports from Rice's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Rice trying to control but Degrizz is working from the bottom.

Degrizz escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rice gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rice has gone for a leg lock! Degrizz slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rice's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rice is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rice keeping moving, preventing Degrizz from controlling successfully.
Degrizz throwing strikes but missing.
Ray Rice overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rice wants to sweep but no luck.
Degrizz wants to control from the top but Rice keeps moving.
Degrizz pushing down on Rice's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Degrizz is looking to take a break and control but Rice is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rice is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Degrizz jumps into side control!
Rice tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Degrizz wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rice fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Degrizz avoids it really well and circles away.
It seemed like Degrizz was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Rice shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Degrizz as he avoids it easily.
Degrizz throws a fast counter high kick but Rice manages to duck under it in time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rice looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Degrizz is fending him off so far but Rice persists. Nope, Degrizz circles away and we're back to standing.
Rice has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rice shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Degrizz but Degrizz pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Degrizz appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rice shoots in but no luck this time.
Rice shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Degrizz as he avoids it easily.
Rice thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rice sets himself, and Degrizz steps forward looking for the clinch! Rice avoids it this time.
Rice has a takedown stuffed.
Degrizz is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Degrizz looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rice throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Degrizz counters with a nice body shot.
Rice has a takedown stuffed.
Degrizz tries to counter by closing the distance.
Rice dives in and grabs Degrizz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Degrizz pushes down on Rice's head and hops out.
Degrizz slips a jab from Rice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Degrizz scores with a body shot.
Degrizz throws a nice head kick!
Rice shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Degrizz but Degrizz pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Degrizz shoots in and bounces Rice off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Degrizz is stalling in the full guard.
Degrizz passes Rice's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rice slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Degrizz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jim Degrizz's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rice misses with a takedown attempt
and Degrizz counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rice with a poor takedown
and Degrizz connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Degrizz.

Degrizz goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Rice rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Degrizz's guard! Nice work there by Rice!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rice trying to control the position from guard on top but Degrizz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Degrizz wants to sweep but no luck.
Degrizz is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Degrizz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rice is staying active underneath Degrizz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rice wants to get back to full guard.
Degrizz moves nicely into side control.

Degrizz goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rice has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Degrizz but great work by Rice.
Rice working away.
Degrizz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rice's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Rice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Degrizz tries to get to full guard but Rice has control of the leg.
Ray Rice has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Rice is working for a kimura but Degrizz is defending it quite comfortably.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rice tries for a takedown but Degrizz sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ray Rice. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rice throws a shot from downtown. Degrizz moves away and avoids it.
Rice fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rice shoots for a takedown but Degrizz saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Degrizz lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Degrizz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Degrizz scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rice doesn't seem bothered though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Degrizz slaps away a takedown attempt from Rice, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Degrizz tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rice will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rice misses with a jab to the body
and Degrizz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Degrizz scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Jim Degrizz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rice throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Degrizz counters with a straight right hand.

Rice is rocked!
Rice gets hit by the mother of all head kicks and drops to the canvas in a crumpled heap! Woooow, the Internet is going to be talking about this one for weeks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Jim Degrizz!
After winning the bout, Jim Degrizz thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.