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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Ponting (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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| 170 cm
39
160 lbs
33 - 26 - 1 |
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191 cm
38
183 lbs
25 - 16 - 1 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine |
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Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
33 - 26 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricky Ponting!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
25 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Nick Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ponting rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Alvarez counters with a one-two to the body.
Alvarez fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alvarez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ponting misses with a two punch combination.
Alvarez has Ponting up against the cage in a clinch.
Alvarez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Alvarez pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvarez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ponting passes Alvarez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ponting is trying to control. Alvarez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Well, if Ponting is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Alvarez wants to control but Ponting is keeping busy.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez moves into full guard.
Ponting wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.
Ponting loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ponting in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ponting won't allow Alvarez to sweep him here.
Ponting is in close to Alvarez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alvarez lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Ponting trying to control the position.
Ponting might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponting tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ponting looking to control.
Ponting is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ponting looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Alvarez is looking to work some ground and pound but Ponting has wrist control.
Alvarez passes Ponting's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Alvarez is trying to control the action in half guard but Ponting is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Alvarez wants to pass the guard but Ponting is defending well.
Alvarez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez controlling the action here.
Ponting slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ponting trying to control the position.
Alvarez stopping the sweep attempt from Ponting.
Alvarez is looking to stand up but Ponting won't let him.
Alvarez wants to control from the top but Ponting keeps moving.
Ponting managing to control the position.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ponting rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Alvarez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Ponting darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponting scores with a jab.
Nick Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ponting paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ponting seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ponting shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Alvarez eats them both and turns towards Ponting to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Ponting punishes Alvarez's body with a nice straight punch.
Alvarez rushes Ponting and presses him up against the cage.
Alvarez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Alvarez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez moves into range and clinches up with Ponting.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alvarez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ponting just stands there and leans against the cage.
Alvarez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Alvarez's coach down at FEN GYM was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Alvarez's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Alvarez fails to pull guard.
Ponting is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ricky Ponting has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Alvarez.
Alvarez is trying to pull guard but Ponting has him pressed against the cage.
Alvarez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ponting smiles and moves away.
Alvarez wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Nick Alvarez will probably get the nod.
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.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch but Ponting swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nick Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alvarez is looking to clinch but Ponting is avoiding it.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ponting paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alvarez darts in trying to clinch
enabling Ponting to counter with a crisp jab.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ponting swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ponting throws a one two combo.
Ponting takes a swing at Alvarez's ribcage but misses.
Alvarez gets a clinch.
Ponting pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez closes the distance and clinches.
Alvarez lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Alvarez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Alvarez has Ponting pressed against the cage.
Ponting wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ponting is trying to force a seperation but Alvarez has the dominant position.
Ponting takes a shot to the head.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponting pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ponting uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Alvarez has time to react.
Alvarez on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Alvarez's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Ponting connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Alvarez scrambles back to his feet.
Alvarez clinches up against the cage.
Ponting looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A frustrated look appears on Ponting's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Alvarez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Alvarez.
Ponting is trying to break the clinch but Alvarez has him pressed against the cage.
Alvarez throws a punch but it's blocked by Ponting.
Alvarez is trying to pull guard but Ponting has him pressed against the cage.
Alvarez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Alvarez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Alvarez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponting scores with a crisp jab that stopped Alvarez in his tracks.
Alvarez wants to clinch.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Ponting is having none of it.
Ponting scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Alvarez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alvarez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Ponting to counter with a crisp jab.
Alvarez walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ponting misses with a hook
and Alvarez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alvarez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ponting throws out a loose jab but Alvarez uses good head movement to avoid it.
Alvarez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nick Alvarez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Ponting working hard to break the clinch.
Alvarez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez moves in looking to clinch but Ponting pushes him off.
Alvarez wants to clinch
letting Ponting counter with a right hand.
Alvarez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Alvarez takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Alvarez moves in looking to clinch but Ponting pushes him off.
