PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Funch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Faber has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Funch
vs
Faber

173 cm
22
146 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
19
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricardo Funch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Faber!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Ackerman and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Faber shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Funch as he avoids it easily.
Faber will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Faber shoots in for a takedown but Funch shows good takedown defense.
Ricardo Funch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Faber.
Faber fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Funch lands a high kick!

It looks like Mike Faber has been cut.
Funch tries to clinch up but Faber circles away and keeps his distance.

Faber darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Funch wants to control but Faber is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Faber lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Faber prevents Funch from improving his position.
Funch blocking the ground and pound attempt from Faber.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funch trying to control from the bottom.

Funch is defending against the submission attempts here by Faber.
Funch avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Faber.

Funch looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Funch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Funch trying to control but Faber is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faber is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Faber has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Funch can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Faber looks gassed!
Funch trying to control the position from guard on top but Faber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Faber 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.
Faber working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Funch.

Funch gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Funch wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber has his takedown stuffed

and Funch holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Funch breaks the clinch.

Faber bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Funch is trying to get back to half guard.
Funch manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Funch slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Funch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Faber's guard.
Funch loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Funch postures up in Faber's guard and throws a big left but Faber blocks it.
Funch wants to control from the top but Faber keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funch wants to stand but Faber has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Faber is working an open guard so Funch takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Funch plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Faber takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Funch tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Faber paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Faber swats away the attempt to clinch by Funch.

Funch forces Faber back against the cage and clinches.
Faber has had enough of the clinch but Funch keeps him there for the moment.
Funch creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Faber's defenses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Funch dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Faber's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Faber dodges the punch combination from Funch.

Funch gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Funch prevents a takedown attempt there.
Faber jumps guard but Funch stands there with Faber around his waist. Faber gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Faber blocks a body shot from Funch.

Funch pulls Faber into guard.
Faber trying to control but Funch is working from the bottom.
Funch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Faber manages to get himself to full guard.
Faber keeping moving, preventing Funch from controlling successfully.
Faber is breathing heavily.
Funch is looking to stand up but Faber won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber looking to control.

Funch drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Faber dives on top into guard.
Faber stands and throws Funch's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Funch struggling a bit here.
Funch is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Faber gets to mount! Funch was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's two 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.
Funch wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Faber.
Faber prevents Funch from getting the reversal.
Funch tries to control Faber's body but Faber pushes him off. Funch squirms to his side and now Faber has his back!
Faber is trying to stick to Funch's back but Funch is turning into Faber. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Faber's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Funch.
Funch prevents Faber from getting back to his feet.
Funch passes into half guard.
Faber is staying active underneath Funch, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Funch seems to be looking for submissions.

Faber is defending against the submission attempts here by Funch.
Funch is pressing down on Faber's thigh, looking to free his foot. Faber is holding on for now.

Funch seems to be looking for submissions.
Funch seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Faber does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Funch prevents Faber from improving his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Faber scores a takedown into full mount!
Funch throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Funch throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Funch has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Faber's lack of action.
Funch gets full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Faber prevents Funch from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ricardo Funch will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mike Faber's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Funch doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Faber counters with a single leg into guard. Funch didn't expect that.
Mike Faber has got the better of the ground game so far.

Faber drops back, looking for a kneebar! Funch looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Funch looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Funch!

Funch decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Funch is looking to clinch but Faber is avoiding it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Funch.
Faber fails with the takedown
and Funch counters with a straight right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Funch shoots in and bounces Faber off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber looking to control.

Funch 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.
Funch wants to stand and escape but instead Faber has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Faber looking to pass the guard.

Funch has his foot on Faber's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Faber works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Faber trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Faber throws and elbow that misses. Funch uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Faber's guard. Nice move by Funch!
Funch throwing strikes but missing.
Funch wants to control from the top but Faber keeps moving.
Funch is looking to stand up but Faber won't let him.
Funch trying to control the position from guard on top but Faber is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Funch is looking to stand up but Faber won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Funch rushes Faber and presses him up against the cage.

Funch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Funch shoots in and drives through. Faber sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Funch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Faber avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Funch shoots in for a double leg but Faber sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Faber thows a leg kick but Funch checks it
and Funch counters with a three punch combo that has Faber backing up. Faber nods at Funch to acknowledge the strikes.
Faber with a poor takedown

and Funch moves into the clinch.

Funch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Funch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Faber is looking to improve his position but Funch isn't that keen on the idea.
Funch avoids the attempt from Faber to control.
Funch trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Funch wants to finish this one by submission but Faber is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Funch.
Faber is in all sorts of trouble here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Funch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Funch has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Richard Clark scores the fight for Ricardo Funch!
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight for Ricardo Funch!
Judge James Glass scores the fight for Ricardo Funch!

Ricardo Funch wins by unanimous decision!