PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rico Cole (ranked 2763 p4p, 24319 weight class) and Eddie Ryan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cole's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Gerardo's Rico Suave. Rico Cole had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Cole
vs
Ryan

182 cm
43
168
36 - 21 - 1

180 cm
20
168
0 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rico Cole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Eddie Ryan!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ryan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Cole counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cole connects with a nice looking jab.
Ryan takes a swing at Cole's ribcage but misses.
Cole seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Ryan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cole.
As Ryan tries to get set, Cole tries to push him back and clinch up but Ryan manages to avoid the attempt.
Cole takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ryan moves away from the strike by Cole.
Cole lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ryan circles away quickly and effectively.
Cole walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Cole throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cole slips a jab and a cross from Ryan.
Ryan throws a right hand that Cole ducks under and follows up with a left that Cole also avoids with ease.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cole feints a jab promting Ryan to slip. Cole then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ryan slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Eddie Ryan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ryan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ryan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ryan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cole.
Cole throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ryan throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Ryan throws a right and a left that Cole avoids nicely.
Cole is looking for a counter combo.
Ryan throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ryan throws a lazy uppercut
and Cole cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ryan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ryan misses with a combination
and Cole cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
An attempted straight right counter from Cole misses the target.
Cole takes a swing at Ryan's ribcage but misses.
Ryan shoots in and drives through. Cole sprawls well.
As Ryan looks to move away, Cole throws a big counter combo but Ryan just gets out of the way.
Cole throws an overhand right that lands on Ryan's shoulder, as Ryan tries to avoid the shot.
Cole swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cole is looking to clinch.
Cole slips a jab and a cross from Ryan.
Ryan looks to land a combination. Cole sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Ryan works over Cole's head and body with a nice combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole slips a straight right by Ryan.
Ryan misses with a looping right.
Cole seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Ryan looks to land a combination but Cole avoids it well.
Ryan tries to bum rush Cole with a series of wild strikes but Cole uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ryan tries to bum rush Cole with a series of wild strikes but Cole uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cole throwing a counter right hand but Ryan manages to avoid it.
Cole slips a jab and a cross from Ryan.
Ryan slips a jab and a cross from Cole.
Rico Cole is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cole walks into a straight right hand from Ryan.
Ryan misses with a hook. Cole ducked under it nicely.
Ryan slips a straight right by Cole.
Ryan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cole counters with a two punch combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Cole misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ryan misses with a few strikes there.
Cole with the inside leg kick.
Ryan stalks Cole and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Cole's face. Cole staggers backwards, shaken.
A combination from Ryan does no damage.
A counter left hand to the body from Cole misses its target.

Cole closes the distance and clinches.
Cole misses with some punches.
Cole will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ryan up against the cage.

Cole lands a takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ryan has his hands on Cole's head, controlling the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eddie Ryan will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cole misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ryan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cole swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Danga de danga de dang - Ryan scores with a four punch combination!
Ryan misses with a straight left.
Ryan lands a really nice looking cross but Cole seems unphased.
Cole keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ryan works the jab nicely.
A jab from Ryan misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ryan connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A combination from Cole does no damage.
Ryan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cole moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Cole is looking to counter punch.
Rico Cole is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ryan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ryan misses with a double jab
and Cole counters with a nice uppercut.
Jab by Ryan.
Nice defenses there by Cole.
Ryan moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ryan misses with the combination.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Cole.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ryan's jab looks to have found its range, popping Cole under the eye.
Cole dodges the punch combination from Ryan.
Cole takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Ryan has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
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!
Ryan missing with a left hand there. Cole was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
It looked like Cole wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ryan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ryan throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cole is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ryan on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Cole ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Ryan lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Ryan.
Cole slips a jab from Ryan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ryan missing with a left hand there. Cole was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Cole pushes Ryan up against the cage in a clinch.
Ryan misses with a punch to the body.
Ryan trying to stall but Cole improves his position.

Ryan is fighting off a takedown attempt but Cole is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Ryan to the mat. Ryan regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Cole advances position into side control!
The referee asks Cole politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Cole prefers to stall for the moment though.
Ryan dodges the ground and pound from Cole.
Cole trying to control the position but Ryan is working away.
Cole controls the position from side control.

Cole tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cole has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryan is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ryan is not content to let Cole control the position.
Ryan wants to control but Cole postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Ryan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Ryan misses with an uppercut
and Cole counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cole tried to score with a low kick but Ryan checks it.
Ryan is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Cole tries to clinch up.
Ryan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Cole.

Cole has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cole misses with a punch on the inside.
Cole working aggressively here.
Cole holding his opponent close, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cole has Ryan pressed against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ryan.

Cole has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Ryan uses from the top position.
Cole trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cole has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ryan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ryan trying to control the position from guard on top but Cole is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ryan throwing strikes but missing.
Ryan throws a big elbow that misses.
Cole keeping full guard, as Ryan tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Cole throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Cole has an active guard here but Ryan has managed to pass into half guard.
Cole has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ryan is working away from the top position though.
Ryan is keen to just control but Cole is a slippery customer.

Cole has hold of a guillotine but he's not going to be able to crank on it really with only half guard, so it's no trouble for Ryan. Oh but Cole has got full guard now! Oh boy! This one could be over very soon! Ryan goes limp - he's gone! Cole jumps up and celebrates with the crowd - fantastic submission finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rico Cole!
A very excited looking Rico Cole 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.