PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jon Richard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Tribiani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matthew Tribiani has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jon Richard's chin.

Richard
vs
Tribiani

163 cm
19
162 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

168 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jon Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matthew Tribiani!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tribiani gets the takedown into side control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tribiani controls the position.
Tribiani connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Richard some visible discomfort.
Richard manages to get back to half guard.
Tribiani wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richard keeps working.
Tribiani slips a nice elbow through Richard's hands, connecting with Richard's forehead.
Tribiani working over Richard with some ground and pound. Richard looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tribiani is taking a breather. Richard 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.
Let's hope that Tribiani has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tribiani is keen to just control but Richard is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tribiani winds up and cracks Richard with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Tribiani not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richard keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tribiani blocks the strikes from Richard.
Tribiani thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Richard wants to control but Tribiani is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Still in half guard, Tribiani seems content to control.

Richard looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tribiani lands a nice short elbow.
Richard wants to improve his position but Tribiani is controlling well.
Tribiani missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tribiani stalling.
Tribiani lands strikes from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Tribiani in particular looking to stall.
Tribiani has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tribiani scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tribiani.
Tribiani performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Tribiani's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Richard on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard tries to kick Tribiani off but Tribiani keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Tribiani is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Richard is in trouble now - Tribiani has advanced to mount!
Richard throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Richard is desperately trying to improve his position but Tribiani has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tribiani looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Tribiani controlling the position easily from mount.
We've been informed that Tribiani has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tribiani trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tribiani might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Richard haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Richard is working to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
BOOM! Tribiani connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tribiani landing strikes, looking to finish!
Richard could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Tribiani lands a big shot there that rocks Richard but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Tribiani dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tribiani darts in looking for a takedown but Richard gets double underhooks and turns Tribiani into the cage.
Richard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tribiani taking a breather.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Richard.

Tribiani pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tribiani swats away the attempt to clinch by Richard.
Richard looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tribiani darts in looking for a takedown but Richard gets double underhooks and turns Tribiani into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Richard's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tribiani looking for a takedown.
Jon Richard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Tribiani.
Richard tries to pull guard but Tribiani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Tribiani fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Tribiani breaks the clinch.
Tribiani misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Richard dives in and grabs Tribiani's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tribiani pushes down on Richard's head and hops out.
Richard throws a body punch but Tribiani moves out of range.
Richard misses with a wild body shot.
Tribiani avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Richard fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tribiani fails with the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Tribiani. No joy for Richard on that attempt.

Tribiani closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tribiani lands in his opponent's guard.
Richard looking to control.
Tribiani looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard keeping moving, preventing Tribiani from controlling successfully.
Richard keeping full guard, as Tribiani tries to pass.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richard keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tribiani.
Tribiani throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Richard's waist but Richard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tribiani off to one side.
Richard is looking to clinch but Tribiani is avoiding it.
Jon Richard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Richard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Richard. Those never looked like landing.

Tribiani gets a takedown into half guard.
Tribiani drops an elbow to the side of Richard's head.
Tribiani winds up and cracks Richard with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Richard is trying to maintain the position but Tribiani is very close to passing his half guard.
Tribiani lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richard flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Tribiani looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Richard with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Tribiani showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Richard shoots in but Tribiani avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Richard throws a series of punches but Tribiani moves out of range.
Tribiani shoots in but Richard avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Richard shoots for a takedown but Tribiani saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Richard looking to land some kicks to the body here.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tribiani.
Tribiani uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Richard.
The fight stays on the outside here - Richard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tribiani looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Richard is fending him off so far but Tribiani persists. Nope, Richard circles away and we're back to standing.
Jon Richard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Tribiani.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard tries to clinch up but Tribiani circles away and keeps his distance.
Tribiani shoots in looking for a takedown but Richard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Tribiani's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Richard dives in for a single leg takedown but Tribiani sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tribiani is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Tribiani is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Richard pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tribiani has had enough of the clinch but Richard keeps him there for the moment.
Richard blocking some punches.
Tribiani can't break the clinch.
Tribiani fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tribiani tries to circle away but Richard has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Richard jumps guard.
Tribiani wants to control from the top but Richard keeps moving.
Tribiani looking to pass the guard.
Tribiani slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tribiani distracts Richard with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tribiani throwing strikes from guard but Richard blocks nicely.
Richard looking for a sweep. Not yet Richard, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tribiani landing with the ground and pound.
Tribiani content to stall in guard here.
Tribiani chips away with some ground and pound.
Richard controls Tribiani momentarily but Tribiani frees himself.
Tribiani trying to control but Richard is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Tribiani scoring with punches to the head and body.
Tribiani content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tribiani landing some decent shots from guard.
Tribiani landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tribiani looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jon Richard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matthew Tribiani is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!

And that's the end of the fight!
Matthew Tribiani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tribiani 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matthew Tribiani!