PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lavern Koch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Ryno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matt Ryno will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Koch
vs
Ryno

163 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lavern Koch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Ryno!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ryno rushes Koch and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Koch content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Ryno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Koch tries to keep at a distance but Ryno has taken the fight into the clinch.
Koch is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ryno gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Koch gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Ryno has hold of one of Koch's legs. Koch is fighting the takedown attempt but Ryno gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Koch keeping moving, preventing Ryno from controlling successfully.
Ryno lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Koch trying to control the position here.
Koch could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Koch keeping moving, preventing Ryno from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ryno postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch looking to control.
Ryno controls from within his opponent's guard.
Koch might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ryno throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koch avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Koch trying to control the position here.
Ryno throwing strikes but missing.

Koch is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ryno is aware though and is defending well.
Ryno with a nice head shot there.
Ryno wants to control from the top but Koch keeps moving.

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.
Koch looking for a sweep. Not yet Koch, not yet.
Ryno is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Koch controlling Ryno's posture.
Ryno lands a couple of digs.
Ryno would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Koch keeping moving, preventing Ryno from controlling successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ryno's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ryno working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Koch's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryno is fighting to break Koch's control of his arms but Koch is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Ryno cracks Koch with a solid left hand.
Koch trying to strike off his back.
Ryno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koch swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ryno has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Koch is proving hard to escape from.
Koch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ryno manages to get himself to full guard.

Ryno manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koch manages to get himself to full guard.

Ryno throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ryno wants to control from the top but Koch keeps moving.
Ryno must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryno is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Koch controlling Ryno's posture.
Ryno landing with the ground and pound.
Ryno looking to pass the guard.
Koch trying to control the position here.
Koch continues to stall.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ryno pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Koch is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Ryno dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ryno moves into range and clinches up with Koch.
Koch tries to stall but Ryno uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Ryno breaks from the clinch.
Koch shoots for a takedown but Ryno saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Ryno moves into the clinch.
Koch lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koch blocks a body shot from Ryno.
Ryno is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Koch is defending well.
Ryno wants to take the fight to the mat but Koch manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Koch throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch stalls.
Ryno stalling against the cage.
Ryno wants to take the fight to the mat but Koch manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Lavern Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Ryno.
Koch has a couple of punches blocked by Ryno.
A short right from Ryno on the inside.

It looks like Lavern Koch has been cut.
Ryno is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ryno blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A bit of stalling here from Koch.

Ryno breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ryno darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Koch manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Ryno keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Ryno is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koch takes a knee to the side of the body.
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!
Koch wants a takedown but no success here.

Ryno manages to break the clinch.

Koch shoots in and bounces Ryno off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ryno is trying to keep Koch in close.

Koch gets to his feet - Ryno follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Ryno is predictable there
and Koch counters with a head kick. That will keep Ryno thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Ryno clinches.

Koch breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ryno drops down looking for an ankle pick but Koch pulls his leg out and moves away.

Ryno clinches with his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koch breaks the clinch.
Ryno misses with a leg kick.
Koch is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Ryno.

Ryno moves into the clinch.
Koch is trying to drag Ryno to the mat but Ryno just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ryno goes for a takedown attempt but Koch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matt Ryno will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Lavern Koch's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ryno moves into range and clinches up with Koch.

Ryno's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Koch gets caught napping as Ryno dives in and scores a takedown. Koch manages to retain guard.

Koch pushes Ryno off and scrambles back to his feet.

Koch tries to keep at a distance but Ryno has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ryno is looking to break free of the clinch but Koch has double underhooks.
Ryno tries to break the clinch but Koch is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch keeps control of Ryno as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ryno content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Koch prevents the takedown attempt.
Ryno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Koch has Ryno pushed against the cage.
Ryno is trying to drag Koch to the mat but Koch just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Ryno blocks an elbow strike from Koch.

Koch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Koch displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ryno.
Koch drops down looking for a counter takedown but Ryno sprawls and moves away.
Lavern Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Ryno.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Ryno pushes Koch up against the cage in a clinch.
Matt Ryno seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ryno has Koch pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Koch manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Koch.

Koch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ryno leaves Koch with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ryno is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Ryno fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Koch, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Koch breaks from the clinch.
Ryno with a lazy takedown attempt
and Koch counters with a three punch combo that has Ryno backing up. Ryno nods at Koch to acknowledge the strikes.
Ryno shoots in for a takedown but Koch shows good takedown defense.

Ryno moves into the clinch.
Koch lands an elbow inside that Ryno shrugs off.
Koch digs a right hand underneath Ryno's ribcage. Ryno let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Koch drags the fight down to the ground.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Koch holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryno slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Koch struggling a bit here.

Ryno wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Koch, who protects the arm well.
Koch is looking for a sweep.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ryno throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Matt Ryno is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Koch is trying to control Ryno's posture but Ryno avoids it.
Lavern Koch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Koch sneaks back into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lavern Koch.
I think Ryno 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Matt Ryno!
Matt Ryno decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.