PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aristos Ioannidis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Max Ford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ioannidis's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, If I Can't - 50 Cent. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ioannidis
vs
Ford

185 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

183 cm
23
184 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Powerful

Backyard Fighting

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aristos Ioannidis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Max Ford!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Trevor Gratis and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ford motions for Ioannidis to come forward. Ford throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Ford tries to sprawl but Ioannidis drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Ford looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ioannidis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ford is refusing to be controlled, as Ioannidis sits in half guard.
Ioannidis is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Ioannidis trying to mount his opponent but Ford defends it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ford manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ioannidis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Ford is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ioannidis defends well.
Ioannidis wants to stand but Ford is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ioannidis wants to control from the top but Ford keeps moving.
Ioannidis is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ioannidis postures up.
Ioannidis tries to free his leg and advance position but Ford is retaining full guard.

Ford is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford can't keep his opponent in guard - Ioannidis advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ford is trying to maintain the position but Ioannidis is very close to passing his half guard.
Ford is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ford is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ioannidis is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Ford moves into full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ioannidis passes Ford's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ioannidis prevents Ford from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ford is refusing to be controlled, as Ioannidis sits in half guard.
Ford works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ioannidis passes into half guard.
Ioannidis prevents Ford from improving his position.
Ford throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ford wants to control but Ioannidis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ioannidis wants to pass the guard but Ford is defending well.
Ioannidis is trying to control the action in half guard but Ford is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ioannidis is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Ford still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Ford has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Ford trying to control the action but Ioannidis is working from the bottom.

Ford working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ioannidis looking for a sweep but Ford has passed into full mount! Oh no!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ford is working for a guillotine from mount but Ioannidis frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Max Ford will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ford throws a head kick but Ioannidis moves out of range.
Ford stuns Ioannidis with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Ioannidis tries to close the distance and clinch but Ford swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ioannidis 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.
Ford fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ioannidis.
Ford throws a leg kick but Ioannidis sees it coming and moves out of range.

Ioannidis clinches up against the cage.
Ford prevents a takedown attempt there.
Ioannidis taking a breather.
Ioannidis blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ioannidis is trying to break the clinch but Ford has him pressed against the cage.
Ford tries to score a body lock takedown but Ioannidis shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A nice left hand lands by Ford.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ioannidis has Ford up against the cage in a clinch.
Ford makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Ioannidis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ford ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ioannidis moves away.
Ioannidis scores with a nice body kick.
Ford tries a low kick but Ioannidis avoids it.
Ioannidis tries for a takedown but Ford sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Ford. That's going to slow Ioannidis down.
Ford throws a nice inside leg kick.
A leg kick checked by Ioannidis.
Ioannidis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ioannidis throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ford.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ioannidis tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ford manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ioannidis takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ioannidis misses with a double jab.
Ioannidis takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ioannidis scores with a sloppy right hand. Ford should have avoided that one.
Ford lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ford throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ford lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ioannidis at a distance.
Ford scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Max Ford seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ford throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ford fakes the leg kick and cracks Ioannidis in the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ford bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ioannidis's head backwards.

It looks like Aristos Ioannidis has been cut.

Ford closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ford is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ioannidis sees it coming and defends easily.
Ford works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ford sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ford unloading with bombs!
Ford breaks from Ioannidis's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ford lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Ioannidis tries to lock up and control but Ford gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ford scoring with strikes but Ioannidis is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ford trying to control but Ioannidis is having none of it.

Ford is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Ioannidis has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Ioannidis!
Ioannidis wants to control from the top but Ford keeps moving.
Ford looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ioannidis is one step ahead there.
Max Ford has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Ford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aristos Ioannidis's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Ioannidis checks a low kick from Ford.
Ford tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ioannidis fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ford checks it well.
Ford looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Aristos Ioannidis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ioannidis shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Ford napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ford is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ioannidis off and has taken his back!
Ioannidis rolls, trying to escape but Ford keeps control of the position.
Can Ioannidis hold on?! Ford is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.

Ford working for a choke but Ioannidis is defending well.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Ioannidis preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Ford.

Ford is persistently looking for the submission but Ioannidis is defending it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ioannidis covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Ford is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

Ford has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Ford throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Ioannidis!
Ioannidis covering up well under a series of strikes from Ford.
Ford is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Ioannidis. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ioannidis looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Ioannidis trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Ioannidis fending off the submission attempt from Ford.
Ford has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ford is hanging on to Ioannidis's back as he tries to escape.
Ford trying to control.

Ioannidis defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Ford doesn't have the hooks in and Ioannidis manages to turn into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ford keeping moving, preventing Ioannidis from controlling successfully.
Ford manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ford trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Ioannidis bucks Ford off and manages to get back to his feet!
Ford fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ioannidis avoids it really well and circles away.

Ford gets tackled into the cage by Ioannidis. Ioannidis maintains the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Ford breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Ford. No joy for Ioannidis on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ford.
Ioannidis shoots in for a takedown but Ford shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ioannidis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ioannidis throws a body kick that misses.
Ford scores with a shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ford lands a jab to the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Ford throws a body punch but Ioannidis moves out of range.
Ioannidis tries to clinch up but Ford circles away and keeps his distance.
Aristos Ioannidis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ford dips to his left and cracks Ioannidis with an uppercut!

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Ford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ford 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Ford!