PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Valen Dreth (ranked 407 p4p, 926 weight class) and Rick Richardson (ranked 35 p4p, 87 weight class). Richardson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Alma Enamorada (Chalino Sánchez) kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Dreth
vs
Richardson

175 cm
35
159
28 - 15 - 1

175 cm
28
145
15 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Valen Dreth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rick Richardson!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Hirohito Nitta and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dreth swings widly with a right hand
and Dreth takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've been hearing reports that Dreth has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Dreth moves away from the strike by Richardson.
Richardson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dreth was well out of range. Poor timing from Richardson.
Dreth defending well as Richardson loads up on a big left hand.
Dreth drops down looking for a counter takedown but Richardson sprawls and moves away.
We've been informed that Richardson has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Richardson connects with the punch.
Richardson throws a jab when Dreth was well out of range.
Richardson tries to clinch there but Dreth circles away.
Dreth lands with a nice combination. Richardson backs away looking to recover.
Dreth misses with a looping right.
Richardson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dreth.
An attempted straight right counter from Dreth misses the target.

Richardson clinches with his opponent.
Dreth works on Richardson's body with a couple of short punches.
Dreth lands a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dreth working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Richardson stalls.
Dreth lands with a light punch inside.
A nice left hand lands by Dreth.
Dreth working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Dreth swings wildly with an uppercut but Richardson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dreth lands a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dreth softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Dreth gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Richardson is looking for a sweep. Dreth is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dreth is nestled in close to Richardson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Dreth is trying to control the action in half guard but Richardson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dreth working over Richardson with some ground and pound. Richardson looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Dreth seems to be looking for submissions.
Dreth throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dreth looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Richardson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Richardson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dreth.

Dreth looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dreth lands strikes from half guard.
Nice strikes from Dreth there.
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!
Dreth throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dreth misses with a head shot. Richardson uses the momentum to regain guard.
Dreth trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dreth trying to control the position from guard on top but Richardson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richardson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dreth.
Dreth is working Richardson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dreth working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dreth trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Richardson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Dreth throws a big right hand that misses.
Dreth trying to control the position from guard on top but Richardson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dreth postures up in Richardson's guard and throws a big left but Richardson blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Richardson trying to keep a closed guard but Dreth is proving a slippery customer.
Dreth throws an elbow that misses. Richardson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dreth's guard. Nice move by Richardson!

Richardson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Dreth has his foot on Richardson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Richardson works his way back into a safe position though.
Richardson trying to control but Dreth is working from the bottom.
Richardson content to stall in guard here.
Richardson stopping the sweep attempt from Dreth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Richardson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dreth has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Richardson has managed to get both his arms back between Dreth's legs - danger averted.
Richardson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valen Dreth dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Richardson throws an overhand right that lands on Dreth's shoulder, as Dreth tries to avoid the shot.
Dreth throws a nice inside leg kick.
Dreth is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Richardson can do to turn this around?
Dreth misses with a looping left.
Richardson scores with a jab. Dreth acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Dreth fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Dreth looks for a takedown but Richardson sprawls well.
Richardson avoids the head kick by Dreth.
Richardson doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Valen Dreth seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dreth moves away from the strike by Richardson.
Richardson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice straight punches there by Richardson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Richardson.
Dreth uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Richardson.
Dreth ducks under a wild hook from Richardson.
Richardson misses with a hook. Dreth ducked under it nicely.
Dreth tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Richardson on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dreth moves out of range as Richardson strikes.
Richardson throws a lazy uppercut

and Dreth counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Richardson!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Dreth.
Valen Dreth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richardson is not content to let Dreth control the position.
Richardson is trying to improve his position.
Richardson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Dreth postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Dreth sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Richardson is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Dreth is working Richardson over with some ground and pound from side control.
Dreth looks up at the clock and then as Richardson takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Dreth smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Dreth throws an elbow but Richardson slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dreth throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Richardson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dreth wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Dreth throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Richardson works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Dreth working Richardson over with strikes.

Richardson looking for submissions off his back.
Richardson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dreth.
Dreth trying to control from half guard but Richardson is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dreth working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Richardson moves into full guard.
Dreth postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Dreth with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Dreth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Richardson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dreth avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Richardson keeping moving, preventing Dreth from controlling successfully.
Dreth with a nice head shot there.

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

Richardson wants to control from the top but Dreth keeps moving.
Richardson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dreth is keeping the position for now.
Richardson advances to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valen Dreth dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Richardson scores with a jab.
Richardson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Dreth manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Richardson throws a jab when Dreth was well out of range.
Richardson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Dreth looks to land a body kick but Richardson moved away.
Richardson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Richardson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Dreth shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Left hook, right uppercut from Dreth.

Richardson tries to sprawl but Dreth drives through with a takedown into half guard.
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!
Richardson trying to control but Dreth postures up.
Dreth thows a huge punch but Richardson dodges it nicely.
Dreth throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Richardson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dreth.
Richardson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Dreth scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dreth throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dreth trying to control from half guard but Richardson is working away.
Richardson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dreth stalling away here and it's allowed Richardson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Dreth looking to sit in guard and control but Richardson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Richardson trying to control but Dreth is working from the bottom.

Dreth has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Richardson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Richardson won't allow Dreth to sweep him here.
Rick Richardson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dreth is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Dreth is looking for a triangle but Richardson pushes his legs off easily.

Dreth looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Richardson is defending well. Dreth quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Richardson has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Dreth celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Valen Dreth!
During a confident post fight interview, Valen Dreth thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.