PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lucian Bute (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rico Ramano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Ramano's choice of entrance music: Hair of the Dog/Nazereth. Rico Ramano is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Bute
vs
Ramano

185 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
185 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lucian Bute!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rico Ramano!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ramano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ramano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ramano misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bute throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Bute bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ramano tries to escape but Bute is in control.
Bute slows the pace down.
Bute trying to control the action but Ramano is working from the bottom.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Bute trying to control the position but Ramano is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bute is really struggling to control Ramano but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Bute prevents Ramano from escaping the position.
Bute is working Ramano over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ramano is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Bute has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Ramano manages to get back to half guard.
It looks like Bute is going to stand back up.
Ramano controlling the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ramano is looking to escape.
Bute is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Ramano being controlled here, momentarily.
Bute trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bute won't allow Ramano to get back to his feet.
Bute wants to stand but Ramano is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ramano seems keen to control Bute's posture.
Bute trying to control the position from guard on top but Ramano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ramano uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ramano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bute moves away.
Ramano circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bute shoots in for a double leg but Ramano sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bute is breathing heavily.
Ramano throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Ramano moves into range and clinches up with Bute.

Ramano manages to break the clinch.
Ramano misses with a series of wild punches.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ramano.

Ramano decides to stand up, so the ref orders Bute to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Ramano. No joy for Bute on that attempt.
Ramano scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ramano throws a right and a left that Bute avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Bute misses with an uppercut. Ramano saw that one coming.
Ramano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bute throws a leg kick but Ramano checks it.
Jab from Ramano.
Bute gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ramano.
Ramano throws a head kick but Bute moves out of range.
A jab from Bute misses.
Bute avoids the head kick by Ramano.
Ramano fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bute tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ramano swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A shot to de liver by Ramano. Beautiful body shot.
Ramano tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Bute counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ramano!
Bute trying to control but Ramano is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bute working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ramano is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ramano blocking the ground and pound.
Ramano really wants to buck Bute off and get back to his feet.
Bute is looking to work his way around to Ramano's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bute looking to control but Ramano is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ramano trying desperately to get to his feet.
Bute tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bute trying to control but Ramano is having none of it.
Ramano tries to lock up and control but Bute gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ramano tries to buck Bute off but he can't manage it.
Bute punishing his opponent with strikes.
Ramano is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Bute looking to control but Ramano is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ramano is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bute with the ground and pound from mount.
Ramano is squirming around, avoiding Bute's attempts to control the action.
Bute wants to take Ramano's back here but Ramano is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Ramano sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bute with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Bute trying to control from Ramano's half guard. Ramano has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lucian Bute will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Ramano clinches with his opponent.

Ramano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bute slips a jab and a cross from Ramano.

Bute bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Bute trying to control the action but Ramano is working from the bottom.

Ramano throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
A head kick by Bute misses
and Ramano counters with a two punch combo.
Bute throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ramano's waist but Ramano gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bute off to one side.
Ramano stalks Bute and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bute's face. Bute staggers backwards, shaken.
Ramano throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bute's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Bute throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ramano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ramano throws a left and a right that both miss
and Bute counters with a head kick.
Bute fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Bute fails with the takedown
enabling Ramano to counter with a crisp jab.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lucian Bute. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ramano lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bute circles away quickly and effectively.
Bute shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ramano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ramano throws a sloppy head kick and Bute moves out of range easily.

Bute decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Bute escapes and gets back to his feet.
Ramano misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ramano checks a leg kick nicely.
Bute chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ramano can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Bute misses
and Ramano counters with a head kick.
Ramano throws a right hand that Bute ducks under and follows up with a left that Bute also avoids with ease.
Bute tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ramano swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Ramano 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.
Ramano has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bute is proving hard to escape from.

Bute is working an open guard so Ramano takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bute tries to clinch but Ramano is having none of it.
Ramano throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Ramano works over Bute's head and body with a nice combination.
Ramano keeps the fight on the outside.
Ramano lands a high kick!
Ramano misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bute throws a left and a right that both miss

and Ramano holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ramano lands with a right to the head.
Bute jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ramano walks away with a smile on his face. Bute gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Bute tries to clinch there but Ramano circles away.
Ramano tries to clinch there but Bute circles away.

Ramano closes the distance and clinches.
Bute missing with knees to the body.
Ramano scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ramano lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Ramano breaks from the clinch.
Ramano moves in looking to clinch but Bute pushes him off.
Ramano throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bute drives through and clinches with Ramano against the cage.
Ramano tries a knee to the head but Bute blocks it.

Ramano pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ramano throws a head kick that misses.
Ramano throws a sloppy head kick

and Bute counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bute.
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.
Bute pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ramano is keeping the position for now.

Ramano kicks Bute off and gets to his feet.
Bute fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ramano lands with a kick to the temple. Bute shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Ramano tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bute shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Ramano counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bute trying to hold on to Ramano's head to control him but Ramano postures up.
Ramano is controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rico Ramano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ramano 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

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