PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Modelo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matt Modelo will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rico
vs
Modelo

200 cm
23
275 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Inexperienced

Elite Canadian Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Johnny Rico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Modelo!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Modelo scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Rico steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Modelo.
Nice sprawl there from Modelo as Rico shoots in.

Rico drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Modelo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rico controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Modelo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rico. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Modelo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rico is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Rico distracts Modelo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rico is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Modelo is trying to hold Rico in close to prevent damage but Rico has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rico passes to side control.
Modelo on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rico throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Rico has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Modelo!
Modelo is looking to get to half guard.
Rico looking to finish Modelo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Modelo!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico with the ground and pound from mount.
Rico controlling his opponent.
Rico looking to control but Modelo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Modelo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Modelo taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Rico there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Rico takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rico with the ground and pound from mount.
Modelo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rico tries to control but Modelo wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Rico dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A telegraphed right hand from Modelo misses the target.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Rico tries to clinch but Modelo is having none of it.

Rico gets the takedown into side control.
Modelo avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rico.
Rico landing strikes.
You can see the frustration on Modelo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rico is putting a hurting on Modelo here, landing some big shots from side control.
Rico throws an elbow but Modelo slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rico scores with a couple of short elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Modelo is trying to control Rico's posture but Rico avoids it.
Modelo avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Rico.
Rico working the head and body with strikes.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Modelo can do anything to dispel that myth.
An elbow from Rico crashes against the mat.
Modelo gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Modelo looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Rico has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rico lands with some strikes.
Rico throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Modelo because Rico loaded up on that one.
Modelo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnny Rico overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rico unloading with bombs!
Rico is landing with some decent strikes but Modelo is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico dominating with strikes here.
Rico landing shots from mount.
Rico lands a heavy elbow.
Rico controlling the pace for now.
Modelo is bucking up trying to escape but Rico cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Modelo tries to hold on but Rico postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico lands a nice shot to the head.
Rico unloading with bombs!
Rico fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Rico lands a heavy elbow.
A nice elbow there by Rico.
Rico scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rico is landing with some decent strikes but Modelo is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Rico dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Rico scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rico passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Modelo!
Rico with the ground and pound from mount.
Rico misses with a head shot.
Modelo is trying to escape the mount.
Rico lands a heavy elbow.
Rico controlling the position easily from mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rico throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico landing strikes from the mount and Modelo is in trouble!
Modelo is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Rico can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Modelo is looking to escape.
Rico fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Matt Modelo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Modelo avoids a series of strikes thrown by Rico.
Modelo is trying to escape the mount.
Rico postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Modelo looks a forlorn figure.
Rico dominating with strikes here.
Rico looking to control and managing it successfully.
Rico throws some wild stikes that Modelo manages to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Modelo blocking the ground and pound.
Rico looking to finish with strikes here!
Rico is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Modelo can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rico has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Modelo's face.
Modelo is squirming around, avoiding Rico's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rico misses with a head shot.
Rico avoids the attempt from Modelo to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rico throws some wild stikes that Modelo manages to avoid easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Rico showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rico, 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:26
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:26
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Rico!