PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Slick Rick (ranked 2720 p4p, 5222 weight class) and Gene Wonder (ranked 402 p4p, 580 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Gene Wonder enters the cage!

Rick
vs
Wonder

184 cm
27
210
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
211
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Stoner's Killer Apparel
Fantasy Threads

Stoner's Killer Apparel

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Slick Rick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gene Wonder!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rick looks to clinch
and Wonder counters with a series of strikes. Rick will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rick wants to clinch but Wonder slips to the side
and Wonder counters with a head kick.
Wonder slaps away a takedown attempt from Rick, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A nice side step and Wonder releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Rick has closed the distance and engaged Wonder in a clinch.
Rick misses with a hook to the ribs.

Wonder wants the takedown. Rick is fighting it off but Wonder persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Rick's guard against the cage.
Wonder passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Wonder working the body and head with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rick is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Wonder off and has taken his back!
Wonder tries to escape the position.

Rick patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Wonder is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Rick gets his way!
Wonder trying to control the hands but Rick breaks the grip.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick keeps control of the position as Wonder tries to break free.
Wonder tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rick trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wonder is working to get back to half guard.
Wonder manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Rick passes to side control.
Wonder tries to bench press Rick off him but Rick keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rick wants to control but Wonder is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Wonder's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rick misses with the ground and pound.
Rick is looking to take a break and control but Wonder is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wonder is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Rick's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Wonder works his way to full guard. Good work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wonder controls Rick momentarily but Rick frees himself.
Wonder 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.
Rick controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Wonder 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.

Wonder had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rick defends it easily.
Rick pushing down on Wonder's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Wonder tries to roll over but Rick keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rick is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Wonder slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rick trying to control but Wonder is working from the bottom.
Wonder is trying to control the position but Rick postures up.
Wonder looking for a sweep. Not yet Wonder, not yet.
Wonder keeps trying to improve his position.
Rick sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rick trying to control the position from guard on top but Wonder is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wonder is adopting a defensive guard.
Rick trying to control the position from guard on top but Wonder is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Wonder looking for a sweep. Not yet Wonder, not yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gene Wonder will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Rick misses with a takedown
and Wonder counters with a right hand to the body.
Wonder circles away from the clinch attempt
and Wonder counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rick thinking.
Rick uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Wonder has time to react.
Wonder scores with a jab to the head.
Rick with a poor takedown
and Wonder makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Wonder looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rick with a lazy takedown attempt
and Wonder connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Slick Rick. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rick tries to clinch
and Rick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rick with a lazy takedown attempt
and Wonder counters with a head kick. That will keep Rick thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rick with a lazy takedown attempt
and Wonder counters with a three punch combo that has Rick backing up. Rick nods at Wonder to acknowledge the strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rick misses with a left hand
and Wonder counters with a head kick. That will keep Rick thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rick throws a poor cross that misses
and Wonder counters with a three punch combo that has Rick backing up. Rick nods at Wonder to acknowledge the strikes.
Slick Rick seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wonder scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rick throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Wonder to counter with a crisp jab.
Rick misses with a lunging right hand
and Wonder counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Wonder connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rick misses with a takedown attempt
and Wonder counters with a nice uppercut.
Rick throws a combination that misses
and Wonder counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rick throws a leg kick that is checked
and Wonder counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rick misses with a right hand
and Wonder counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rick takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rick misses with a takedown attempt
and Wonder cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
As Rick backs off Wonder throws a huge counter combo but Rick manages to avoid it all.
Rick gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Wonder counters with a left to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wonder lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Wonder has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rick fails with the takedown

so Wonder counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rick controlling the position.
Wonder 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.
Wonder wants to control from the top but Rick keeps moving.
Wonder must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Wonder pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rick is keeping the position for now.
Wonder trying to control but Rick is working from the bottom.
Wonder passes Rick's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rick trying to control here.
Rick wants to improve his position but Wonder is controlling well.
Wonder is looking to take a break and control but Rick is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wonder tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rick knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Wonder blocks the strikes from Rick.
Wonder is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Wonder lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rick hang on?
Wonder trying to control but Rick is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rick really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gene Wonder has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rick tries to lock up and control but Wonder gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Wonder trying to control but Rick is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rick keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gene Wonder showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rick tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Wonder counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rick throws a lazy uppercut
and Wonder counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Rick closes the distance looking to clinch
and Wonder counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Rick pushes Wonder up against the cage in a clinch.

Wonder has hold of one of Rick's legs. Rick is fighting the takedown attempt but Wonder gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Rick working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wonder doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wonder manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wonder stays in close to Rick's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rick is looking for a triangle but Wonder pushes his legs off easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wonder is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wonder passes into half guard.
Wonder trying to control from half guard but Rick is working away.
Wonder might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rick haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Wonder is controlling the pace.
Wonder moves into full mount! Rick won't be happy about that!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wonder wants to control the pace but Rick is squirming around nicely.
Wonder putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Wonder trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wonder in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Wonder tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Let's hope that Wonder has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
BOOM! Wonder connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rick squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Wonder trying to control but Rick is having none of it.
Wonder postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rick looks a forlorn figure.
Wonder trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Wonder working for a guillotine from mount but Rick is in no mood to give up.
Rick wants to hold on but Wonder pushes him away.
Wonder prevents Rick from getting the reversal.
Rick is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Thunder Gym, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Wonder looking to control but Rick is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rick is looking to improve his position but Wonder isn't that keen on the idea.
Rick wants to hold on but Wonder pushes him away.
Wonder can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rick is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Slick Rick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gene Wonder is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Wonder landing punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gene Wonder comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wonder winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 26:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gene Wonder!