PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leland Ralph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andreas Jonsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jonsson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Lover's Concerto by Kelly Chen kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ralph
vs
Jonsson

175 cm
24
185 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

176 cm
25
175 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leland Ralph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andreas Jonsson!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Valeri Chadov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jonsson misses with a takedown attempt
and Ralph counters with a straight right hand.
Jonsson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ralph counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jonsson blocks a jab.
Jonsson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ralph counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Leland Ralph has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andreas Jonsson.
Ralph misses with a wild combination.
Ralph misses with a wild combination.
Jonsson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Ralph counters with a left to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jonsson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ralph connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jonsson looks gassed!
Ralph scores with a crisp jab that stopped Jonsson in his tracks.
Jonsson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ralph counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jonsson walks into a straight right hand from Ralph.
Ralph is looking to score with low kicks.
Ralph lands a nice hook to Jonsson's body. Jonsson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Jonsson shoots and misses

and Ralph counters with a crisp one two that drops Jonsson! Ralph thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Jonsson to his feet! Jonsson is in big trouble!
Ralph misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralph connects with a body shot.
Jonsson with a poor takedown

and Ralph counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ralph connects with a nasty looking knee right to Jonsson's face.

It looks like Andreas Jonsson has been cut.
Ralph slows down the pace here.
Jonsson wants a takedown but no success here.
Ralph lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Jonsson backwards.

Ralph breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ralph cracks Jonsson with a good jab.
Ralph circles away from the clinch attempt

and Ralph moves into the clinch.

Ralph jumps guard.
Jonsson tries to free his leg and advance position but Ralph is retaining full guard.
Jonsson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jonsson is fighting to break Ralph's control of his arms but Ralph is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Jonsson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ralph is keeping the position for now.
Jonsson passes Ralph's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Jonsson seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jonsson works his way into side control.
Jonsson creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Ralph sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Jonsson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ralph, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jonsson tries to move into full mount but can't pass Ralph's legs.

Jonsson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ralph is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

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.

Jonsson tries for a kimura but Ralph is defending well.

Jonsson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Jonsson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leland Ralph dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andreas Jonsson's cut.
That's time! Ralph's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jonsson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ralph counters with a straight right hand.
Jonsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Andreas Jonsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ralph throws a left and a right that both miss

and Jonsson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ralph won't be happy with that.
Ralph controls the position for a moment.
Jonsson trying to control the position but Ralph is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralph is looking to regain half guard here but Jonsson keeps moving and retains side control.
Ralph prevents Jonsson from moving into mount.

Jonsson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Ralph has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Jonsson but great work by Ralph.
Jonsson is looking for a sweep.
Jonsson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Jonsson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ralph missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two 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.
Jonsson is looking to improve his position.
Ralph is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ralph prevents Jonsson from improving his position.
Ralph is trying to control. Jonsson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jonsson is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jonsson tries to get to full guard but Ralph has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jonsson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ralph scores with a couple of nice shots.
Jonsson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ralph scores with a couple of nice shots.
Jonsson wants to improve his position but Ralph is controlling well.
Jonsson manages to get to full guard.
Jonsson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ralph has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Jonsson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ralph!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jonsson goes for an armbar but Ralph turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Ralph.
Jonsson 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.
Ralph trying to control but Jonsson is working from the bottom.
Ralph is really struggling to control Jonsson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Andreas Jonsson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Andreas Jonsson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ralph misses with a combination

and Jonsson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ralph won't be happy with that.
Ralph gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Jonsson tries to control but Ralph wriggling away.
Ralph is controlling an arm, preventing Jonsson from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Jonsson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Ralph turns into him and now he's in Jonsson's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jonsson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Jonsson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Jonsson is trying to control the action in half guard but Ralph is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jonsson frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Andreas Jonsson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Jonsson goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Ralph is on top in guard.
Jonsson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Jonsson goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Ralph is on top in guard.
Ralph trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Jonsson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jonsson tries to free his leg and advance position but Ralph is retaining full guard.
Jonsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Ralph is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ralph being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four 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.
Ralph keeping full guard, as Jonsson tries to pass.
Jonsson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Jonsson looking to pass the guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Andreas Jonsson.
Ralph scores with a nice right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andreas Jonsson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jonsson 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!