PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shane Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luigi Beretta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luigi Beretta told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Richards
vs
Beretta

180 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
21
179 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Black Skull Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shane Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luigi Beretta!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Beretta is looking for a kimura here.
Richards tries to kick Beretta off but Beretta keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Beretta is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Richards is just riding it out for now. Beretta eventually gives up the hold.
Richards keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Richards tries to kick Beretta off but Beretta keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Beretta is working for a submission of some sort.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A telegraphed right hand from Richards misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beretta shoots in but no luck this time.
Beretta shoots for a takedown but Richards saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Beretta fails to land the takedown.
Shane Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luigi Beretta.
Beretta shoots in for a takedown but Richards shows good takedown defense.
Richards stuffs the takedown.
Beretta shoots in for a takedown but Richards shows good takedown defense.
Shane Richards is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice takedown defense from Richards. No joy for Beretta on that attempt.
Beretta looks gassed!
Richards keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Richards looks to land a right hand but Beretta moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beretta misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Beretta fails with a takedown attempt.
Beretta fails with the takedown.
Beretta changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Richards tries to avoid it but Beretta manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Richards to the ground. Richards escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Richards throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Richards scores with a spinning back kick!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Richards lands a big uppercut and Beretta crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Beretta looks OK. Richards waves Beretta back to his feet!

Beretta is rocked!

It looks like Luigi Beretta has been cut.
Beretta sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards loads up on a big right hand but Beretta slips the punch.
Richards throws a nice outside leg kick.
Richards takes a swing at Beretta's ribcage but misses.
Richards pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Beretta fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Richards misses with a head kick.
Beretta fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Beretta fails to land the takedown.
Beretta blocks a head kick by Richards.
Richards pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beretta fails with the takedown.
Richards looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Richards lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Beretta sprawling to the canvas. Richards follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Beretta hang on?
Beretta is still in real trouble! Can Richards finish him?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Beretta tries to get to full guard but Richards has control of the leg.
Beretta wants to get back to full guard but Richards has mounted him!
Beretta seems to have recovered his senses.

Richards stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Beretta changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Richards tries to avoid it but Beretta manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Richards to the ground. Richards escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Richards tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Richards dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Luigi Beretta's cut.
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.

Richards swings for the body but Beretta moves out of range.
Richards throws a head kick but Beretta moves out of range.
Beretta shoots for a double leg takedown but Richards sprawls well. He's pushed Beretta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Richards throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Beretta shoots for a takedown but Richards saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Richards. No joy for Beretta on that attempt.
Shane Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luigi Beretta.
Richards misses with a head kick.
Beretta misses with a takedown attempt - Richards sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Richards misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Richards gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Beretta shoots in but no luck this time.
Richards stuffs the takedown attempt from Beretta. Beretta gets slowly back to his feet.
Beretta slips a straight right by Richards.

Richards has Beretta up against the cage in a clinch.

Richards manages to break the clinch.
Beretta fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Beretta takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Beretta.
Richards throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Richards misses with an attempted mid kick.

Beretta 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.
Beretta won't allow Richards to get back to his feet.
Beretta trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Beretta throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beretta looking to pass the guard.
Richards wants to stand but Beretta is controlling the position.
Beretta forces his way into half guard.
Richards avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Beretta.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Beretta misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Beretta closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Beretta lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards is looking to stand up but Beretta isn't so interested in that idea.
Beretta postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Richards keeping full guard, as Beretta tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Richards wants to get back to his feet but Beretta is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Richards working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Beretta.
Beretta tries to free his leg and advance position but Richards is retaining 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 Shane Richards will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Luigi Beretta's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Richards throws a sloppy head kick and Beretta moves out of range easily.

Beretta drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Richards utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Beretta scoring with punches to the head and body.
Beretta won't allow Richards to get back to his feet.
Beretta wants to pass the guard but Richards is keeping the position.
Beretta working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Beretta thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Richards wants to stand but Beretta is controlling the position.

Richards scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Beretta misses with a takedown attempt - Richards sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Beretta shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Richards but Richards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Beretta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Richards circles away.
Shane Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luigi Beretta.
Jab, jab by Richards - just one landing.
Luigi Beretta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Beretta shoots in for a double leg but Richards sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A big right from Richards misses.
Beretta misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Richards throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Richards throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Beretta's head.
Good work by Beretta as he checks the leg kick.

Richards closes the distance and clinches.
Richards's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Richards manages to break the clinch.
Beretta shoots in looking for a takedown. Richards tries to sprawl out of it but Beretta keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Richards manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Beretta looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Beretta seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Richards does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Richards pushes Beretta off looking to stand but Beretta dives back in and keeps control.
Beretta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Richards trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Beretta is keen to just control but Richards is a slippery customer.
Richards looks like he's trying to stand up.

Richards is defending against the submission attempts here by Beretta.
Beretta looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Beretta looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Richards scores with a nice strike.
Luigi Beretta has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Beretta throws a left and a right that both miss

and Richards counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shane Richards showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Richards, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shane Richards!