PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Toivo Halaus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Richards Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Richards Jr 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!

Halaus
vs
Richards Jr

180 cm
20
200 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

190 cm
20
188 lbs
5 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toivo Halaus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Richards Jr!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Kenichi Hosakawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Richards Jr.
Richards Jr throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A head kick misses from Halaus.
Richards Jr lands a really nice looking cross but Halaus seems unphased.

It looks like Toivo Halaus has been cut.
Halaus tries a head kick but it misses.
Richards Jr has a takedown stuffed.
Richards Jr closes the distance and clinches up with Halaus, looking for a takedown. Richards Jr pushes Halaus against the cage but Halaus circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Richards Jr stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Halaus.
Richards Jr closes the distance and clinches up with Halaus, looking for a takedown. Richards Jr pushes Halaus against the cage but Halaus circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Toivo Halaus has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Richards Jr.
Halaus pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Halaus rushes Richards Jr and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards Jr wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Halaus scores a nice knee to the body.
Richards Jr takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Paul Richards Jr has been cut.
Halaus lands a nice elbow.
Halaus goes for a takedown attempt but Richards Jr pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Halaus slips under a jab.
Richards Jr misses with a wild combination.
Halaus finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Halaus closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Halaus is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Richards Jr is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards Jr stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Halaus scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Richards Jr to see if he's OK.
Richards Jr dodges the ground and pound from Halaus.
Halaus scoring with punches and elbows.

Halaus looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Richards Jr tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Richards Jr looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halaus working away.

Halaus decides to stand back up.
Richards Jr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Halaus looks to land a right hand but Richards Jr moved out of range.

Halaus gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Halaus is working Richards Jr over against the cage.
Halaus jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Richards Jr walks away with a smile on his face. Halaus gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Halaus throws a head kick but Richards Jr moves out of range.
Richards Jr misses with a takedown
and Halaus counters with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards Jr throws a predictable looking body shot
and Halaus makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Halaus moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Halaus moves out of range of the body kick from Richards Jr.

Halaus has closed the distance and engaged Richards Jr in a clinch.
Halaus landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Halaus lands a body shot.
Halaus unloads a knee to the mid-section. Richards Jr lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Halaus has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Richards Jr is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Halaus using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Halaus lands with a short shot to the head.
A body shot lands from Halaus.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Halaus lands an uppercut.
Halaus lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Halaus using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Halaus scores with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toivo Halaus dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Halaus clinches up with Richards Jr and pushes him back against the cage.
Richards Jr avoiding damage as Halaus throws knees to the body.
Richards Jr has had enough of the clinch but Halaus keeps him there for the moment.
Richards Jr blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short uppercut from Halaus.
Halaus creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Richards Jr's defenses.
Richards Jr stops a takedown attempt from Halaus.
A head punch on the inside from Halaus fails to land.
Richards Jr is trying to break free.
Halaus lands with a light punch inside.
Richards Jr wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Halaus has him pressed against the cage.
Halaus tries to pull guard but Richards Jr holds him up against the cage and eventually Halaus drops back down to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halaus lands a body punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Halaus landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Halaus lands an elbow just above Richards Jr 's eye.
Richards Jr takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice right hand lands inside from Halaus.
Halaus lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halaus scores with a shot to the side of Richards Jr's head.
Halaus lands an elbow just above Richards Jr 's eye.
Halaus lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Halaus lands an elbow that stopped Richards Jr in his tracks for a moment.

Halaus jumps guard and drags Richards Jr to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Richards Jr wants to get up but he can't break Halaus's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Halaus 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.
Halaus manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
A nice elbow there by Halaus.

Halaus looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Halaus has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards Jr wants to control but Halaus is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halaus can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Richards Jr is looking to escape.
Halaus lands a big elbow.
Halaus misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Richards Jr tries to lock up and control but Halaus gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Halaus landing punches.
Halaus moves to the back position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Halaus is persistently looking for the submission but Richards Jr is defending it well.

Halaus is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Richards Jr knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Richards Jr for a finish.
Richards Jr is trying to stand back up.
Halaus has Richards Jr flattened out and is raining down punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halaus tightening his grip on Richards Jr, looking for the choke.

Halaus working for a choke but Richards Jr is defending well.
Halaus throwing sloppy strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halaus softening up his opponent with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toivo Halaus dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Halaus takes the fight into the clinch.
Halaus scores with a shoulder strike.
Halaus gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Halaus works on Richards Jr's body with a couple of short punches.
Still in the clinch, Halaus scores with a nice short uppercut.
Halaus lands a nice shot to the body.
Halaus lands an elbow inside.

Halaus turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Halaus tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Halaus looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Halaus throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards Jr wants to control but Halaus postures up.
Halaus misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Halaus misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Richards Jr wants to control but Halaus postures up.
Richards Jr pushes Halaus away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Halaus gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Halaus misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Richards Jr makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A head kick misses from Halaus.
A jab from Richards Jr misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Halaus throws a nice outside leg kick.
Halaus shoots in but Richards Jr avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Richards Jr shoots and misses
and Halaus counters with an inside leg kick.
Halaus tries to close the distance and clinch up but Richards Jr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Halaus wants to clinch up but Richards Jr keeps it at a distance.
A nice leg kick lands there from Halaus.
Richards Jr will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Halaus is looking to slow Richards Jr down with leg kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Halaus shoots in and bounces Richards Jr off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Halaus drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Richards Jr manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Halaus has Richards Jr in his guard.
Richards Jr wants to stand but Halaus has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Halaus lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Richards Jr!
Toivo Halaus is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halaus takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Halaus has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toivo Halaus showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Halaus 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toivo Halaus!