PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Michael (ranked 7358 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vova Haracho (ranked 5267 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Michael
vs
Haracho

192 cm
24
194 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

187 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricardo Michael!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Vova Haracho!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Fujiwara and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Michael stuffs the takedown attempt from Haracho. Haracho gets slowly back to his feet.
Haracho goes for a double leg but Michael avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Michael continues to drive forward.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Haracho.
A quick step to the side and Michael tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ricardo Michael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vova Haracho.

Michael closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Haracho quickly recovers to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Michael has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haracho wants to get back to full guard.

Michael is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Haracho sees it coming and defends easily.
Michael keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Michael.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Haracho closes the distance and clinches up with Michael, looking for a takedown. Haracho pushes Michael against the cage but Michael circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Michael thinks about countering with a head kick.
Haracho looks winded!
Haracho fails with the takedown
letting Michael counter with a right hand.
Haracho wants to clinch up but Michael keeps it at a distance.
Michael is looking to counter with a body kick.
Haracho will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Michael looking to score a takedown here. Haracho is defending well but Michael drives through and ends up in Haracho's guard.
Michael throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Haracho works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Michael seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Michael gets to his feet. Haracho looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
We've been informed that Haracho has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Michael looking to score a takedown here. Haracho is defending well but Michael drives through and ends up in Haracho's guard.
Michael sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Haracho controls Michael momentarily but Michael frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michael keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Haracho's head.
Michael working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Haracho's head.
Haracho can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Michael controls the pace.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Michael dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Michael closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Haracho trying to remain calm as Michael controls from the top position.
Michael postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael lands a nice forearm strike.

Michael looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Haracho is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Haracho down.
The referee asks Michael politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Michael prefers to stall for the moment though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Vova Haracho is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Michael shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Haracho napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Michael controlling from side mount.
Ricardo Michael overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haracho can't do much from the bottom here.
Michael moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Haracho is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Michael stands up out of the half guard.

Michael closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Haracho quickly recovers to half guard.
Michael working Haracho over with strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Michael controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Michael dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Michael closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Michael turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Michael manages to end up in side control.

Michael decides to stand back up. Michael steps back and let's Haracho get back to his feet.

Michael closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Haracho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michael tries to break the clinch but Haracho is controlling the position.
Michael wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Michael wants to get back to striking at distance but Haracho won't allow it.

Michael breaks from the clinch.
Michael connects with a body shot that sends Haracho's belly button to the back.
Haracho fails to land the takedown.
Haracho gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Michael counters with a nice kick to the body.
Haracho fails with a takedown attempt.
Ricardo Michael has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vova Haracho.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Michael misses with a body kick.
Haracho changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Michael tries to avoid it but Haracho manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Michael to the ground. Michael escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Michael darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Michael not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michael winds up and cracks Haracho with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Michael controlling the pace.
Haracho trying to control but Michael postures up.

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.
Michael trying to mount his opponent but Haracho defends it.
Michael content to control rather than advance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Haracho is defending against the submission attempts here by Michael.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Michael showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Michael has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Michael!