PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Hull (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taylor Stram (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricky Hull could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Taylor Stram's chin.

Hull
vs
Stram

177 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
172 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Hull!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taylor Stram!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Franklyn Lucas and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stram with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hull counters with a nice kick to the body.

Hull closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Stram's guard.
Hull trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hull is looking to stand up but Stram won't let him.
Hull has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Hull stands and steps away. Stram gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Stram tries for a takedown but Hull circles away easily

and Hull counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Stram!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stram sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Stram looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stram looks gassed!

Stram is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hull pulls his head out easily.
Hull perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hull tries to pass to full mount but Stram defends it.
Hull with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

We're going to have a standup here because Ricky Hull wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Hull looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Stram!
Hull wants to take Stram's back but he can't do it this time.
Hull lands with some strikes.
Hull connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hull is landing with some decent strikes but Stram is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Stram tries to improve his position but instead Hull has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hull doesn't have the hooks in and Stram manages to turn into his guard.
Stram stopping the sweep attempt from Hull.
Stram looking to pass the guard.

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

Hull decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Hull has taken the fight to the clinch.

Hull manages to pull guard.
Hull is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hull controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hull wants to pass the guard but Stram is defending well.
Hull is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Hull is working for a kimura but Stram is defending it quite comfortably.
Stram gets full guard.

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.

Stram is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Stram can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hull controls the pace.

Stram looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Hull passes into side control.

Hull stands up and beckons Stram to his feet.

Hull has taken the fight to the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hull dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Hull breaks from the clinch.

Hull looking to score a takedown here. Stram is defending well but Hull drives through and ends up in Stram's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Hull 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.

Stram misses with a takedown attempt

and Hull counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hull passes Stram's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Hull frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Stram bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hull has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Stram stops Hull from standing up.

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

Stram is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hull is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hull has escaped and now he's on top!
Stram is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stram can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hull controls the pace.
Hull cracks Stram with a solid left hand.

Stram is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hull works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Nice strikes from Hull there.

Stram looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Hull is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hull controlling the action here.

Stram actively working from the bottom here.
Still in half guard, Hull seems content to control.
Stram wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ricky Hull.

Hull gets the takedown into side control.
Ricky Hull overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stram is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stram takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Stram is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Stram tries to buck Hull off but Hull is having none of it.
Hull working the head with strikes.
Stram tries to bench press Hull off him but Hull keeps the position.
Hull is working Stram over with some ground and pound from side control.
A lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hull tries to move to mount but Stram blocks the move with his legs.
Stram tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hull wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hull scoring with punches from side control.

Hull tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hull has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hull advances to full mount.

Hull has control of Stram's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Stram regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Hull takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Hull dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hull shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Stram working for a triangle but Hull defends it easily.
Hull slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hull wants to control from the top but Stram keeps moving.
Hull has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Stram is proving hard to escape from.

Hull got a little sloppy there for a moment and Stram has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hull has managed to get both his arms back between Stram's legs - danger averted.
Stram takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Stram working for a triangle but Hull defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hull controlling from the top position.
Hull seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Stram for as long as he can get away with.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Hull tries to free his leg and advance position but Stram is retaining full guard.

Stram looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Hull has picked Stram up and slammed him! Stram can't keep hold of the triangle and Hull manages to pass to side control!
Stram is looking to regain half guard here but Hull keeps moving and retains side control.
Hull taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hull thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hull is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stram can do to turn this around?
Hull advances nicely into full mount.
Stram tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hull looking to control and managing it successfully.
Hull's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Stram is desperately trying to improve his position but Hull has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hull content just to control the position here.
Stram working to try and regain half guard.
Hull sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hull has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

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.

Ricky Hull has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Hull looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Stram!
Stram is in a horrible position here. Hull smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hull unloading with bombs!
Stram taking shots to the head.
Hull is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Stram can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hull takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Stram is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taylor Stram has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Hull is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Hull showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hull 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

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