PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Ponting (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ned Alonso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Ricky Ponting has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Ponting
vs
Alonso

170 cm
27
160 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

169 cm
25
157 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

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 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ricky Ponting!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ned Alonso!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alonso takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ned Alonso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alonso swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Ponting counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Alonso!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Alonso tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alonso is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Alonso manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Alonso is looking to improve his position.
Ponting missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Alonso keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ponting missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ponting throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Ponting not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alonso is controlling Ponting's trapped leg to prevent Ponting from advancing to side control.
Alonso is trying to control but can't.

Ponting is working for a submission of some sort.
Alonso is looking for a sweep. Ponting is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponting thows a huge punch but Alonso dodges it nicely.
Ponting trying to mount his opponent but Alonso defends it.
Alonso moves into full guard.
Ponting looking to sit in guard and control but Alonso gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ponting holds on and takes a little breather.
Ponting not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alonso must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alonso throws a big right hand that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ricky Ponting wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Alonso slips a jab from Ponting.
Alonso tries to clinch up but Ponting circles away and keeps his distance.
Alonso tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ponting connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Alonso shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Ponting eats them both and turns towards Alonso to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Alonso showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ponting.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ponting displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Ponting lands a glancing blow to the side of Alonso's head.
Alonso tries to clinch
and Ponting counters with a right hand to the body.
Ponting throws a body punch but Alonso moves out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Ponting. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ponting.
Alonso is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Alonso on the wrong end of a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alonso misses with a wild combination.
Ponting circles away from the clinch attempt
and Alonso takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ponting swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Alonso.
Alonso is looking to clinch.
Alonso avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ponting throws an overhand right that lands on Alonso's shoulder, as Alonso tries to avoid the shot.
Ponting shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Alonso defends it nicely.
Ponting lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Alonso backs up against the cage.

It looks like Ned Alonso has been cut.
Alonso wants to clinch
and Ponting cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ponting misses with a two punch combination.
Alonso slaps away a takedown attempt from Ponting, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alonso throws a series of punches but Ponting moves out of range.
Ponting showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Alonso.
Ponting lunges at Alonso with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Alonso's hand.
Alonso takes a body punch but keeps moving.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ponting keeps the fight on the outside.
Alonso tries to clinch up.
Alonso misses with a double jab
and Ponting counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ponting misses with a wild combination.
Alonso just misses with a punch to the body.
Ponting bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Alonso's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ponting dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ned Alonso's cut.
That's time! Ponting's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fight stays on the outside here - Alonso looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ponting lands with a straight right. Alonso didn't see that one coming.
Ponting thows a body shot but no joy.
Alonso takes one to the side of the head.
Ned Alonso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alonso is looking to clinch but Ponting is avoiding it.
Alonso tries to clinch there but Ponting circles away.
Alonso swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Ponting counter with a right hand.

Ponting shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Alonso napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ricky Ponting overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ponting connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Alonso some visible discomfort.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Alonso can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ponting throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Ponting cracks Alonso with a big right hand but Alonso just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Alonso is not content to let Ponting control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ponting has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ponting misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alonso tries to buck Ponting off but Ponting is having none of it.
Ponting throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Ponting cracks Alonso with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ponting trying to control the position but Alonso is working away.
Ponting grinds an elbow into Alonso's temple.
Alonso manages to get back to half guard.
Ponting not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ponting prevents Alonso from improving his position.
Ponting thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Alonso keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ponting missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ponting frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ponting lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Alonso manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Ponting throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Ponting is trying to work for a kimura but Alonso is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Alonso is staying active underneath Ponting, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ponting trying to pass the guard but Alonso defending well.
Ponting not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Alonso is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ponting scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ponting sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Alonso defending well though.
Alonso avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ponting.
Ponting prevents Alonso from improving his position.
Alonso is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alonso is trying to get back to full guard.
Ponting throwing shots but Alonso is blocking nicely.
Alonso tries to get to full guard but Ponting has control of the leg.
Alonso is refusing to be controlled, as Ponting sits in half guard.
Alonso blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ponting.
Alonso is not content to let Ponting control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alonso trying to hold on to Ponting's head to control him but Ponting postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ponting punishes Alonso's body with a nice straight punch.
Ponting shoots in but no luck this time.
Ponting uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Alonso tries to clinch but Ponting moves out of range.
Ponting swings for the body but Alonso moves out of range.
Alonso misses with a few strikes there.
Ponting misses with a low kick.
Ponting throws an off balance right hand
and Alonso cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alonso misses with a double jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ponting throws a looping overhand right but Alonso ducks down to avoid it.
Alonso swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ponting scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Ponting throws a good cross that connects.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ponting dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ned Alonso's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Ponting connects with a crisp jab.
Some wild striking there from Alonso.
Alonso takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Ponting closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Alonso did well to prevent Ponting getting side control.
Alonso is trying to get back to full guard.
Ponting throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Alonso to regain full guard.
Alonso not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alonso keeping moving, preventing Ponting from controlling successfully.
Ponting stopping the sweep attempt from Alonso.
Ponting trying to control but Alonso is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ponting accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponting working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ponting's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ponting accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Alonso pulls Ponting in close to prevent any damage.
Alonso utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ponting pushing down on Alonso's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ponting lands strikes from half guard.
Ponting throwing shots but Alonso is blocking nicely.
Alonso tries to get to full guard but Ponting has control of the leg.
Alonso wants to control but Ponting is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ponting wants to work for an arm triangle but Alonso is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Alonso avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ponting.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Alonso trying to control from the bottom.
Ponting missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Ponting landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Alonso blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ponting.

Ponting is looking for a kimura here.
Alonso wants to control but Ponting is keeping busy.
Ponting lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ponting moves into full mount! Alonso won't be happy about that!
Alonso is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alonso holds on for dear life, controlling Ponting's posture momentarily.
Ponting lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Alonso hang on?

Alonso is rocked!
Ponting scoring with strikes but Alonso is staying in there.
Alonso is still in real trouble! Can Ponting finish him?
Alonso is in all sorts of trouble here.
Alonso avoids a series of strikes thrown by Ponting.
Alonso tries to lock up and control but Ponting gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ponting fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Alonso wants to control but Ponting is having none of it.
Alonso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ponting looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Alonso covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ricky Ponting!
An out of breath Ricky Ponting thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.