PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rickie Hammond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonathan Pridham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pridham has chosen Tamale- Tyler, the Creator as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Hammond
vs
Pridham

158 cm
19
140 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

165 cm
25
130 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rickie Hammond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jonathan Pridham!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pridham closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Hammond's guard.
Pridham trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pridham not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hammond looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pridham is one step ahead there.

Hammond throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hammond keeping full guard, as Pridham tries to pass.

Pridham stands and steps away. Hammond gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Pridham throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pridham clinches.
Hammond working hard to break the clinch.

Pridham breaks the clinch.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pridham jumps guard but Hammond turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Hammond jumps guard and drags Pridham to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hammond is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hammond lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pridham has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Hammond is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Hammond is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pridham to keep the fight standing.
Hammond drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hammond has Pridham pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pridham manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickie Hammond. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hammond jumps guard but Pridham turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pridham stalling in the clinch.
Hammond could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pridham pulls guard.
Pridham looking for a sweep. Not yet Pridham, not yet.
Pridham throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Pridham manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hammond manages to get himself to full guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Pridham prevents Hammond from getting back to his feet.
Hammond looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pridham is one step ahead there.
Pridham showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hammond utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pridham is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pridham passes into half guard.
Still in half guard, Pridham seems content to control.

Pridham is looking for a kimura here.

Pridham stands up from half guard.

Pridham gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hammond taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pridham tries to pull guard but Hammond won't allow it.
Hammond can't get the takedown.
Hammond drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Pridham gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hammond has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pridham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hammond is breathing heavily.
Hammond tries to pull guard but Pridham won't allow it.

Pridham manages to break the clinch.
Pridham moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pridham goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Pridham darts in looking for a takedown but Hammond gets double underhooks and turns Pridham into the cage.
Hammond appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Pridham throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hammond shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pridham as he jumps to the side.
Pridham feints a counter leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonathan Pridham dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pridham has taken the fight to the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hammond is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hammond is trying to stall.
Hammond is trying to push Pridham away but Pridham has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Pridham prevents Hammond from breaking the clinch.

Pridham breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hammond takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pridham darts in and clinches Hammond up against the cage.
Hammond wants a takedown.
Pridham stalling in the clinch.
Hammond has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hammond takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Rickie Hammond has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammond displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pridham up against the cage.
Pridham works on Hammond's body with a couple of short punches.

Pridham escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Pridham fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hammond, pushing him back against the cage.
Hammond is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Pridham gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Pridham is pressed up against the cage. Hammond has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pridham down to the mat. Pridham avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickie Hammond. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Pridham moves into the clinch successfully.
Pridham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hammond lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Pridham manages to pull guard.
Jonathan Pridham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pridham has Hammond pulled in close to control his posture.

Pridham is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pridham manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Pridham or perhaps it was just good defense by Hammond, which made it look bad.
Pridham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hammond is fending him off so far but Pridham persists. Nope, Hammond circles away and we're back to standing.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Pridham has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hammond looking for a takedown.
Jonathan Pridham seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Hammond lands a takedown into guard.
Pridham pulls Hammond in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pridham is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pridham is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Let's hope that Pridham has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Pridham scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pridham closes the distance and clinches.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Pridham wants to take the fight to the mat but Hammond manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Knees to the body from Pridham.
Hammond is trying to break free.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hammond.
Pridham unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hammond looking for a takedown.
Nice elbow from Pridham.
Hammond drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hammond is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonathan Pridham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rickie Hammond's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Hammond fails to land the takedown.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pridham lands an elbow that stopped Hammond in his tracks for a moment.
Pridham gets underhooks to prevent Hammond's takedown attempt.
Hammond is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hammond taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pridham unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hammond lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pridham is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hammond tries to circle away but Pridham has him pinned against the cage.

Hammond escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Pridham darts in and clinches Hammond up against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammond tries for a takedown but Pridham manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickie Hammond. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hammond jumps guard but Pridham turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pridham creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hammond's defenses.

Pridham pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Pridham has closed the distance and engaged Hammond in a clinch.
Hammond wants to break free but Pridham has control.

Pridham jumps guard.
Pridham is adopting a defensive guard.
Pridham 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.

Pridham is looking for a triangle but Hammond pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pridham is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pridham is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Pridham will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Pridham throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

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

Hammond tries to keep at a distance but Pridham has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hammond wants to take the fight to the mat but Pridham manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Pridham has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pridham lands an elbow inside.
Hammond jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pridham walks away with a smile on his face. Hammond gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Pridham clinches up with Hammond and pushes him back against the cage.
Hammond stops a takedown attempt from Pridham.

Hammond turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Pridham sneaks out the side door and pushes Hammond away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
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!
Hammond has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Pridham has taken the fight to the clinch.

Pridham jumps guard and drags Hammond to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pridham has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pridham manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hammond manages to get himself to full guard.

Pridham must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Pridham stays in close to Hammond's body and controls the position.
Hammond looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pridham not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pridham won't allow Hammond to get back to his feet.
Rickie Hammond has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jonathan Pridham is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Pridham passes Hammond's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Hammond looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jonathan Pridham comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Pridham has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jonathan Pridham!