PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bobby Ricky (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Valenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Valenko will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Ricky
vs
Valenko

180 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

215 cm
20
270 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bobby Ricky!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ivan Valenko!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ricky changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Valenko tries to avoid it but Ricky manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Valenko to the ground. Valenko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Valenko looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Ricky rushes Valenko and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ricky prevents Valenko from breaking the clinch.
Valenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ricky could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ricky fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ricky has Valenko pressed against the cage, preventing Valenko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Valenko wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ricky has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Valenko avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Ricky. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice elbow from Ricky.
A frustrated look appears on Valenko's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ricky leaning against his opponent.

Ricky successfully pulls guard.
Ricky working a defensive guard here.
Valenko won't allow Ricky to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ricky pushes Valenko off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Ricky clinches.
Valenko is trying to force a seperation but Ricky has the dominant position.
Ricky scores a nice knee to the body.

Ricky jumps guard.
Ricky 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.
Valenko won't allow Ricky to get back to his feet.
Valenko being controlled here momentarily.
Valenko stopping the sweep attempt from Ricky.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ricky pushes Valenko off and scrambles back to his feet.
Ivan Valenko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Valenko stuffs the takedown.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ricky. That's going to slow Valenko down.

Ricky shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ricky showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Valenko is trying to stand up here but Ricky is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricky tries to pass to full mount but Valenko defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ricky is taking a breather. Valenko says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ricky tries to pass to full mount but Valenko defends it.
Valenko pushes Ricky off looking to stand but Ricky dives back in and keeps control.

Ricky decides to return to a standing position.
Ivan Valenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valenko displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ricky.
Valenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ricky fails with a takedown attempt.

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.
Valenko throws a sloppy head kick and Ricky moves out of range easily.
Valenko misses with a head kick.
Valenko misses with a head kick.
Valenko tries a head kick but it misses.
Valenko misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Valenko displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ricky.
A head kick misses from Valenko.
Ricky misses with a body shot.
Ricky misses with a wild combination.
Ricky blocks a head kick by Valenko.
Ricky digs a good body shot into Valenko's ribs.
Ricky shoots in looking for a takedown. Valenko tries to sprawl out of it but Ricky keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Valenko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ricky shoots for a takedown but Valenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Ricky 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.

A head kick misses from Valenko.

Ricky closes the distance and clinches.
Ricky has Valenko pressed against the cage, preventing Valenko from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Valenko prevents the takedown attempt.

Ricky breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valenko throws a push kick but Ricky slaps the foot to one side.
Valenko throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ricky shoots for a takedown but Valenko saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ricky thows a body shot but no joy.
Ricky doesn't manage to clinch there - Valenko circles away.
A head kick from Valenko lands but Ricky takes it in his stride.
Bobby Ricky is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ricky shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Valenko's guard.
Valenko is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ricky is controlling him.
Ricky is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Ricky decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Valenko, up you get!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ricky blocks a head kick by Valenko.
Ricky changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Valenko tries to avoid it but Ricky manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Valenko to the ground. Valenko escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Ricky. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valenko circles away from the clinch attempt.
Valenko tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick from Valenko lands but Ricky takes it in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ricky looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick misses from Valenko.

Ricky changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Valenko looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ricky connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Valenko some visible discomfort.
Valenko is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ricky is controlling him well.
Ricky trying to control the action but Valenko is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ricky decides to stand up, so the ref orders Valenko to his feet.
Valenko lands a high kick!
Ricky shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ricky shoots in and gets a takedown into Valenko's guard.
Ricky passes Valenko's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Ricky is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Valenko sees it coming and defends easily.

Ricky is looking for a kimura but Valenko is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ricky to get the leverage.
Ricky wants to pass the guard but Valenko is defending well.

Valenko kicks off Ricky and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ricky fails with a takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Valenko.

Ricky shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Valenko wants to stand and escape but Ricky is having none of it.
Ricky wants to control from the top but Valenko keeps moving.
Valenko is looking to stand back up but Ricky counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Valenko.
Still in half guard, Ricky seems content to control.
Ricky stops Valenko from getting back to his feet.
Ricky keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ricky stops Valenko from getting back to his feet.
Ricky wants to take a breather but Valenko is having none of it.
Ricky looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ricky passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Valenko!
Ricky lands a big elbow.
Ricky looking to control and managing it successfully.
Valenko wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Ricky 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!

Ricky shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Valenko trying desperately to get to his feet.
Ricky trying to control but Valenko is having none of it.
Ricky lands a heavy elbow.
Valenko is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Ricky sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Ricky here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ricky is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Ricky is looking to clinch.
Ricky throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Valenko's waist but Valenko gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ricky off to one side.
Valenko throws a sloppy head kick and Ricky moves out of range easily.

Ricky shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Valenko's guard.
Ricky trying to control the position from guard on top but Valenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ricky might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ricky stops Valenko from standing up.

Valenko is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Valenko wants to get back to striking at distance but Ricky won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Valenko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ricky tries to clinch there but Valenko circles away.
Valenko tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Valenko swats away the attempt to clinch by Ricky.
Valenko pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ricky misses with a takedown attempt - Valenko sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Valenko throws a head kick that misses.

Ricky feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Ricky lands a couple of elbows.
Ricky trying to control but Valenko is working from the bottom.
Ricky slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ricky stands up and beckons Valenko to his feet.

Ricky drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ricky wants to control but Valenko is keeping him busy.
Ricky tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Valenko tries to escape but Ricky is in control.
Ricky trying to control the action but Valenko is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valenko is trying to get back to his feet.
Ricky scoring with punches and elbows.
Valenko is trying to buck Ricky off.
Bobby Ricky overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Valenko throws a head kick that misses.
Valenko throws a head kick but Ricky moves out of range.
Ricky shoots in for a double leg but Valenko sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bobby Ricky. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ricky shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ricky showed some decent athleticism there.
Ricky is keen to just control but Valenko is a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Ricky showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ricky, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobby Ricky!