PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Boucher (ranked 4576 p4p, 429 weight class) and Carlos Jos Ricci (ranked 7543 p4p, 539 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Boucher
vs
Jos Ricci

191 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

186 cm
25
213 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brandon Boucher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Carlos Jos Ricci !
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jonathan Paton and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jos Ricci shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Boucher keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Boucher regains full guard. Nicely done.
Jos Ricci working some strikes from top position.

Boucher is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Boucher is looking for a triangle but Jos Ricci pushes his legs off easily.
Jos Ricci scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Jos Ricci throws a big right hand that misses.
Boucher 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jos Ricci landing with the ground and pound.

Jos Ricci drops back, looking for a kneebar! Boucher looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Boucher looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Boucher!

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boucher wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jos Ricci keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jos Ricci is looking for a sweep.
Jos Ricci is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Jos Ricci is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Boucher is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Boucher trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Jos Ricci is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Jos Ricci wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jos Ricci is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Boucher.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Boucher trying to control momentarily.
Boucher keeps control of the position as Jos Ricci tries to break free.

Boucher is looking for the choke from the back position but Jos Ricci is controlling his hands well.
Jos Ricci wants to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jos Ricci keeps trying to improve his position.

Jos Ricci defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Boucher is not going to allow Jos Ricci to sit and survive in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boucher controlling well, preventing Jos Ricci from escaping the position.

Jos Ricci fending off the submission attempt from Boucher.
Jos Ricci rolls, trying to escape but Boucher keeps control of the position.
Jos Ricci trying to control but not successfully.
Jos Ricci is in bad spot here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Boucher is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Jos Ricci has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Jos Ricci staying busy and making it hard for Boucher to control.
Boucher missing with strikes from the back.
Jos Ricci tries to roll but Boucher sticks to his back.
Jos Ricci wants to control his opponent's hands but Boucher gets his hands free.
Jos Ricci rolls, trying to escape but Boucher keeps control of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Boucher is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Jos Ricci turns into Boucher and is now in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Boucher dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jos Ricci fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Boucher to the ground. Jos Ricci is now in Boucher's guard.

Boucher pushes Jos Ricci off and gets back to his feet.

Boucher closes the distance and pushes Jos Ricci back into the cage.
Jos Ricci is trying to drag Boucher to the mat but Boucher just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Boucher lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boucher not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Jos Ricci really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Boucher. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Jos Ricci wants to improve his position but Boucher is controlling well.

Jos Ricci is defending against the submission attempts here by Boucher.
Boucher controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jos Ricci is looking to improve his position.
Jos Ricci tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Boucher has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Jos Ricci is desperately trying to improve his position but Boucher has a good base and remains in mount.
Jos Ricci controls the position.
Boucher wants to control the pace but Jos Ricci is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boucher misses with a head shot.
Boucher trying to control but Jos Ricci is having none of it.
Jos Ricci tries to reverse the position but Boucher maintains control.
Jos Ricci wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Jos Ricci wants to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boucher throwing sloppy strikes.

Jos Ricci defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Boucher's arms.
Boucher controlling well, preventing Jos Ricci from escaping the position.
Boucher trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
You can see the frustration on Jos Ricci 's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boucher tries to keep control of the position but Jos Ricci is staying busy.

Jos Ricci fending off the submission attempt from Boucher.
Jos Ricci is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Boucher somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Jos Ricci can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Boucher dominated that second round.
That's time! Boucher's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Boucher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jos Ricci swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jos Ricci is defended easily by Boucher.
Boucher is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Jos Ricci .
Jos Ricci looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Boucher is fending him off so far but Jos Ricci persists. Nope, Boucher circles away and we're back to standing.

Jos Ricci drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Boucher throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Jos Ricci fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Brandon Boucher has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Jos Ricci .
Boucher with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Jos Ricci takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Boucher throws a right and a left that Jos Ricci avoids nicely.

Boucher closes the distance and pushes Jos Ricci back into the cage.
Jos Ricci looking to slow down the pace here.

Boucher jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jos Ricci is looking to work some ground and pound but Boucher has wrist control.
Jos Ricci cracks Boucher with a solid left hand.
Jos Ricci is looking to work some ground and pound but Boucher has wrist control.
Boucher trying to control the position.
Jos Ricci trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jos Ricci makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Jos Ricci throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jos Ricci throws an elbow that misses. Boucher uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Jos Ricci 's guard. Nice move by Boucher!

Jos Ricci looking for a sweep. Not yet Jos Ricci , not yet.
Brandon Boucher overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boucher is stalling in the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jos Ricci can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jos Ricci tries to strike from the bottom.

Boucher gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Jos Ricci shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Boucher as he avoids it easily.
Jos Ricci shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Boucher sprawls well. Boucher wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jos Ricci gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boucher throws a sloppy head kick and Jos Ricci moves out of range easily.

Jos Ricci shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Jos Ricci was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Boucher bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Jos Ricci misses the jab.
As Jos Ricci looks to move away, Boucher throws a big counter combo but Jos Ricci just gets out of the way.

Boucher tries to sprawl but Jos Ricci drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Boucher has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Jos Ricci is on him like a limpet, forcing Boucher back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jos Ricci is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Jos Ricci is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Boucher pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Stalling in the clinch from Boucher.
A head punch on the inside from Jos Ricci fails to land.
Jos Ricci drops down looking for an ankle pick but Boucher pulls his leg out and moves away.
Boucher misses with a double jab.

Jos Ricci tries to keep at a distance but Boucher has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jos Ricci has Boucher pressed against the cage, preventing Boucher from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Boucher is trying to force a seperation but Jos Ricci has the dominant position.

Boucher decides to pull guard.
Boucher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jos Ricci .
Boucher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Carlos Jos Ricci has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jos Ricci works over Boucher with some ground and pound from guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jos Ricci accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jos Ricci throwing strikes but missing.
Jos Ricci won't allow Boucher to sweep him here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Boucher showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Boucher 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Boucher!