PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ric Flair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flair comes to the cage accompanied by ric flair theme song. Ric Flair could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Pedro Lopez's chin.

Flair
vs
Lopez

193 cm
21
212 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
209 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ric Flair!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pedro Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jonathan Paton and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flair shoots in for a double leg but Lopez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Flair misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lopez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Flair counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Lopez is looking for a sweep. Flair is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lopez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lopez controls Flair momentarily but Flair frees himself.
Lopez keeping full guard, as Flair tries to pass.
Flair trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.
Lopez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Flair wants to control from the top but Lopez keeps moving.
Flair is working Lopez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lopez 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.
Flair landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flair stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lopez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Flair wants to control from the top but Lopez keeps moving.
Flair connects with a couple of short punches.
Flair throwing strikes but missing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Flair's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Lopez trying to keep a closed guard but Flair is proving a slippery customer.
Flair lands a couple of digs.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flair accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Flair trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Lopez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lopez looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flair missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lopez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Flair is one step ahead there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Flair circles away easily

and Flair counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Lopez!
A nice elbow there by Flair.
Flair is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Flair knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lopez on the ground.
Flair with good strikes from the mount here!
Flair with good strikes from the mount here!
Flair breaks from Lopez's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Lopez working to try and regain half guard.
Flair with the ground and pound from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Flair cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Flair avoids the attempt from Lopez to control.
Flair lands a big elbow.
Lopez regains half guard.
Flair content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flair working over Lopez with some ground and pound. Lopez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Flair throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Flair trying to pass the guard but Lopez defending well.
Lopez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Flair's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Flair's back!
Lopez scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to get the hooks in deep but Flair pushed the leg off.
Lopez doesn't have the hooks in and Flair manages to turn into his guard.
Flair preventing the sweep.
Lopez lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Flair stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez.
Flair throws a strike but Lopez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lopez passes Flair's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Flair is refusing to be controlled, as Lopez sits in half guard.
Flair avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Lopez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ric Flair dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Flair looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Lopez!
Flair is landing with some decent strikes but Lopez is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Flair scoring with strikes but Lopez is staying in there.
Flair with shots to the head and body - Lopez looks very uncomfortable down there.
Flair fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Lopez regains half guard.
Flair working over Lopez with some ground and pound. Lopez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lopez wants to control but Flair is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Lopez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Flair tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lopez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Flair is thwarting Lopez's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flair lands with a punch from half guard.
Lopez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Flair postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Flair pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lopez has his takedown stuffed

and Flair counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez struggling a bit here.
Lopez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Lopez is pressing down on Flair's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Flair stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lopez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Flair lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flair wants to pass the guard but Lopez is keeping the position.
Flair trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.
Lopez 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.
Lopez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Flair landing with the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Lopez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Flair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Flair throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez passes Flair's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Flair wants to get back to full guard.
Lopez prevents Flair from standing back up.
Flair is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Flair is working hard here to advance position.
Lopez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Flair keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lopez has his takedown stuffed

and Flair counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Flair.
Flair missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ric Flair overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lopez keeping moving, preventing Flair from controlling successfully.
Flair postures up in Lopez's guard and throws a big left but Lopez blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flair looking to pass the guard.
Flair has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Flair is looking to advance position but Lopez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Flair is looking to get to half guard.
Lopez lands a heavy elbow.
Lopez prevents Flair from getting the reversal.
Flair is squirming around, avoiding Lopez's attempts to control the action.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopez landing shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ric Flair dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Lopez shoots and misses

and Flair counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Flair slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Flair stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez.
Flair trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.
Flair wants to pass the guard but Lopez is keeping the position.
Lopez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lopez looking for a sweep. Not yet Lopez, not yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Flair works over Lopez with some ground and pound from guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Flair scores a takedown into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flair working Lopez over with strikes here.
Flair looking to finish Lopez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Lopez!
Lopez is trying desperately to improve position.
Flair looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Lopez tries to hold on but Flair postures up.
Flair in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Flair avoids the attempt from Lopez to control.
Lopez bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lopez postures up in Flair's guard and throws a big left but Flair blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Lopez trying to control but Flair is working from the bottom.
Lopez forces his way into half guard.
Flair is trying to control but Lopez passes into side control!
Flair sneaks back into half guard.
Flair is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Flair is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Lopez prevents Flair from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez trying to control the pace.
Lopez 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.
Flair is refusing to be controlled, as Lopez sits in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lopez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Flair counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Flair not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Flair is looking to take a break and control but Lopez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lopez on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Flair is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Flair is pressing down on Lopez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Lopez is holding on for now.
Flair is thwarting Lopez's attempts to control the position.
Lopez wants to get back to full guard.
Lopez is looking to control Flair's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lopez avoid being mounted?

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lopez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Flair counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Lopez's guard now.
Ric Flair has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pedro Lopez.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Flair is working Lopez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopez has his hands on Flair's head, controlling the position.
Pedro Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopez wants to sweep here but Flair controlling him for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ric Flair showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Flair, 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ric Flair!