PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Casso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake Ritter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blake Ritter will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Casso
vs
Ritter

225 cm
23
270 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

192 cm
22
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Casso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Blake Ritter!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ritter shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Casso pinned against the cage. Casso gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Ritter dives in and grabs Casso's left leg, looking for a takedown. Casso pushes down on Ritter's head and hops out.
Ritter fails to land the takedown.
Anthony Casso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Blake Ritter.
Casso explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
No luck for Ritter with that takedown attempt.
Ritter shoots for a double leg takedown but Casso sprawls well. He's pushed Ritter's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Casso gets the takedown into side control.
Ritter manages to work his way to half guard, despite Casso's best efforts.
Ritter is in trouble now - Casso has advanced to mount!
Casso content just to control the position here.

Casso looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Ritter is trying to escape the mount.
Casso will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casso sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ritter is wriggling around trying to escape.
Casso controlling his opponent.
Casso landing strikes from the mount.
Casso prevents Ritter from getting the reversal.
Casso controlling from mount.
Casso with good strikes from the mount here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ritter is desperately trying to improve his position but Casso has a good base and remains in mount.

Casso is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ritter can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Casso sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Casso prevents Ritter from getting the reversal.
Casso looking to control but Ritter is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ritter in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Casso really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ritter is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ritter regains half guard.
Casso controlling the pace.

Casso gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Ritter has his takedown stuffed

and Casso counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Ritter looks gassed!
Casso slows the pace down in half guard.
Casso is trying to control the action in half guard but Ritter is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Ritter is looking to get back to full guard here but Casso has managed to pass to side control instead.
Casso prevents Ritter from getting the reversal.
Casso controlling the position easily from mount.
Ritter really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Casso cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
BOOM! Casso connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Ritter is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ritter with a lazy takedown attempt

and Casso counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Casso has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Ritter looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Casso has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Ritter is proving hard to escape from.
Casso stands and throws Ritter's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Ritter's face as Casso controls the position.
Ritter is trying to get back to half guard.
Casso trying to control the action but Ritter is working from the bottom.
Casso connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Ritter some visible discomfort.
Casso scoring with punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ritter tries to buck Casso off but Casso is having none of it.
Casso knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ritter on the ground.
Casso tries to advance to mount but Ritter denies him.
Ritter tries to buck Casso off but Casso is having none of it.
Casso working the ground and pound.
Anthony Casso overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ritter is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Ritter looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ritter is breathing heavily.
Ritter is trying to get back to full guard.
Casso with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Ritter looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Ritter looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ritter is staying active underneath Casso, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Casso stalling.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Casso tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ritter swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ritter misses with a takedown attempt

and Casso counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ritter won't be happy with that.
Casso is staying tight to Ritter's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Ritter sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Casso connects with a nice short shot to Ritter's temple.

Ritter looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Ritter looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Casso content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Casso passes the guard and advances to mount!
Ritter really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Casso can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Ritter is looking to escape.
Ritter bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Ritter drops back, looking for a kneebar! Casso looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Casso looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Casso!
Casso in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Ritter is looking for a sweep.
Casso landing a few strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Casso dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Casso fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ritter manages to avoid it.
Blake Ritter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ritter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Casso drives through with a takedown into guard.
Casso is working Ritter over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Ritter had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Casso defends it easily.

Ritter is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Casso is aware though and is defending well.
Ritter looking for a sweep. Not yet Ritter, not yet.
Casso wants to control from the top but Ritter keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ritter working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Casso has passed into half guard!

Casso 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 one minute gone in the round.
Casso is keen to just control but Ritter is a slippery customer.
Casso is pressing down on Ritter's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ritter is holding on for now.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Ritter tries to roll over but Casso keeps him under control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Casso looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ritter won't allow Casso to pass to mount.

Ritter looking for submissions off his back.
Casso slows the pace down in half guard.
Ritter is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Casso's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Casso's back!

Ritter is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Casso defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Casso breaks Ritter's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ritter is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

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

Ritter looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Casso forces his way into half guard.
Ritter is looking to improve his position.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Casso keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

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.
Casso lands strikes from half guard.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.

Ritter is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Casso pulls his head out easily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Ritter actively working from the bottom here.
Casso prevents Ritter from improving his position.

Ritter looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Casso showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Casso 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Casso!