PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rico has chosen The Fight Song as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Williams
vs
Rico

173 cm
20
156 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
148 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Williams!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny Rico!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Chad Campbell and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rico misses with an uppercut. Williams saw that one coming.
Rico misses with a wild combination.
Rico throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Rico misses with a hook. Williams ducked under it nicely.
Williams steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rico.
Rico on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Williams swings for the body but Rico moves out of range.
Rico tries to close the distance and clinch but Williams swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rico throws a right and a left that Williams avoids nicely.
Rico thows a left - swing and a miss!
Johnny Rico seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rico misses with a series of wild punches.
Rico misses with a body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rico is looking to clinch but Williams is avoiding it.
Rico is looking to clinch.
Rico moves in looking to clinch but Williams pushes him off.
Rico throws the kick towards the body but Williams avoids it.
Rico tries to clinch but Williams is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Williams drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Williams is one step ahead there.
Rico is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Williams stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rico swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Williams postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rico is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Williams, into his guard.
Williams manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Williams misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rico regains half guard.
Williams wants to take a breather but Rico is having none of it.
Rico tries to kick Williams off but Williams keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Williams trying to advance position but Rico counters by regaining guard.
Williams stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rico swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Williams advances to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Williams wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rico keeps working.
Rico won't allow Williams to pass to mount.
Williams is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Williams trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rico manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rico works over Williams with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Williams will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fighters circling - Rico throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A telegraphed right hand from Rico misses the target.
Rico tries to clinch there but Williams circles away.
Rico connects with a high kick.
Williams circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rico throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Williams fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Williams throws a body punch but Rico moves out of range.

Rico has Williams up against the cage in a clinch.
Williams is trying to force a seperation but Rico has the dominant position.
Rico looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Williams goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Williams is trying to drag Rico to the mat but Rico just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Rico is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Williams is defending well for now.
Rico is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Rico throws an elbow but it misses.
Williams wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Williams. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rico pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams scores with a crisp jab that stopped Rico in his tracks.
Rico misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rico throws a head kick but Williams moves out of range.
Rico tries to clinch but Williams moves out of range.
Rico tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnny Rico is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rico on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Rico displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Williams.
Nice takedown defense from Rico. No joy for Williams on that attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rico misses with a jab, cross combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Williams.
A punch combination from Williams misses.
Rico misses with a few strikes there.

Rico has closed the distance and engaged Williams in a clinch.
Williams tries to score a body lock takedown but Rico shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rico escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Williams keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rico.
Rico misses with a head kick.
Rico thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rico tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Williams was well out of range. Poor timing from Rico.
Rico throws a sloppy head kick and Williams moves out of range easily.
Rico tries to clinch up but Williams circles away and keeps his distance.
Rico throws a left and a right that both miss
and Williams counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Williams misses with a takedown attempt - Rico sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rico misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Williams counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rico's guard now.
Rico trying to keep a closed guard but Williams is proving a slippery customer.
Rico looking to hit a scissor sweep but Williams is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Williams drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rico dives on top into guard.
Rico throwing strikes but missing.
Williams preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rico throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Williams is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rico trying to control the position from guard on top but Williams is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rico with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rico working some strikes from top position.
Rico throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rico lands a with a good body shot.
Rico lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Williams avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rico misses with a hook to the body
and Williams counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rico ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Williams moves away.
Rico scores with a jab to the body.
Rico misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Rico.
The crowd cheers as Rico lands an impressive looking overhand right. Williams doesn't seem phased though.
Williams avoids the head kick by Rico.
Rico tries to clinch up
and Williams counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Rico showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rico stuns Williams with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rico closes the distance but Williams moves to the side
and Williams makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rico tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Williams counters with a nice uppercut.
Rico wants to clinch
and Williams cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rico darts in trying to clinch

and Williams counters with a takedown into side control.
Williams tries to move to full mount but Rico actually manages to regain half guard.
Rico is looking for a sweep. Williams is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Williams is working away from the top position though.
Rico might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Williams kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rico taking some punishment here, with Williams in his half guard.
Williams frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rico is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rico tries to hold on but Williams postures up.
Williams looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rico is squirming around, avoiding Williams's attempts to control the action.

Williams swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rico is now in Williams's guard. A big mistake from Williams there, giving up the dominant position!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rico trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Williams works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rico passes into half guard.
Rico thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
John Williams overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rico lands a nice short elbow.
Rico moves nicely into side control.
Rico trying to control the action but Williams is working from the bottom.
Williams is looking to regain half guard here but Rico keeps moving and retains side control.

Rico wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Williams, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico wants to stand but Williams has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Rico preventing the sweep.
Rico missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rico's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rico cracks Williams with a solid left hand.
Williams wants to sweep but no luck.
Rico stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Williams swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rico scoring with some ground and pound.
Rico distracts Williams with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Williams showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Williams 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Williams!