PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mr Ripley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lisandro Licha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ripley comes into the arena with The Talented Mr. Ripley - Tu Vuo' Fa l'Americano blaring out of the sound system. Licha is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by In Bloom. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ripley
vs
Licha

190 cm
34
263 lbs
15 - 18 - 0

181 cm
30
255 lbs
20 - 23 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 15 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mr Ripley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 23 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lisandro Licha!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ripley tries a head kick but it misses.
Ripley looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ripley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ripley looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ripley misses with a low kick.
Ripley closes the distance and clinches up with Licha, looking for a takedown. Ripley pushes Licha against the cage but Licha circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ripley misses with a combination

and Licha counters with a left and a right that hurts Ripley! He wobbles and falls to the floor - he's in big trouble! Licha jumps into full mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Licha swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Ripley is now in Licha's guard. A big mistake from Licha there, giving up the dominant position!
Ripley postures up.
Licha keeping moving, preventing Ripley from controlling successfully.
Licha has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Ripley has passed into side control.

Ripley looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Licha manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Licha is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ripley wants to improve his position but Licha is controlling well.

Licha seems to be looking for submissions.

Licha is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ripley doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Licha.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Licha 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.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Licha is working for a submission of some sort.

Licha is working for an americana but Ripley has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Licha was thinking about the submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Licha slips nicely into half guard.
Ripley trying to control from the bottom.

Licha seems to be working for a kimura but Ripley defends the submission attempt.

Licha is looking for a kimura here.

Licha is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Licha is looking for a kimura here.

Licha is working for a submission of some sort.

Licha seems to be looking for submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Licha is working for a kimura but Ripley is defending it quite comfortably.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lisandro Licha dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ripley misses with a few strikes there.
Ripley tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Licha counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ripley buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ripley throws a nice outside leg kick.

Ripley shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Ripley was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Ripley working away.

Ripley is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Licha has escaped the position, nice work there.
You can see the frustration on Licha's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ripley wants to control but Licha is keeping him busy.
Licha tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ripley lands a few punches from side control.
Ripley lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Licha down.
Ripley trying to control the action but Licha is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ripley decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Ripley lands with a nice combination. Licha backs away looking to recover.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Licha moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ripley throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ripley takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

It looks like Mr Ripley has been cut.
Ripley misses with a combination

and Licha counters with a leg kick then a big left hand that sends Ripley down! Licha is looking to finish but Ripley is intelligently defending himself.

Ripley is rocked!

Licha is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ripley is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ripley has escaped and now he's on top!
Ripley stopping the sweep attempt from Licha.
Licha wants to control the position but Ripley says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Licha controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Licha is pressing down on Ripley's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ripley trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ripley stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Licha shoots for a takedown but Ripley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ripley falls off balance throwing a combination
and Licha counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ripley swinging wildly here.
Ripley is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Licha.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Licha throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ripley shoots in for a takedown but Licha shows good takedown defense.
Ripley thows a body shot but no joy.
A punch combination from Ripley misses.
Ripley misses with a straight right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licha throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A jab from Ripley misses.
Ripley looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Licha dodges the punch combination from Ripley.
Licha stuffs the takedown.
Ripley throws a leg kick which misses Licha's front leg but catches the back leg as Licha tries to avoid it.
Ripley misses with the combination.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Licha walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ripley fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Licha avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lisandro Licha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mr Ripley's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Ripley dodges the punch combination from Licha.
Ripley fails with a takedown attempt.
Ripley tries to land a leg kick but Licha saw it coming and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ripley fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sloppy strikes from Ripley. Those never looked like landing.
Ripley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Licha.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ripley shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Licha is doing well to control the position and prevent Ripley from advancing to side control.
Licha regains full guard. Nicely done.
Licha can't keep his opponent in guard - Ripley advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Ripley is working for a submission of some sort.
Licha manages to get to full guard.
Licha controls Ripley momentarily but Ripley frees himself.
Licha wants to sweep here but Ripley controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ripley trying to control the position from guard on top but Licha is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Licha wants to sweep here but Ripley controlling him for the moment.
Licha has his hands on Ripley's head, controlling the position.

Ripley decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Licha, up you get!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ripley misses with a low kick as Licha jumps back.

Ripley drives through with a takedown into Licha's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Ripley wants to control from the top but Licha keeps moving.
Licha trying to keep a closed guard but Ripley is proving a slippery customer.

Ripley avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Licha is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ripley slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Licha is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Ripley is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Ripley has escaped and now he's on top!
Mr Ripley overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Licha avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Licha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ripley is one step ahead there.
Ripley postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ripley is one step ahead there.
Ripley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Licha working a defensive guard here.
Licha keeping moving, preventing Ripley from controlling successfully.
Ripley advances to half guard.
Licha wants to get back to full guard.
Ripley controlling the pace.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ripley passes into side control, despite Licha's attempt to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ripley tries for a kimura but Licha is defending well.
Licha is trying to buck Ripley off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mr Ripley showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Licha has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lisandro Licha!
In his post fight interview, Lisandro Licha started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.