PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Laidlaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Ponce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Laidlaw
vs
Ponce

180 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ultimate Hilo Nutrition CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Q150

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Andrew Laidlaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ryan Ponce!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ponce closes the distance and pushes Laidlaw back into the cage.
Ponce is trying to break the clinch but Laidlaw has him pressed against the cage.
Ponce is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Laidlaw gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ponce avoids the elbow strike from Laidlaw, against the cage.

Ponce's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ryan Ponce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A shot to the liver by Ponce. Beautiful body shot.
Ponce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ponce shoots in for a takedown but Laidlaw shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ponce tries to clinch

and Laidlaw counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Laidlaw.
Laidlaw wants to control from the top but Ponce keeps moving.
Ponce trying to keep a closed guard but Laidlaw is proving a slippery customer.
Laidlaw thows a big elbow that misses.
Ponce is pulling down on Laidlaw's head. It's preventing any offense from Laidlaw, at least for the moment.
Laidlaw has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ponce's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ryan Ponce has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Ponce fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Andrew Laidlaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Ponce.
Ponce stalks Laidlaw and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Laidlaw's face. Laidlaw staggers backwards, shaken.
Laidlaw tries for a takedown but Ponce circles away easily

and Ponce counters by clinching up.
Ponce tries to pull guard but Laidlaw holds him up against the cage and eventually Ponce drops back down to his feet.
Laidlaw prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ponce tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ponce is trying to break free.
Ponce takes an elbow to the temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponce wants a takedown but no success here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ponce looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Laidlaw utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Laidlaw slows down the pace here.
Ponce creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Laidlaw tries to stall but Ponce uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ponce misses with a hook from the clinch.
Ponce drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ponce fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ponce is trying to break the clinch but Laidlaw is controlling him.
Ponce fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ponce misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Laidlaw.
Ponce wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponce prevents the takedown attempt.
Ponce blocks an elbow strike from Laidlaw.
Laidlaw lands a nice elbow.
Ponce throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Laidlaw takes a shot to the head.
Ponce just leaning against Laidlaw, taking a breather.
Laidlaw tries to break free but Ponce pushes him back against the cage.
Laidlaw managing to block the knees to the body from Ponce.
Ponce looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ponce connects with a knee to the head.

Ponce jumps into guard, dragging Laidlaw to the mat.
Laidlaw with a flurry of punches that miss.

Laidlaw drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Laidlaw jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Laidlaw won't allow Ponce to get back to his feet.
Laidlaw won't allow Ponce to sweep him here.
Laidlaw engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ponce is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ponce wants to sweep here but Laidlaw controlling him for the moment.
Ponce is trying to control the position but Laidlaw postures up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryan Ponce wasn't active enough on the ground.
Ponce tries for a takedown but Laidlaw circles away easily
and Laidlaw counters with a left and a right that stings Ponce.
Ponce looks gassed!
Ponce has his takedown stuffed

and Laidlaw counters by moving into the clinch.
Laidlaw throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Ponce pulls guard effortlessly.
Ponce looking to control.
Laidlaw landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Laidlaw dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ponce thows a body kick. Laidlaw tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Andrew Laidlaw is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ponce tries to close the distance and clinch but Laidlaw swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Laidlaw gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Ponce to counter with a crisp jab.
Ponce pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Laidlaw back to the cage. Ponce follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

Ponce looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ponce seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Laidlaw keeping full guard, as Ponce tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laidlaw wants to sweep but no luck.
Laidlaw will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ponce's corner is telling him to maintain position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Laidlaw not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryan Ponce wasn't active enough on the ground.
Ponce tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Laidlaw manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ponce shoots in looking for a takedown. Laidlaw tries to sprawl out of it but Ponce keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Laidlaw manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Ponce rushes Laidlaw and presses him up against the cage.

That's two 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.
Ponce has Laidlaw pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Laidlaw manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Ponce can't get the takedown.
Andrew Laidlaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Ponce.

Ponce breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Ponce misses.
Laidlaw fails with the takedown
and Ponce counters with an outside leg kick.
Laidlaw has his takedown stuffed

and Ponce counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ponce stands up over Laidlaw, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Ponce not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponce wants to pass the guard but Laidlaw is keeping the position.
Ponce engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Ponce stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Ponce gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ponce keeps control of Laidlaw as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ponce manages to pull guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ponce is on top in guard.
Ponce tries to free his leg and advance position but Laidlaw is retaining full guard.
Ponce not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Ponce must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ponce keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Laidlaw's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Ponce showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ponce moves into the clinch.

Ponce pulls guard.
Ponce is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

Ponce escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Laidlaw gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ponce is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Laidlaw wants to stand but Ponce is controlling his posture from full guard.
Laidlaw trying to control but Ponce is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Laidlaw postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laidlaw passes Ponce's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ponce is holding on to half guard well.
Ponce is looking to control Laidlaw's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Ponce avoid being mounted?

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryan Ponce wasn't active enough on the ground.
Ponce shoots for a double leg takedown but Laidlaw sprawls well. He's pushed Ponce's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ponce has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Laidlaw.
Ponce wants to clinch but Laidlaw slips to the side

and Laidlaw counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ponce manages to get to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ponce is on top in guard.
Ponce prevents Laidlaw from getting back to his feet.
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.

Laidlaw is working an open guard so Ponce takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The fighters circling - Ponce throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Ponce fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Laidlaw, pushing him back against the cage.
Good body shot from Ponce.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ponce crunches a lovely knee into Laidlaw's ribcage.
Ponce is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ponce leaning against his opponent.
Ponce is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Laidlaw gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Andrew Laidlaw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Ponce.

Ponce breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ponce tries to grapple but his opponent circles

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponce is trying to break the clinch but Laidlaw is controlling him.
Ponce tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Laidlaw just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ponce pulls Laidlaw into guard.

Laidlaw stands up and waves to Ponce to follow him.
Nice body kick there by Ponce.

Ponce shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Ponce there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponce scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Ponce decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Ponce clinches up against the cage.

Ponce has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Laidlaw regains guard immediately.
Ponce sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ponce passes Laidlaw's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Ponce comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ponce has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Ponce!