PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Laam OvGod (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Ranieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ranieri is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by DMX - Lord give me a Sign. Joe Ranieri has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

OvGod
vs
Ranieri

188 cm
20
192 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

186 cm
26
190 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Laam OvGod!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Ranieri!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Ranieri. Those never looked like landing.
OvGod takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Ranieri thumps OvGod with a low kick.

Ranieri rushes OvGod and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
OvGod on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
OvGod lands an uppercut.
OvGod tries to land knees in the clinch but Ranieri avoids the damage to the body.
OvGod lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ranieri.
OvGod lands a nice uppercut.
OvGod missing with knees to the body.
A head punch on the inside from OvGod fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for OvGod.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
OvGod scores with an uppercut up the middle.
OvGod looking to throw knees to the head but Ranieri is blocking nicely.
Ranieri taking a breather.
OvGod trying to land knees to the body.

OvGod escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ranieri lands with a nice body kick.
Ranieri scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A punch combination from OvGod misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left lands for Ranieri.
Ranieri lets loose with a powerful body kick. OvGod will feel that in the morning.
Nice body kick from Ranieri.
Ranieri throws a right and a left that both miss.
OvGod appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Ranieri tries to keep at a distance but OvGod has taken the fight into the clinch.
Ranieri using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
OvGod connects with a nasty looking knee right to Ranieri's face.
Knees in the clinch landing for OvGod.
Ranieri throws a knee to the head but misses.
OvGod missing with knees to the body.
Ranieri tries to pull guard but OvGod forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
OvGod working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
OvGod tries to land knees in the clinch but Ranieri avoids the damage to the body.
OvGod lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
OvGod tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ranieri avoids it.
Ranieri looking to stall.
OvGod misses with a body punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
OvGod lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ranieri obliges.

OvGod manages to break the clinch.
OvGod misses with a two punch combination.
Ranieri keeps the fight on the outside.
Ranieri has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as OvGod is landing a low percentage of strikes.
OvGod takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
A head kick by Ranieri misses
and OvGod counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ranieri keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ranieri swinging wildly here.
Ranieri shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. OvGod eats them both and turns towards Ranieri to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
OvGod misses the shot to the body.
Ranieri scores with the left hand. OvGod knows he should have avoided that one.

Ranieri moves into range and clinches up with OvGod.
Ranieri is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. OvGod is defending well for now.
Ranieri is trying to break the clinch but OvGod is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
OvGod lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ranieri backwards.
Ranieri avoids the elbow strike from OvGod, against the cage.
Ranieri tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. OvGod smiles and moves away.
OvGod throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ranieri makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Ranieri has OvGod up against the cage in a clinch.

Ranieri jumps into guard, dragging OvGod to the mat.

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

OvGod wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Ranieri's closed guard. He's half up but Ranieri has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Ranieri pivots and extends the arm, OvGod falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Ranieri! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:49 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joe Ranieri! Joe Ranieri retains his middleweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Joe Ranieri thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.