PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Donny Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ North (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Richards
vs
North

190 cm
22
193 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Donny Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, BJ North!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Roberts and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

North clinches up against the cage.
Richards tries to pull guard but North holds him up against the cage and eventually Richards drops back down to his feet.
North tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Richards avoids it.
Richards misses with a knee strike.
Richards tries to pull guard but North won't allow it.
North misses with an elbow over the top.
Richards tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. North smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Donny Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Richards looks to score with a jab to the body but North is just out of range.
Richards throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

North takes the fight into the clinch.
North creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Richards's defenses.

It looks like Donny Richards has been cut.
Richards is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Richards jumps guard but North stands there with Richards around his waist. Richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards tries to land knees in the clinch but North avoids the damage to the body.

North has Richards pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. North pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Richards tumbling to the mat - North dives into Richards's guard.

Richards is looking for a triangle but North pushes his legs off easily.
North slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Richards is looking to stand up but North isn't so interested in that idea.
North stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Richards swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Richards is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and North dives into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
North wants to control but Richards is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to buck North off but North is having none of it.
North wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richards keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richards misses with a head kick.
North tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
BJ North seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

North has Richards up against the cage in a clinch.
Richards tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. North just stands there and leans against the cage.
North is struggling to control the position.
Richards is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
North managing to block the knees to the body from Richards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

North ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. North no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Richards postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Richards throws and elbow that misses. North uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Richards's guard. Nice move by North!

Richards throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! North escapes and throws Richards's legs to the side, diving into side control!

North is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Richards has escaped the position, nice work there.

North thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Richards sneaks back into half guard.
Richards is staying active underneath North, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards wants to get back to his feet.

Richards actively working from the bottom here.
Richards is trying to get back to full guard.

North is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Richards has managed to free his arm - good work.
North looks gassed!

North is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Richards is just riding it out for now. North eventually gives up the hold.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richards looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ North dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Donny Richards's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Richards shoots in looking for a takedown. North tries to sprawl out of it but Richards keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. North manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Richards lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Richards dives in and grabs North's left leg, looking for a takedown. North pushes down on Richards's head and hops out.
North stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and North wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Donny Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
North takes a kick to the side of the head.
Richards pulls out of a head kick attempt.
BJ North is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards throws a head kick but North moves out of range.
Richards darts in trying to clinch

and North counters by clinching up.
Richards tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. North just stands there and leans against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Richards's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Richards jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as North walks away with a smile on his face. Richards gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
North fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Richards throws a head kick that misses.
North cracks Richards with a good jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

North moves into the clinch.
North blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

North turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
North is chipping away with strikes.
Richards manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Richards thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed North's head.
Richards sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. North defending well though.
Richards missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Richards 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.
North is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
North is trying to maintain the position but Richards is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick by Richards misses

and North counters with a nice double leg into side control. Richards won't be happy with that.
Richards wants to get back to his feet.
North is chipping away with strikes.
Richards manages to get back to half guard.
North is breathing heavily.
North controlling the pace.
Richards pushes North off looking to stand but North dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, North seems content to control.
Richards is trying to stand.

Richards actively working from the bottom here.

North is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Richards wants to get back to his feet.
Richards trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
North keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Richards.

North moves into range and clinches up with Richards.
Richards working hard to break the clinch.
Richards takes an elbow to the temple.

North works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ North showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Donny Richards's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Richards pulls out of a head kick attempt.
North throws the kick towards the body but Richards avoids it.

North gets the takedown into side control.
North trying to control the position but Richards is working away.
Richards is looking for a sweep.
Richards is looking to work his way out of this bad position but North is controlling him well.
North wants to lay and pray for a moment but Richards keeps working.
Richards is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, North asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Richards is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards is trying to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Richards closes the distance but North moves to the side

and North moves into the clinch.
Richards fails to pull the fight into his guard.
North has Richards pressed against the cage, preventing Richards from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Richards has had enough of the clinch but North keeps him there for the moment.
Richards wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

North lands a takedown into guard.
Richards wants to stand and escape but North is having none of it.
North trying to control but Richards is working from the bottom.
Richards is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Richards is working hard here to advance position.
Donny Richards has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards keeping moving, preventing North from controlling successfully.
Richards manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
North wants to control but Richards is having none of it.
North blocking the ground and pound.

Richards is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but North is surviving well by controlling Richards's body position as best he can.
Richards looking to ground and pound but North is blocking nicely.
BJ North is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Richards swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and North is now in Richards's guard. A big mistake from Richards there, giving up the dominant position!

Richards is looking for a triangle here but North uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
A lull in the action here as North stalls from top position.

North tries for a kimura but Richards is defending well.
North controlling the position from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards is pushing North's head away, looking to escape. North manages to hold on to the position though.
North wants to control but Richards is keeping him busy.
Richards manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Richards throwing shots but North is blocking nicely.
Richards thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed North's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richards throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Richards sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. North defending well though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richards throws a sloppy head kick and North moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ North comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got North 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ North!