Ponting is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ponting paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alvarez tries to clinch
and Alvarez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ricky Ponting is winning the standup battle so far.
Ponting connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Alvarez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ponting fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Alvarez checks it well.
Ponting scores with a nice head shot.
Sloppy strikes from Ponting. Those never looked like landing.
Alvarez moves to clinch but Ponting breaks away
and Ponting counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ponting connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Alvarez momentarily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Alvarez tries to clinch up.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Ponting is having none of it.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ponting misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Alvarez tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Ponting to counter with a crisp jab.
Ponting misses with the combination.
Ponting is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alvarez can do to turn this around?
Ponting misses with a body shot.
Alvarez feints a counter leg kick.
Alvarez tries to clinch up but Ponting circles away and keeps his distance.
Ponting avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ponting appears to be looking for a big counter.
Ponting misses with a hook.
Ponting lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Alvarez is looking to clinch.
Ponting scores with a body shot.
Ponting throws a series of punches but Alvarez moves out of range.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Ponting here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Alvarez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ponting manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez wants to clinch up but Ponting keeps it at a distance.
Alvarez doesn't manage to clinch there - Ponting circles away.
Ponting misses with a looping right.
Alvarez forces Ponting back against the cage and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Ricky Ponting dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!
Alvarez wants to clinch
and Ponting counters with a straight right hand.
Alvarez moves into the clinch.
Alvarez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ponting circles away from the clinch attempt
and Ponting connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Alvarez takes the fight into the clinch.
Alvarez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ponting gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Alvarez is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ponting is keeping busy.
Alvarez has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ponting working hard to break the clinch.
Alvarez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ponting avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Alvarez tries to pull guard but Ponting won't allow it.
Ricky Ponting has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Alvarez.
Alvarez prevents Ponting from breaking the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponting is looking to break free of the clinch but Alvarez has double underhooks.
A bit of stalling here from Alvarez.
Ponting wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Alvarez misses with a punch on the inside.
A short right from Alvarez.
Ponting wants to break the clinch but can't.
Alvarez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ponting breaks the clinch.
Ponting connects with a body shot that sends Alvarez's belly button to the back.
Ponting throws a leg kick but Alvarez moved away.
Ponting waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Alvarez.
Ponting lunges at Alvarez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Alvarez's hand.
Alvarez takes the fight into the clinch.
Ponting wants to get back to striking at distance but Alvarez won't allow it.
Alvarez scores with a nice hook to the head.
Alvarez has Ponting pressed against the cage, preventing Ponting from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Ponting has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponting has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Alvarez lands an uppercut.
Alvarez tries a knee to the head but Ponting blocks it.
A short uppercut from Alvarez.
Ponting lands with a left to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alvarez is looking to control Ponting's arms but Ponting gets an underhook and turns him. Now Alvarez has his back to the cage.
Alvarez slows down the pace here.
Alvarez is trying to pull guard but Ponting turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ponting wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Alvarez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ponting's elbow.
A right handed body shot lands from Alvarez.
Alvarez jumps into guard, dragging Ponting to the mat.
Alvarez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Alvarez keeping moving, preventing Ponting from controlling successfully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponting working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Alvarez is trying to control the position but Ponting postures up.
Ponting throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alvarez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ponting throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Alvarez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Alvarez managing to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ponting accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alvarez wants to sweep here but Ponting controlling him for the moment.
Alvarez trying to keep a closed guard but Ponting is proving a slippery customer.
Ponting is looking to work some ground and pound but Alvarez has wrist control.
That's four 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.
Ponting wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Alvarez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ponting's guard.
Alvarez trying to control but Ponting is working from the bottom.
Ponting pulls Alvarez in close to prevent any damage.
Alvarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Ponting is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Alvarez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alvarez 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:29
The fight is ruled a majority draw!
Ricky Ponting retains his title. It's always disappointing when a championship fight ends as a draw but that's what happens when you leave the fight in the judges hands!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
47% |
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