PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Monroe (ranked 1605 p4p, 164 weight class) and Gary Tonon (ranked 1267 p4p, 136 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Monroe might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Deep Ocean - Island drumming. Tonon comes into a darkened arena with his song building. What About Now kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Ricky Monroe is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Monroe
vs
Tonon

166 cm
36
149 lbs
24 - 18 - 2

174 cm
36
158 lbs
26 - 24 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 18 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricky Monroe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 24 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gary Tonon!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Leandro Rodrigues and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Monroe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Tonon controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Monroe keeping full guard, as Tonon tries to pass.
Monroe tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Monroe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tonon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Monroe swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Monroe has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tonon scoring with some ground and pound.

Monroe working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tonon doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tonon manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Tonon engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tonon trying to control but Monroe is working from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Monroe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Tonon fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Monroe sprawls well initially but Tonon persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Monroe moves into full guard.
Tonon trying to control but Monroe is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Monroe wants to sweep here but Tonon controlling him for the moment.
Monroe trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tonon trying to control the position from guard on top but Monroe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonon advances position into side control!
Tonon lands a decent elbow from side control.

Tonon goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Monroe rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Tonon's guard! Nice work there by Monroe!
Monroe wants to control from the top but Tonon keeps moving.
Monroe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonon preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Monroe trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Tonon manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Tonon forces his way into half guard.
Tonon is trying to control the action in half guard but Monroe is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Monroe has hold of Tonon's hands but Tonon slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Tonon is taking a breather. Monroe says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Monroe is trying to get back to full guard.
Tonon throws a strike but Monroe avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary Tonon dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Tonon drives through and clinches with Monroe against the cage.
Tonon jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Monroe walks away with a smile on his face. Tonon gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Monroe scores with a nice strike.
Monroe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Tonon clinches with his opponent.
Tonon jumps guard but Monroe stands there with Tonon around his waist. Tonon gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Monroe misses with a short punch on the inside.
Monroe lands a body shot in the clinch.
Monroe has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tonon is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A right hand to the body from Monroe.
Tonon changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Monroe fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ricky Monroe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gary Tonon.
Tonon fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tonon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monroe scores with a shot to the body.
Monroe misses with a two punch combination.
Monroe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tonon was well out of range. Poor timing from Monroe.
Tonon is looking to clinch but Monroe is avoiding it.
Monroe scores with a nice head shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tonon wants to clinch but Monroe slips to the side

and Monroe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonon is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Monroe scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gary Tonon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tonon is pressing down on Monroe's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Monroe postures up.
Monroe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Tonon wants to sweep here but Monroe controlling him for the moment.
Monroe pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tonon is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tonon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Monroe.
Monroe throwing strikes from guard but Tonon blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonon working a defensive guard here.
Tonon tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Monroe postures up and lands a big shot to Tonon's brow.

Tonon escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Monroe gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Monroe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Monroe lands a couple of digs.
Monroe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Monroe is one step ahead there.
Monroe lands a couple of elbows.
Monroe stays in close to Tonon's body and controls the position.
Monroe tries to free his leg and advance position but Tonon is retaining full guard.
Monroe trying to control but Tonon is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Tonon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tonon looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Tonon darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monroe moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Tonon content to stall in guard here.
Monroe is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Monroe is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tonon is aware though and is defending well.
Monroe throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A jab from Monroe misses.
Monroe throws a body shot but no joy.

Tonon moves into the clinch.

Monroe has clasped his hands together around Tonon's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Tonon bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Tonon shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Monroe sprawls well. Monroe wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Tonon gets slowly back to his feet.
A shot to the liver by Monroe. Beautiful body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tonon gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Monroe counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Monroe trying to control but Tonon is working from the bottom.
Monroe wants to pass the guard but Tonon is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monroe scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Monroe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Monroe passes Tonon's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Monroe looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Monroe prevents Tonon from improving his position.
Tonon is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Monroe scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tonon has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Tonon gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monroe passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Monroe has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Tonon!
Tonon looks out of his depth in this position - he's holding on tight.
Tonon is trying desperately to improve position.
Monroe looking to finish Tonon with some ground and pound. This is bad for Tonon!
Monroe lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monroe lands a couple of good shots and Tonon has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Monroe is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Monroe gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Monroe gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Monroe apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Monroe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tonon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Monroe.
Monroe jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tonon doesn't manage to clinch there - Monroe circles away.
Tonon shoots in for a double leg but Monroe sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ricky Monroe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gary Tonon.

Tonon shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Tonon takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Monroe manages to get to full guard.
Tonon stopping the sweep attempt from Monroe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tonon got a little sloppy there for a moment and Monroe has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tonon has managed to get both his arms back between Monroe's legs - danger averted.
Tonon controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Tonon decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Monroe, up you get!
Monroe connects with a body shot that sends Tonon's belly button to the back.
Tonon misses with a double jab

and Monroe counters with a takedown into side control.
Monroe scores with punches from side control.
Monroe tries to advance to mount but Tonon denies him.
Monroe scores with a couple of short elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Monroe showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Monroe has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Monroe!
A victorious Ricky Monroe thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.