PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Riccardo Fernandes (ranked 5497 p4p, 5399 weight class) and Zack Rush (ranked 565 p4p, 562 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Fernandes
vs
Rush

193 cm
18
209
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
215
0 - 0 - 0

Great elbows
Very strong

Excellent MT
Granite chin

Sydney Fight Gear (London Rebirth)

The Thrift Shop - Cheap Clothes and Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Riccardo Fernandes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zack Rush!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Saam Ante and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rush looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rush is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fernandes looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Rush fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rush fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fernandes throws a head kick but Rush moves out of range.
Fernandes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Some wild striking there from Rush.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fernandes keeps the fight on the outside.

Fernandes closes the distance and pushes Rush back into the ropes.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Fernandes throws an elbow but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fernandes.

It looks like Zack Rush has been cut.
Fernandes lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Rush tries a body shot but Fernandes blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Fernandes, against the ropes.
Fernandes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Fernandes stalling against the ropes.
Fernandes gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Fernandes controlling the action here for a moment.
Rush blocks an elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Fernandes throws an elbow but misses.
Come on Fernandes - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fernandes.
Rush takes an elbow to the temple.
Fernandes misses with a hook from the clinch.
Fernandes throws an elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes lands an elbow inside that Rush shrugs off.
Rush avoids a wild elbow strike from Fernandes.
Rush tries to land knees in the clinch but Fernandes avoids the damage to the body.
Fernandes leaning his opponent against the ropes.

Fernandes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rush rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fernandes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Rush does no damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Fernandes jabs Rush right on the nose. Rush blinks but takes it well.
Fernandes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fernandes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fernandes throws a quick counter kick to the body but Rush avoids it.
Rush throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Fernandes counters with a thumping low kick.
Fernandes throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rush fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riccardo Fernandes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zack Rush's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Fernandes swats away the attempt to clinch by Rush.
Rush is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fernandes throws a front kick that sends Rush stumbling back into the ropes.
Fernandes misses with a kick to the body.
Fernandes throws a head kick that misses.

Rush tries to keep at a distance but Fernandes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fernandes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fernandes misses with an elbow over the top.
Riccardo Fernandes has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Fernandes throws a punch but it's blocked by Rush.

Fernandes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rush drives through and clinches with Fernandes against the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandes pushes off an throws an elbow but Rush leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the ropes.

Fernandes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fernandes swats away the attempt to clinch by Rush.
Fernandes checks the leg kick.
Rush tries to close the distance and clinch but Fernandes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rush stalks Fernandes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Fernandes's face. Fernandes staggers backwards, shaken.
Rush tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Fernandes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rush thuds a left hand into Fernandes's body.
A jab lands there for Fernandes.
Rush scores with a shot to the body.
Rush moves out of range of the body kick from Fernandes.
Nice shot by Fernandes.
Fernandes thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fernandes looks to land a body kick but Rush moved away.
As Fernandes backs off Rush throws a huge counter combo but Fernandes manages to avoid it all.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fernandes tries to land a front kick but Rush steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A little jabbing left from Rush on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rush moves in looking to clinch but Fernandes pushes him off.
Fernandes lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rush will feel that in the morning.
No joy there for Rush, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Rush tries to keep at a distance but Fernandes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rush lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rush misses with some punches.
Fernandes creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rush's defenses.
Fernandes is looking to control Rush's arms but Rush gets an underhook and turns him. Now Fernandes has his back to the ropes.
Rush takes an elbow to the forehead.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Fernandes throws an elbow but misses.
Rush throws a punch but it's blocked by Fernandes.
Rush looking to throw knees to the head but Fernandes is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riccardo Fernandes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Zack Rush's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Fernandes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Riccardo Fernandes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rush's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Fernandes connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rush scrambles back to his feet.
Rush tries to clinch but Fernandes is having none of it.
Rush tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fernandes fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rush just manages to avoid it.
Riccardo Fernandes is winning the standup battle so far.
Fernandes throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rush looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fernandes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zack Rush is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A slow jab from Rush misses its intended target.
Fernandes gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Rush counters with a left and a right that stings Fernandes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rush is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rush misses the jab.
Rush misses with a two punch combination.
Fernandes jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Fernandes was well out of range. Poor timing from Rush.
Fernandes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rush can do to turn this around?

Fernandes moves into the clinch.
Rush working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fernandes.
Rush misses with a punch on the inside.
Rush working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rush misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rush blocking some punches.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Fernandes, against the ropes.
Rush throws an elbow that misses.
Rush tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Fernandes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fernandes misses with a wild body shot.
Rush is looking to chop away at Fernandes's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rush tries to clinch up.
Fernandes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fernandes looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Rush instigates a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Come on Fernandes - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Fernandes throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rush lands a good knee to the midsection. Fernandes won't want to take too many of those.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Fernandes.
Rush with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Fernandes is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rush lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zack Rush.
Well Fernandes 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 Paul Aken scores the fight for Riccardo Fernandes!
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight for Riccardo Fernandes!
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight for Riccardo Fernandes!

Riccardo Fernandes wins by unanimous decision!
A very excited looking Riccardo Fernandes made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.