PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ralph O Briar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Moses (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Briar comes to the cage accompanied by The Boys of the Old Brigade. Moses has chosen Black Label Society - too tough to die as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

O Briar
vs
Moses

176 cm
22
168 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

176 cm
24
166 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

RIOT Fightwear
Rivers Edge Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ralph O Briar!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ricky Moses!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moses has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Moses there as he acknowledges the shot.
Moses throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

O Briar closes the distance and clinches.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Moses softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Moses is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
O Briar misses with a hook to the ribs.
Moses lands a nice uppercut.
Moses misses with some punches.
A right hook to the body lands for Moses.
O Briar being controlled against the cage.

Moses's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A big left from O Briar misses.
Moses takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Moses drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moses stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. O Briar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Moses postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
O Briar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Moses is one step ahead there.
O Briar keeping moving, preventing Moses from controlling successfully.

O Briar is looking for a triangle but Moses pushes his legs off easily.
Moses stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. O Briar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Moses is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Moses working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

O Briar is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Moses lands a couple of decent looking shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Moses accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
O Briar keeping moving, preventing Moses from controlling successfully.
Moses wants to pass the guard but O Briar is keeping the position.
Moses sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed O Briar's guard.
O Briar moves into full guard.
O Briar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Moses is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is working from the bottom.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

O Briar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Moses is aware though and is defending well.

O Briar has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Moses can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Moses loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

O Briar is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Moses defends well.
Moses sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed O Briar's guard.
Moses is looking to take a break and control but O Briar is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Moses missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Moses throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

O Briar actively working from the bottom here.
Moses has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Moses is keen to just control but O Briar is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Moses dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

O Briar takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
O Briar slips a jab from Moses.
Moses lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
O Briar throws a hook but Moses blocks it.
Moses misses the shot to the body.
O Briar throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Moses sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A punch lands to the side of O Briar 's head but he takes it in his stride.

O Briar pushes Moses up against the cage in a clinch.
O Briar working aggressively here.
O Briar misses with a punch on the inside.
O Briar goes for a takedown in the clinch but Moses prevents it.
O Briar swings wildly with an uppercut but Moses uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Briar misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Briar tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Stalling in the clinch from Moses.
O Briar misses with the head strike.
Moses blocks a body shot from O Briar.
A short uppercut from O Briar.
O Briar lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
O Briar lands a body shot in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on O Briar - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Moses is trying to work for a single leg takedown but O Briar pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Moses working aggressively here.
O Briar tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Moses's elbow.
Moses stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Moses has picked O Briar up - he's going for a ride! Moses dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
O Briar trying to control here.
Moses is just content to waste time from the top position. O Briar takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Moses throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is working from the bottom.

O Briar looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Moses is looking to work some ground and pound but O Briar has wrist control.
Moses passes O Briar's left leg - he's now in half guard.
O Briar tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Moses has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Moses avoids the attempt from O Briar to control.
Moses looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moses controlling his opponent.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is having none of it.
Moses controlling the pace for now.

Moses is going oldschool here, as he tries to force O Briar to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so O Briar shrugs it off.
Moses in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Moses postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. O Briar looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moses trying to control but he's not successful this time.
O Briar working to try and regain half guard.

Moses looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Moses controlling his opponent.
Moses trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Moses showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A head kick misses from Moses.
An inside leg kick from Moses misses.
Moses misses with a kick to the body

and O Briar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
O Briar lands a nice shot to the body.
O Briar tries a body shot but Moses blocks it.
Moses lands with a left to the head.
Moses is trying to drag O Briar to the mat but O Briar just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Moses misses with a hook to the ribs.
O Briar lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Moses backwards.
Moses lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt O Briar or not.

Moses breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
O Briar avoids the head kick by Moses.
Moses swings widly with a right hand
and O Briar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moses closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. O Briar did well to prevent Moses getting side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moses takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Moses is trying to work for a kimura but O Briar is defending well.
O Briar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Moses pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. O Briar is keeping the position for now.
Moses wants to control from the top but O Briar keeps moving.
O Briar looking to hit a scissor sweep but Moses is one step ahead there.
O Briar is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Moses avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Moses got a little sloppy there for a moment and O Briar has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Moses has managed to get both his arms back between O Briar's legs - danger averted.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now O Briar is on top in guard.
Moses trying to keep a closed guard but O Briar is proving a slippery customer.
O Briar thows a big elbow that misses.
O Briar pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Moses is keeping the position for now.
Moses manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. O Briar manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moses controlling from the top position.
O Briar wants to sweep here but Moses controlling him for the moment.
Moses wants to control from the top but O Briar keeps moving.
O Briar 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.
O Briar is working hard here to advance position.
Ricky Moses has got the better of the ground game so far.
Moses is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ricky Moses was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Moses tries a head kick but it misses.
Moses throws an off balance right hand

