PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Texas Ranger (ranked 4028 p4p, 3376 weight class) and Richard Hall (ranked 259 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ranger
vs
Hall

167 cm
25
144
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
145
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Texas Ranger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Richard Hall!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Daniel Franklin and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hall darts in and clinches Ranger up against the cage.
Ranger tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hall just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ranger pulls guard effortlessly.
Hall wants to pass the guard but Ranger is keeping the position.

Hall avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ranger looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hall passes into side control.
Ranger is looking for a sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Ranger manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ranger does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hall looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hall is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Ranger looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Ranger looking for subs from the bottom but Hall mounts him!
Ranger wants to hold on but Hall pushes him away.
Hall looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ranger working to try and regain half guard.
Ranger bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hall looking to control.

Ranger postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hall is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Ranger, into his guard.

Ranger keeping moving, preventing Hall from controlling successfully.
Hall is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ranger working for submissions but it's allowed Hall to get to half guard.
Ranger is looking to control Hall's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ranger avoid being mounted?
Ranger wants to control but Hall passes into side.
Hall trying to control the action but Ranger is working from the bottom.
Ranger tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hall wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hall tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Ranger is looking for a sweep.
Ranger is not content to let Hall control the position.
Ranger is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ranger wants to control but Hall postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hall advances to mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Hall dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hall closes the distance and pushes Ranger back into the cage.
Ranger tries to pull guard but Hall holds him up against the cage and eventually Ranger drops back down to his feet.
Ranger is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hall to keep the fight standing.

Ranger pulls guard successfully.
Hall trying to control but Ranger is working from the bottom.
Hall slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Ranger had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hall defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ranger escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hall gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ranger working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hall doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hall manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hall slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ranger is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Ranger working for a triangle but Hall defends it easily.

Ranger escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hall gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hall passes Ranger's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Ranger actively working from the bottom here.

Ranger looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ranger is not content to let Hall control the position.
Hall looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ranger trying to control from the bottom.

Ranger has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Hall escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Hall!

Hall wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ranger, who protects the arm well.
Hall wants to take a breather but Ranger manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Hall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Ranger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hall defends well.

Ranger is looking for a triangle but Hall pushes his legs off easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ranger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Texas Ranger will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Ranger moves into the clinch.

Hall jumps guard.

Ranger is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hall is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hall has escaped and now he's on top!

Hall pushing down on Ranger's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Ranger has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Hall escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Hall!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ranger is trying to control Hall's posture but Hall avoids it.
Hall trying to control the position but Ranger is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ranger wants to control but Hall postures up.
Ranger is not content to let Hall control the position.
Ranger tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Hall presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Ranger tries to hold on but Hall pushes him away.
Hall moves to back control.
Hall has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Hall is persistently looking for the submission but Ranger is defending it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hall is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Ranger defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Ranger trying to control the action but Hall just sinks the hooks in.
Will Hall go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Hall not allowing Ranger to control his hands.
Ranger is in bad spot here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ranger wants to control his opponent's hands but Hall gets his hands free.
Hall has the hooks in. Ranger is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Ranger is working hard here to advance position.
Ranger looking very determined here, making life difficult for Hall.
Ranger trying to control the hands but Hall won't let him.
Ranger tries to escape the position.
Hall doesn't have the hooks in and Ranger manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall trying to keep a closed guard but Ranger is proving a slippery customer.

Ranger has gone for a leg lock! Hall slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ranger's guard.

Ranger throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hall uses it to pass to side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hall looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hall moves into full mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hall looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Hall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hall has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Hall!
After winning the bout, Richard Hall thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.