PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rick Ross (ranked 24939 p4p, 4670 weight class) and Tilak Ranathunga (ranked 666 p4p, 0 weight class). Rick Ross has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Ross
vs
Ranathunga

188 cm
21
185
2 - 5 - 0

190 cm
18
190
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rick Ross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tilak Ranathunga!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Michael Johnstone and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ranathunga closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ross to the mat! Ross manages to get full guard.
Ross is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ranathunga wants to get back to full guard.
Ranathunga keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ross prevents Ranathunga from improving his position.
Ranathunga wants to control but Ross is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ross throwing shots but Ranathunga is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ross stands up out of the half guard.

Ross fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ranathunga, pushing him back against the cage.

Ranathunga pulls Ross into guard.
Ranathunga is trying to control the position but Ross postures up.
Ranathunga really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ross. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ross working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ross trying to control but Ranathunga is working from the bottom.

Ross drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ross jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Ranathunga throws his legs up looking for a submission but Ross uses it to pass to side control.
Ranathunga tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ross wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ross wants to control but Ranathunga is keeping him busy.
Ranathunga wants to control but Ross postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ross trying to control the action but Ranathunga is working from the bottom.
Ross 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.
Ranathunga can't do much from the bottom here.
Ross looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ranathunga is avoiding damage well.
Ranathunga tries to buck Ross off but Ross is having none of it.
Ranathunga is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ross off and has taken his back!

Ross is having to fend off submission attempts from Ranathunga, who is looking to sink in the choke. Ranathunga doesn't have the hooks in though and Ross manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
Ross throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ross stands and steps away. Ranathunga gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Ross closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ranathunga did well to prevent Ross getting side control.
Ross is thwarting Ranathunga's attempts to control the position.
Ross is trying to control the action in half guard but Ranathunga is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ross thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ross is trying to control the action in half guard but Ranathunga is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ross thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ross blocks the strikes from Ranathunga.

Ross stands up out of the half guard.
Ross lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ranathunga circles away quickly and effectively.

Ranathunga looking to score a takedown here. Ross is defending well but Ranathunga drives through and ends up in Ross's guard.

Ross manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
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!

Ross pulls guard.
Ross has momentary wrist control but Ranathunga slips an elbow through the middle.
Ross lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ranathunga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Ross is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Ross dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ranathunga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Ranathunga is trying to trip Ross. He has hold of a leg but Ross is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Ranathunga persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Ross manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Ranathunga manages to pull guard.

Ranathunga landing heel shots to his opponent's back. Ross not amused, grabs the leg and drops back, looking for a heel hook. Ranathunga doesn't react quick enough and Ross cranks it - Ranathunga screams in pain and taps out! That was a really quick submission! Impressive stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Heel Hook). Rick Ross!