and O Briar moves into the clinch.
Moses lands with a left to the head.
O Briar misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short body shot lands from Moses as the two fighters clinch.
O Briar stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Moses pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
O Briar takes one to the chin there.
O Briar throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
O Briar stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and O Briar wants it to stay on the feet.
Moses fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ralph O Briar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Moses.
Moses swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Moses takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph O Briar clearly takes that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Moses lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
O Briar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

O Briar looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Moses trying to hold on to O Briar's head to control him but O Briar postures up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Moses manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
O Briar throwing strikes from guard but Moses blocks nicely.
Moses is trying to control the position from the bottom.
O Briar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
O Briar is looking to work some ground and pound but Moses has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Briar scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Moses looking for a sweep. Not yet Moses, not yet.
Moses is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Moses avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Moses 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.
O Briar thows a big elbow that misses.
O Briar won't allow Moses to sweep him here.
Moses wants to stand but O Briar is controlling the position.
O Briar postures up.
O Briar lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
O Briar stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Moses swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as O Briar accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Moses 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.
O Briar wants to control from the top but Moses keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
O Briar cracks Moses with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
O Briar doesn't manage to clinch there - Moses circles away.
Moses uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by O Briar.
O Briar takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Briar lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
O Briar takes one to the side of the head.
Moses misses with a looping left.
Moses misses with a body shot
and Moses takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Moses lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Moses shoots in and gets a takedown into O Briar's guard.
O Briar is trying to control the position but Moses postures up.

O Briar is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Moses is aware though and is defending well.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is working from the bottom.

O Briar is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Moses content to stall in guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is working from the bottom.
Moses trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
O Briar is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Moses works a leg free and moves into half guard.
O Briar tries to get to full guard but Moses has control of the leg.
Moses stalling.
Moses wants to free his trapped foot but O Briar is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close fourth round but Ricky Moses will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Moses throws a leg kick
and O Briar counters with a three punch combo that has Moses backing up. Moses nods at O Briar to acknowledge the strikes.
Moses missing with a left hand there. O Briar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Moses takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
O Briar uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Moses.
Moses misses with a body punch
and Moses takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A big right from Moses misses.

Moses feints and as O Briar raises his hands in defense, Moses changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Moses trying to control but O Briar is working from the bottom.
O Briar looking for a sweep. Not yet O Briar, not yet.
Moses is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

O Briar working for a triangle but Moses defends it easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now O Briar is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Briar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Moses works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
O Briar throws a big right hand that misses.
Moses wants to sweep here but O Briar controlling him for the moment.
Moses is trying to keep O Briar in close.
O Briar with a nice head shot there.
Moses is adopting a defensive guard.
O Briar postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
O Briar in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Moses working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ricky Moses was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Moses misses with a hook
and O Briar counters with a nice body kick.
O Briar defending well as Moses loads up on a big left hand.
Moses uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from O Briar.
Moses throws a leg kick that is checked
and O Briar makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
O Briar fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Moses has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts O Briar, as that shot connected.
Moses looks to score with a jab to the body but O Briar is just out of range.
Moses shoots in looking for a takedown. O Briar tries to sprawl out of it but Moses keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. O Briar manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Briar moves out of range of the strikes.
O Briar shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A big right from O Briar misses.
O Briar takes a swing at Moses's ribcage but misses.
Moses gets cracked with a nice right hand there by O Briar.
O Briar throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Moses.
O Briar tries to clinch
and O Briar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
O Briar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Moses manages to avoid it.
Moses misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Moses rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and O Briar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
O Briar connects with a body shot.
O Briar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Moses circles away quickly and effectively.
O Briar lands with a good body shot.
O Briar changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Ralph O Briar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Moses is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Moses throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Moses slips a jab from O Briar.
O Briar throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Moses sees it coming and avoids it easily.
O Briar throws a wild body kick that Moses sees coming a mile off.
Moses throws a lazy uppercut
and Moses takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
O Briar rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Moses counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ralph O Briar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Moses has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 47:48
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 47:48
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Moses!
Ricky Moses is the new lightweight champion!