PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Churches (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Ware (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Churches
vs
Ware

175 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
22
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricky Churches!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Peter Ware!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Churches fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Ware scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ware cracks Churches with a big right hand but Churches just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
A lull in the action here.
Ware trying to control the position but Churches is working away.
Ware advances nicely into full mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Churches is trying to stand.
Churches is trying to escape the mount.
Churches in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ware looking to finish Churches with some ground and pound. This is bad for Churches!

Ware working for a submission but Churches is keeping him at bay.
Churches is looking to get to half guard.
Ware controlling his opponent.
Ware landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Churches wants to get back to his feet.
Churches tries to reverse the position but Ware maintains control.

Ware swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Churches is now in Ware's guard. A big mistake from Ware there, giving up the dominant position!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Churches wanted to stand there but Ware had control of the position.

Ware looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Churches passes into half guard.
Ware looks gassed!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ware is in trouble now - Churches has advanced to mount!
Ware is wriggling around trying to escape.
Churches working Ware over with strikes here.
Ware manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Ware is trying to control but Churches manages to pass to mount!
Ware wants to control but Churches is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ware regains half guard.
Churches blocks the strikes from Ware.

Churches is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ware defends it well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Churches can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ware works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ware tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Churches stands and steps away. Ware gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Ware throws a leg kick but Churches sees it coming and moves out of range.
Ware with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Churches to score with a decent uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peter Ware dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Churches misses with a takedown attempt

and Ware counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A knee to the head by Churches.
Churches has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Ware is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Ware wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Churches has him pressed against the cage.
Churches gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Ware.

Churches jumps guard.
Ware distracts Churches with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ware advances to half guard.
Churches tries to get to full guard but Ware has control of the leg.
Churches looks like he's trying to stand up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Churches taking some punishment here, with Ware in his half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Churches is refusing to be controlled, as Ware sits in half guard.
Ware lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Churches tries to get to full guard but Ware has control of the leg.

Ware is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Churches defends it well.
Churches gets back to full guard.
Ware wants to control from the top but Churches keeps moving.

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.
Ware forces his way into half guard.
Ware seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Ware is looking for a kimura but Churches is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ware to get the leverage.
Ware passes the guard and advances to mount!
Churches tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ware raining down shots from the mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ware fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ware with good strikes from the mount here!
Ware trying to control but Churches is having none of it.
Ware controlling from mount.
Ware postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Churches looks a forlorn figure.
Ware wants to control the pace but Churches is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ware controlling from mount.

Ware is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Churches has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Ware trying to control but Churches is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Churches gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peter Ware showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Churches's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ware drives through with a takedown into guard.

Ware decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ricky Churches seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Churches lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Churches stalks Ware and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ware's face. Ware staggers backwards, shaken.

Ware tries to keep at a distance but Churches has taken the fight into the clinch.

Churches breaks the clinch.
Churches misses with a takedown attempt

and Ware counters with a shoot takedown. Churches fights it but they end up in guard. Churches looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ware is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that Ware 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Churches working for a triangle but Ware defends it easily.
Churches keeping moving, preventing Ware from controlling successfully.
Churches working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ware.
Ware wants to control from the top but Churches keeps moving.
Ware might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Churches kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ware stopping the sweep attempt from Churches.
Churches is looking to stand up but Ware isn't so interested in that idea.

Churches looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Peter Ware has got the better of the ground game so far.

Churches looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ware throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Churches works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ware trying to control but Churches is working from the bottom.
Ware looking to sit in guard and control but Churches gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ricky Churches has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Despite being in the dominant position, Peter Ware just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ware drives through and clinches with Churches against the cage.
Ware tries to land knees in the clinch but Churches avoids the damage to the body.
Ware wants to break the clinch but can't.

Ware jumps into guard, dragging Churches to the mat.

Churches gets to his feet. Ware looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Ware bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ware controlling the position from side mount.
Churches takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Ware scores with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ware wants to lay and pray for a moment but Churches keeps working.
Ware creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Churches sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ware working the ground and pound.

Ware has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Churches with a poor takedown
and Ware makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ware looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Churches walks forward, straight into a front kick from Ware.
Churches looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Churches. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ware closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Churches landing knees to the body.
Churches keeps control of Ware as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ware wants to break the clinch but can't.
Churches is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ware avoids the elbow strike from Churches, against the cage.
A knee to the head by Churches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Churches landing knees to the head.
Churches looks to throw an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Peter Ware comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ware 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Peter Ware!