PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rip James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Ricard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Ricard's choice of entrance music: Dust in the Wind by Kansas. Frank Ricard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

James
vs
Ricard

194 cm
22
273 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

194 cm
22
260 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Tokyo Pharmaceuticals
Abtastic Nutrition

Carnage Fight Wear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rip James!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frank Ricard!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ricard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ricard tries to stall but James uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
James has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Ricard avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
James tries to pull guard but Ricard holds him up against the cage and eventually James drops back down to his feet.
Nice elbow from Ricard.
Ricard prevents James from breaking the clinch.
Ricard lands a nice knee to the body.
Ricard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from James.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rip James. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ricard unloads a knee to the mid-section. James lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Ricard with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
James jumps guard but Ricard stands there with James around his waist. James gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
James could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Ricard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Ricard moves into the clinch.
Ricard working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Ricard prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricard is working for takedown but James is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ricard landing some nice looking knees to the body.
James is breathing heavily.
Ricard taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Ricard gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
James wants to sweep here but Ricard controlling him for the moment.
James keeping moving, preventing Ricard from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ricard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
James controls Ricard momentarily but Ricard frees himself.
Ricard trying to control but James is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ricard controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ricard tries to clinch there but James circles away.
James closes the distance and clinches up with Ricard, looking for a takedown. James pushes Ricard against the cage but Ricard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James misses with a takedown attempt - Ricard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

James closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ricard is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James trying to control from half guard but Ricard is working away.
Ricard wants to improve his position but James is controlling well.
James trying to mount his opponent but Ricard defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricard is looking to improve his position.
Ricard is trying to stand up here but James is controlling him well.
James thows a huge punch but Ricard dodges it nicely.

Ricard is defending against the submission attempts here by James.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

James tries to keep at a distance but Ricard has taken the fight into the clinch.

Ricard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James tries to clinch but Ricard is having none of it.
Ricard tries to clinch

and James counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
James throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Ricard stopping the sweep attempt from James.
James is trying to control the position from the bottom.
James looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ricard is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

James has taken the fight to the clinch.

James has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Ricard clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

James is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Ricard prevents James from getting a body triangle.

James has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Ricard has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

James is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Ricard knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Ricard for a finish.
Ricard has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Ricard is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricard is breathing heavily.
Ricard is keeping busy.
Ricard just trying to survive but James is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Ricard wants to get back to his feet.
I would not like to be Ricard right now.

Ricard defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ricard is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get James off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
A lull in the action here.

James has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Ricard is in real trouble here. James gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Ricard is tapping out! James wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rip James!
Rip James retains his heavyweight title!