PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abe Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Ward
vs
Williams

190 cm
20
210 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

185 cm
24
215 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abe Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rick Williams!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ward decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Williams trying to control but Ward postures up.
Ward tries to pass to full mount but Williams defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ward looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Williams tries to get to full guard but Ward has control of the leg.
Ward is looking to advance position but Williams won't allow it.
Williams controlling the position well.

Williams kicks off Ward and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ward moves away from the strike by Williams.

Ward scores a takedown into full mount!
Ward wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Williams has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Williams trying to control but not successfully.
Williams is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Williams is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Williams covering up well and avoiding damage.
Ward tries to keep control of the position but Williams is staying busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Williams fending off the submission attempt from Ward.

Williams preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ward.
Williams is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Williams looking very determined here, making life difficult for Ward.
Williams is trying to get back to his feet but Ward has full control of the position and if anything, Williams has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Ward is not going to allow Williams to sit and survive in this position.

Ward is looking for the choke from the back position but Williams is controlling his hands well.
Ward thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Williams defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Ward is breathing heavily.
Ward is hanging on to Williams's back as he tries to escape.

Ward is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Ward avoiding Williams 's attempts to control his hands.
Williams is really stuck here.
Williams covering up well and avoiding damage.

Williams is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Ward gets his way!
Williams is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward throwing sloppy strikes.
Ward lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Williams trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Ward throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.

Ward looking for the RNC.
Williams wants to get back to his feet.
Ward is looking to control Williams but Williams is wriggling around and keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abe Ward dominated that round.
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.

Williams finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Ward blocks a head kick by Williams.
Ward throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Williams's waist but Williams gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ward off to one side.
Ward tries to clinch but Williams moves out of range.
Ward takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Williams tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Williams misses with a head kick.
Ward closes the distance and clinches up with Williams, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes Williams against the cage but Williams circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ward avoids the body shot from Williams.

Ward moves into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Williams as Ward tries to tie him up.

Williams breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Williams misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ward.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A leg kick checked by Ward.
Ward shoots for a takedown but Williams saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abe Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams misses with a head kick.
Williams tries to land a leg kick but Ward saw it coming and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Ward looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Ward is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Williams manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Williams misses with a head kick.
Williams is looking to slow Ward down with leg kicks.
Williams misses with a low kick.
Abe Ward is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Williams plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Williams misses with a few strikes there.
Ward looks for a takedown but Williams sprawls well.
Ward shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Williams but Williams pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ward fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams throws a head kick that misses.
Williams goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Williams misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ward moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Williams looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ward avoids the head kick by Williams.
Ward doesn't manage to clinch there - Williams circles away.
Williams throws a right and a left that Ward avoids nicely.
Williams tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ward shoots in but no luck this time.
Ward tries for a takedown but Williams sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ward looks for a takedown but Williams sprawls well.
Williams throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Ward gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to pass the guard but Williams is defending well.
Williams wants to control but Ward is keeping busy.
Williams is trying to stand back up but Ward is controlling him
Ward is pressing down on Williams's thigh, looking to free his foot. Williams is holding on for now.
Ward missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Williams wants to control but Ward is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Ward is looking for a kimura here.
Williams pushes Ward off looking to stand but Ward dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Williams tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ward fails with an attempt to clinch.
Williams throws a right hand that Ward ducks under and follows up with a left that Ward also avoids with ease.
Ward looks for a takedown but Williams sprawls well.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Williams throws a series of punches but Ward moves out of range.
Williams throws a sloppy head kick and Ward moves out of range easily.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ward closes the distance and clinches up with Williams, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes Williams against the cage but Williams circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ward tries for a takedown but Williams sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ward fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Williams throws a leg kick but Ward sees it coming and checks it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Williams showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Williams keeps the fight on the outside.
Williams throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Ward looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Williams can do anything to dispel that myth.
Williams controlling Ward's posture.
Williams is trying to keep Ward in close.
Ward tries to free his leg and advance position but Williams is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Williams wants to sweep but no luck.
Abe Ward overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Williams pulls Ward in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams keeping full guard, as Ward tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Williams as Ward shoots in.
Rick Williams is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A head kick misses from Williams.
Williams throws a nice inside leg kick.

Ward drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ward wants to pass the guard but Williams is keeping the position.
Ward trying to control but Williams is working from the bottom.
Ward looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Williams holds on and takes a little breather.
Williams wants to stand but Ward is controlling the position.
Williams is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Williams wants to sweep but no luck.

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

Ward feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Ward pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Williams is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams wants to stand up but Ward is controlling him.
Ward tries to free his leg and advance position but Williams is retaining full guard.

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

Ward throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Williams stands and steps away. Ward gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Williams tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Williams throws a right and a left that Ward avoids nicely.
Ward closes this distance looking for a takedown but Williams circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams throws a sloppy head kick and Ward moves out of range easily.
Ward shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Williams but Williams pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Abe Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Williams lands a head kick!
Horrible takedown by Ward or perhaps it was just good defense by Williams which made him look bad.
Williams throws a sloppy head kick and Ward moves out of range easily.
Williams stuffs the takedown.
A nice leg kick lands there from Williams.
Ward avoids the head kick by Williams.
Ward shoots in but Williams avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Williams throws a nice looking combination but Ward bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
No luck for Ward with that takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Williams.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rick Williams.
I think Williams 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Williams!