PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ghoul Ghotha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Rico
vs
Ghotha

200 cm
23
275 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

207 cm
23
272 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

CROWN
TKO Vegas

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 6 - 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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ghoul Ghotha!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Luis Engracia and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rico 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.
Ghotha trying to keep a closed guard but Rico is proving a slippery customer.
Rico scoring with punches to the head and body.
Ghotha striking off his back but it's not causing Rico any problems.
Ghotha lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Rico lands a couple of elbows.
Rico wants to control from the top but Ghotha keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ghotha throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rico trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rico trying to control but Ghotha is working from the bottom.
Rico thows a big elbow that misses.
Ghotha wants to sweep here but Rico controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Ghotha scores with a takedown into Rico's guard.
Rico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ghotha is one step ahead there.
Ghotha trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ghotha missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ghotha with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rico keeping moving, preventing Ghotha from controlling successfully.
Ghotha looking to pass the guard.
Rico 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.
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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ghotha looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ghotha throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rico's waist but Rico gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ghotha off to one side.

Ghotha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rico throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rico is trying to keep Ghotha in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ghotha accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ghotha is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rico keeping full guard, as Ghotha tries to pass.
Ghotha looks gassed!
Rico tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rico tries to strike from the bottom.
Rico tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rico shoots in and drives through. Ghotha sprawls well.
Ghotha fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johnny Rico has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ghoul Ghotha.
Ghotha slips under a jab.

Ghotha drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ghotha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ghotha with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ghotha working some strikes from top position.
Ghotha chips away with some ground and pound.
Rico working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ghotha.
Rico is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ghotha is working Rico over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Ghotha looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ghotha content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Ghotha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rico looking for a sweep. Not yet Rico, not yet.
Ghotha working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rico trying to keep a closed guard but Ghotha is proving a slippery customer.
Ghotha makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ghotha lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rico looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ghotha working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rico's head.
Ghotha must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rico is trying to control the position but Ghotha postures up.
Ghotha advances to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ghoul Ghotha dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ghotha fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ghotha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rico pinned against the cage. Rico gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Rico drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ghotha strikes from his own guard.
Rico thows a big elbow that misses.
Ghotha is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rico preventing the sweep.
Rico lands a couple of digs.
Rico in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ghotha utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ghotha not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rico keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnny Rico has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ghoul Ghotha.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rico gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghotha flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Ghotha striking from the bottom.
Ghotha misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ghotha missing with punches from the bottom.
Rico is thwarting Ghotha's attempts to control the position.
Rico thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ghotha's head.
Ghotha taking some punishment here, with Rico in his half guard.
Ghotha is trying to maintain the position but Rico is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ghotha closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Ghotha scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rico to see if he's OK.
Ghotha creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rico is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rico is working hard here to advance position.
Rico is not content to let Ghotha control the position.
Ghotha lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rico down.
Rico is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghotha is putting a hurting on Rico here, landing some big shots from side control.
Ghotha working the head and body with strikes.
Rico takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Ghotha working the body and head with strikes.
Rico is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ghotha lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Rico is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Ghotha is looking to take a break and control but Rico is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ghotha cracks Rico with a big right hand but Rico just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico is looking to reverse the position.
Ghotha working the ground and pound from side control.
Rico taking punishment in the form of punches.
Rico tries to buck Ghotha off but Ghotha is having none of it.
Rico takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Ghotha working the body and head with strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rico tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Ghotha presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
The referee warns Rico that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ghotha lands a nice shot to the head.
Ghotha scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rico?
Ghotha postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rico looks a forlorn figure.
Ghotha putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ghoul Ghotha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Ghotha or perhaps it was just good defense by Rico which made him look bad.

Rico closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rico lands in his opponent's guard.
Ghotha looking to control.
Ghotha doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Rico throwing strikes from guard but Ghotha blocks nicely.
Rico lands a couple of elbows.
Ghoul Ghotha has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ghotha throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rico looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ghotha manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rico manages to get himself to full guard.
Ghotha loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghotha lands a couple of digs.
Rico wants to sweep but no luck.
Ghotha content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rico avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rico looking for a sweep. Not yet Rico, not yet.
Ghotha slips nicely into half guard.
Ghotha looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ghotha lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rico is looking for a sweep. Ghotha is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ghotha winds up and cracks Rico with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Ghotha working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rico is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Ghotha jumps into side control!
Ghotha lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rico down.
Rico can't do much from the bottom here.
Rico on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Ghotha lands an elbow.
Ghotha scoring with punches and elbows.
Ghotha lands a nice forearm strike.
Rico throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Ghotha lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ghotha works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rico is looking to regain half guard here but Ghotha keeps moving and retains side control.
Ghotha looks up at the clock and then as Rico takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ghotha smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghotha looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rico is avoiding damage well.
Rico is trying to get back to half guard.
Rico manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rico wants to control but Ghotha is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rico wants to improve his position but Ghotha is controlling well.
Rico has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ghotha is working away from the top position though.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Rico gets caught flat footed, as Ghotha shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rico lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ghotha!
A nice elbow there by Rico.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ghotha is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ghotha tries to lock up and control but Rico gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
A nice elbow there by Rico.
Rico lands with some strikes.
Rico misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Rico looking to ground and pound but Ghotha is blocking nicely.
Rico scoring with strikes but Ghotha is staying in there.
Johnny Rico has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rico blocks Ghotha's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Ghotha tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ghotha is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ghoul Ghotha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ghotha wants to hold on but Rico pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ghoul Ghotha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ghotha winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ghoul Ghotha!