PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Rich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Black
vs
Rich

175 cm
32
180 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

177 cm
27
180 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

LOD: Affordable Quality

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 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rick Rich!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Jorge Garcia and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Rich counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Black misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A combination from Black does no damage.
Rich on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Black throws a wild body kick that Rich sees coming a mile off.
Rich tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Black swivels and escapes.
Rich will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Black with a hook.

Rich looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rich wants to free his trapped foot but Black is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Rich scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rich trying to control the action but Black is working from the bottom.
Rich perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rich prevents Black from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rich wants to stand up but Black is controlling the position.
Black trying to control here.
Black is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Kick In The Nutz Gym (14 Elite Coaches, Low Cap) that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Black misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Black lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rich circles away quickly and effectively.

Rich closes the distance and clinches.
Rich avoids the elbow strike from Black, against the cage.
Black throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Black tries to land knees in the clinch but Rich avoids the damage to the body.
Black tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rich avoids it.
Black is defending well against a takedown attempt.
John Black has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Rich.
Come on Black - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Black is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rich is defending well for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black struggles to land a body shot inside as Rich controls his hands.
Black unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Black throws an elbow that misses.

Rich has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Black regains guard immediately.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Black tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rich controls from within his opponent's guard.
Black looking to control.
Rich is in close to Black's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rich prevents Black from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rich wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.
Rich's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rick Rich.
Black wants to clinch but Rich slips to the side

and Rich counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Black!
A lull in the action here.
Black tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rich working away.
Black trying to remain calm as Rich controls from the top position.
Black is trying to control Rich's posture but Rich avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Black throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Black misses with a kick to the body.
Black slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rich has a takedown stuffed.
Rich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Black pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Black lands with an overhand left.

Rich dives in and scores a takedown into Black's guard.
Black can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rich controls the pace.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rich won't allow Black to sweep him here.
Black is trying to keep Rich in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A momentary lapse in concentration from Black enables Rich to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Black manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Black trying to keep a closed guard but Rich is proving a slippery customer.
Black wants to sweep but no luck.
Rich sitting in guard, not really doing much.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Rick Rich has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up because John Black just wasn't active enough.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch but Rich swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rich throws a push kick but Black slaps the foot to one side.
John Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Black.
Black takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Black throws a head kick that misses.
Rich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Rich looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Black is trying to control the position but Rich postures up.
Black is really struggling to control Rich but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Black wants to stand up but Rich is controlling him.
Black controls Rich momentarily but Rich frees himself.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. John Black wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rich.
Rich is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Black's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Black struggling a bit here.
Rich wants to control but Black is keeping him busy.
Rich in side control, throwing shots but Black defends.
Black controls the position for a moment.
Rich wants to lay and pray for a moment but Black keeps working.

Rich working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rich tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Rich politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Rich prefers to stall for the moment though.
Rich in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Rich working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Black tries to bench press Rich off him but Rich keeps the position.
Black is working hard here to advance position.
Black tries to escape but Rich is in control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rich wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Black, who protects the arm well.
Black prevents Rich from improving position.
You can see the frustration on Black's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Black tries to bench press Rich off him but Rich keeps the position.
Black knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rich on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Rich decides to stand back up. Rich steps back and let's Black get back to his feet.
Rich tries to clinch there but Black circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Rich showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rich shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Black manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rich content to stall in guard here.
Black is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Rich wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.

Rick Rich has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rich avoids the head kick by Black.
Black tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rich dives in and grabs Black's left leg, looking for a takedown. Black pushes down on Rich's head and hops out.
Rich throws a push kick but Black slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Black as Rich shoots in.
Rich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rich takes a swing at Black's ribcage but misses.
Black lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Rich misses with a takedown attempt - Black sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
John Black has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Rich.
Black is looking to score with low kicks.
A jab from Black finds it's way through Rich's defenses.

Black gets caught flat footed, as Rich shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Black is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black keeping moving, preventing Rich from controlling successfully.
Black working a defensive guard here.
Rich scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rich is controlling him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Black is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. John Black wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Black thows a body shot but no joy.
Rich on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Rick Rich is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rich paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Black tries to clinch up.
Black tries to clinch but Rich is having none of it.
Black swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rich dives in and grabs Black's left leg, looking for a takedown. Black pushes down on Rich's head and hops out.
Rich takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Rich shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Black manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Black is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rich defends well.
John Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rich controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Black looking for a sweep. Not yet Black, not yet.
Rich throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Black works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Black keeping moving, preventing Rich from controlling successfully.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Rick Rich hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Black sizes up Rich with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Rich closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rich tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Black avoids it.
Black throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Rich ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rich no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rich is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Black trying to control but Rich is working from the bottom.
Black missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rich looking for a guillotine here but Black defends easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Black trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Rich comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rich winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Rich!