PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Cat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russel Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards has chosen Meytal Cohen - Toxicity as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Cat
vs
Richards

200 cm
32
265 lbs
27 - 21 - 0

193 cm
28
276 lbs
11 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Fast

Cynical Truth (steel penn)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Cat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Russel Richards!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richards gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cat.
Richards takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Richards connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Cat momentarily.
Richards tests Cat's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Richards is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Cat misses with a series of wild punches.
Cat throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cat takes one on the button.
Richards is looking to clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for Richards. That snapped Cat's head back.
Nice cross by Richards.
Richards uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cat.
Richards lands with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd cheers as Richards lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cat doesn't seem phased though.
Richards scores with a sloppy right hand. Cat should have avoided that one.
Richards uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cat.
Cat throws a one two combo.
Cat ducks under a wild hook from Richards.
Cat walks into a straight right hand from Richards.
Cat misses with an uppercut. Richards saw that one coming.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cat misses with a double jab
enabling Richards to counter with a crisp jab.
Cat works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
The fighters circle momentarily. Richards darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Russel Richards seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards avoids the body shot from Cat.
Richards tries to close the distance and clinch but Cat swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Richards throws a series of punches but Cat moves out of range.
Richards jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cat blocks a jab.
Richards lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Richards waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cat.
Cat moves out of range of the body kick from Richards.
Cat throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Good exchange - Richards coming out on top.
Richards looks to throw the jab but Cat is out of range.
Richards takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
A big right from Cat misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cat moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Richards doesn't manage to clinch there - Cat circles away.
Richards misses the shot to the body.
Richards misses with a hook

and Cat counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Richards!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Cat in side control, throwing shots but Richards defends.

Cat tries for a kimura but Richards is defending well.
Richards avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Cat.
Cat throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards is looking to regain half guard here but Cat keeps moving and retains side control.
Cat postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Richards wants to control but Cat postures up.

Cat thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Richards is looking to regain half guard here but Cat keeps moving and retains side control.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cat wants to stand but Richards has his arm trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Cat will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cat lands with a hook. Richards tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Richards misses with a series of wild punches.
Richards tries to clinch up

and Cat counters with a crisp one two that drops Richards! Cat thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Richards to his feet! Richards is in big trouble!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cat looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Richards closes the distance but Cat moves to the side

and Cat counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Richards's guard now.
Cat trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cat trying to control the position from guard on top but Richards is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richards is pulling down on Cat's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cat postures up.

Cat is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Richards is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Richards has escaped and now he's on top!
Richards postures up.
Cat wants to sweep but no luck.

Cat is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Richards is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cat has his foot on Richards's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Richards works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cat looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Cat has his foot on Richards's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Richards works his way back into a safe position though.

Cat working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Richards has passed into half guard!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cat is trying to stand.
Cat is looking for a sweep. Richards is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Richards trying to mount his opponent but Cat defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cat actively working from the bottom here.
Cat is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cat is trying to maintain the position but Richards is very close to passing his half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Richards in particular looking to stall.
Cat has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Richards is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cat is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Richards pulls his head out easily.
Cat is trying to get back to full guard.

Cat is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Richards pulls his head out easily.
Cat manages to get to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Cat looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Cat dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Richards throws a right and a left that Cat avoids nicely.
Richards misses with a straight left.
Cat misses with the combination.
Richards ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cat misses with a straight left.
Cat connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Richards jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Richards is looking to clinch but Cat is avoiding it.
Cat takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Cat throws a nice looking combination but Richards bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Some wild striking there from Cat.
Richards lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Richards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Richards looks to score with a jab to the body but Cat is just out of range.
Richards has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Cat finds it's way round the side to connect with Richards's head.
Cat moves away from the strike by Richards.
Cat fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Richards looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cat pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Cat throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cat swats away the attempt to clinch by Richards.
Cat misses with a series of wild punches.
Russel Richards has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cat thows a body shot but no joy.
Richards takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cat keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cat thows a body shot but no joy.

Richards closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Richards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Richards misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right from Richards on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cat is working for takedown but Richards is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cat has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Richards is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Cat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cat is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Richards gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Richards doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Richards lands with a right to the head.
Richards swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Cat blocking some punches.
Richards working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cat fails to pull guard.
Cat tries to score a body lock takedown but Richards shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Cat has clasped his hands together around Richards's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Cat tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Richards felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cat looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cat in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Cat trying to control the action but Richards is working from the bottom.
Tom Cat overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Richards manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Tom Cat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cat is trying to control. Richards wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Russel Richards.
I think Cat has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Cat!