PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ralph Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ralph Richards has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Richards
vs
King

192 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ralph Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ali King!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Daniel Blasius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Richards.
Richards closes this distance looking for a takedown but King circles away.
King fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
King looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
King looks to land a combination but Richards avoids it well.
King scores with a one two! Richards had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
King throws a right and a left that both miss.
King misses with a two punch combination.
King stuffs the takedown.
King scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Richards wants to clinch.
Richards rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but King moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
King throws a combination that misses
and Richards counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
King leaves Richards with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ralph Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King misses with a series of wild punches.
Some wild striking there from King.
King throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
King swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Richards counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. King is lucky that one didn't land flush.
King falls off balance throwing a combination

and Richards holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Richards tries to land a knee to the head but King blocks with his arms.
Richards jumps guard but King stands there with Richards around his waist. Richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
King lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Richards pushes off an throws an elbow but King leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
King tries to break the clinch but Richards is controlling the position.
King gets through Richards's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
King takes a shot to the head.
Richards drops down looking for an ankle pick but King pulls his leg out and moves away.
Richards closes this distance looking for a takedown but King circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A left and a right from King both land. Nice combination.
King should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
King defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Richards.
King misses with a double jab
and Richards counters with an outside leg kick.
King closes the distance and lands a one-two.
A right-left combo lands from King.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
King throws a series of punches but Richards moves out of range.
King falls off balance throwing a combination
and Richards counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Richards shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has King pinned against the cage. King gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Richards is breathing heavily.
King misses with a double jab

and Richards counters by moving into the clinch.
Richards fails to pull guard.
Richards tried to land a shot to the body but connects with King's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Richards misses with a short punch on the inside.
Good body shot from King.
Richards fails to pull guard.
Richards has King pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. King manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A shot in the inside from King.

King breaks from the clinch.
Richards tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but King swivels and escapes.

King drives through and clinches with Richards against the cage.
Richards taking a breather.
A short right from King.
King lands an uppercut.
Richards tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Richards is trying to maintain a safe position but King gets an underhook and turns Richards into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King lands with a light punch inside.
Richards keeps control of King as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King avoiding damage as Richards throws knees to the body.
King working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A shot in the inside from King.
King keeps control of Richards as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King gets through Richards's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Richards jumps guard but King stands there with Richards around his waist. Richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Richards is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richards tries to land knees in the clinch but King avoids the damage to the body.
King scores with a shoulder strike.
Richards wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ali King dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

King tries to bum rush Richards with a series of wild strikes but Richards uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
King tries to bum rush Richards with a series of wild strikes but Richards uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
King misses with a few strikes there.
King throws a left and a right that both miss
and Richards counters with a big head kick but King shrugs it off.
Richards dodges the punch combination from King.
King falls off balance throwing a combination
and Richards counters with a left and a right that stings King.
King looks to land a combination but Richards avoids it well.
King swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Richards counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in King's guard now.
King is looking to stand up but Richards isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
King wants to stand but Richards is controlling the position.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richards slips a jab and a cross from King.
King lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King throws a left and a right that both miss
and Richards counters with a two punch combo.
King throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ali King is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Richards tries to clinch up.
Richards closes the distance but King moves to the side
and King counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Richards looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? King is fending him off so far but Richards persists. Nope, King circles away and we're back to standing.
King fails to land with a series of punches.
King connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
King misses with a wild combination.
King tries to bum rush Richards with a series of wild strikes but Richards uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
King displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Richards will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ali King seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
King throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Richards counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Richards prevents King from getting back to his feet.
Richards trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards stands and throws King's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Richards in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Richards will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Richards prevents King from escaping the position.
King really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Richards. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Richards works to advance to full mount. King defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
King is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Richards has taken his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Richards dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
Richards shoots for a takedown but King saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Richards walks into a jab.
Richards tries to clinch but King moves out of range.
A left and a right from King both land. Nice combination.
King swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Richards counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps King thinking.
Richards shoots for a double leg takedown but King sprawls well. He's pushed Richards's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Richards fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with King, pushing him back against the cage.
Richards tries for a takedown but King manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ralph Richards. That's going to take a lot out of him.
King lands with a short head shot on the inside.
King throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Richardss head.
A short right from King on the inside.
Richards is trying to break free.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King has had enough of the clinch but Richards keeps him there for the moment.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, King creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Richards wants a takedown.
King gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Richards.
Richards tries to break the clinch but King is controlling the position.
King lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by King.
King lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
King wants to break free but Richards has control.
King wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Richards is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King scores with a nice hook to the head.
King tries to break the clinch but Richards is controlling the position.
Richards tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Richards working hard to break the clinch.
Richards tries to circle away but King has him pinned against the cage.
King keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Richards's efforts to push away.

Richards breaks the clinch.
Some wild striking there from King.
King misses with a combination
and Richards counters with a slapping leg kick.
King looks to land a combination. Richards sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A punch combination from King misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
King misses with a double jab
and Richards counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
King misses with a combination

and Richards counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richards won't allow King to get back to his feet.
Richards wants to control from the top but King keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Richards is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! King is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! King has escaped and now he's on top!
King not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ralph Richards.
I think Richards has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ralph Richards!