PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Van Henderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Henderson
vs
Richards

180 cm
19
190 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
184 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Poison Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Van Henderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Richards!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henderson tries a head kick but it misses.
Henderson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Richards blocks a head kick by Henderson.
Henderson throws a leg kick but Richards sees it coming and moves out of range.

Richards looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Richards prevents Henderson from standing back up.
Richards wants to control but Henderson is keeping him busy.
Henderson tries to kick Richards off but Richards keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Richards decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Henderson connects with the punch.
Richards takes a swing at Henderson's ribcage but misses.
Richards drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

It looks like Mike Richards has been cut.
Henderson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Richards.
Richards is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Henderson.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Henderson misses with the combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henderson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Henderson misses with a two punch combination.
Richards lands a nice looking body kick.
Henderson is breathing heavily.
Richards fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Richards tries to close the distance and clinch up but Henderson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Richards looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Henderson is working an open guard so Richards takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Richards scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Richards stands up out of the half guard.
Richards looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Richards circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Richards feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Richards gets to his feet - Henderson follows without any prompting.

Richards clinches up against the cage.
Richards jumps guard but Henderson stands there with Richards around his waist. Richards gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Henderson is trying to break the clinch but Richards has him pressed against the cage.
Henderson wants to break free but Richards has control.
Richards has Henderson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Henderson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Van Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Richards.

Henderson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Henderson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Richards misses with a head kick.
Henderson stuffs the takedown attempt from Richards. Richards gets slowly back to his feet.
Henderson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Richards has a takedown stuffed.
Henderson throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Richards counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Henderson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Henderson wants to break free but Richards has control.

Richards pulls guard.
Henderson preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wanted to stand there but Richards had control of the position.
Richards is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Henderson wants to stand and escape but instead Richards has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Henderson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Richards working some strikes from top position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Richards's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Henderson keeping moving, preventing Richards from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Richards advances to half guard.
Richards wants to lay and pray for a moment but Henderson keeps working.
Henderson looks like he's trying to stand up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Richards tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Richards tries for a takedown but Henderson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Richards fails with a takedown attempt.
Henderson throws a low kick but it's checked well by Richards.
Jab, jab by Henderson - just one landing.
Henderson throws a series of punches but Richards moves out of range.
Henderson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Richards fails in his attempt to clinch.

Henderson has Richards up against the cage in a clinch.

Henderson breaks the clinch.
Richards with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Richards bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Henderson is trying to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Richards decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Richards instigates a clinch.
Richards throws an elbow but it misses.
Henderson managing to block the knees to the body from Richards.

Henderson manages to break the clinch.
Henderson stuffs the takedown attempt from Richards. Richards gets slowly back to his feet.
Van Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Richards.
Richards throws a lazy head kick
and Henderson counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Richards is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Richards misses with a hook. Henderson ducked under it nicely.
Richards throws a looping overhand right but Henderson ducks down to avoid it.
Richards looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A shot to de liver by Henderson. Beautiful body shot.
Richards avoids a punch combination nicely.
Richards looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henderson is fending him off so far but Richards persists. Nope, Henderson circles away and we're back to standing.
Richards looks for a takedown but Henderson sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Henderson counters with a nice uppercut.
Henderson lands a with a good body shot.
Henderson throws a lazy head kick

and Richards decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Henderson's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards throwing strikes from guard but Henderson blocks nicely.
Henderson wants to get back to his feet but Richards is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Henderson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Richards on the ground.
Henderson is looking to stand back up but Richards counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Henderson.
Richards is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Henderson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henderson squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Mike Richards has got the better of the ground game so far.
Richards raining down shots from the mount!

Richards looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Richards working Henderson over with strikes here.

Henderson bucks up and throws Richards to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Richards thows a body shot but no joy.
Richards is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Richards with a lazy takedown attempt
and Henderson counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Richards gets the takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Henderson pushes Richards away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Richards gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Richards cracks Henderson with a big right hand but Henderson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Richards has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henderson wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Richards controls the position.
Richards wants to control but Henderson is keeping him busy.
Richards working the ground and pound but Henderson is defending the strikes.
Henderson prevents Richards from improving position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Henderson cracks a nice hook into Richards's ribs.
Richards fails to land the takedown.
A slapping leg kick lands for Henderson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richards tries for a takedown but Henderson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Henderson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Henderson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Richards counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Henderson!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Richards showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mike Richards's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Henderson thows a body shot but no joy.
Henderson lands a head kick!
Richards walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Henderson looks to land a left hand but Richards moved out of range nicely.
Richards shoots in for a double leg but Henderson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Richards shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Van Henderson is winning the standup battle so far.
Richards misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Van Henderson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Richards.
Henderson clobbers Richards with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Henderson looks for the body kick but Richards saw that one coming.
Henderson connects with a body shot.

Henderson gets a clinch.

Henderson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Richards avoids the head kick by Henderson.
Van Henderson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Richards tries to clinch up but Henderson circles away and keeps his distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Henderson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Henderson's head.
Henderson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Richards fails with the takedown
and Henderson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Henderson rushes Richards and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Richards lands a nice knee to the body.

Richards gets control of Henderson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Richards will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Henderson wants to stand but Richards is controlling his posture from full guard.
Richards wants to stand up but Henderson is controlling him.

Henderson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Richards has a takedown stuffed.
Henderson misses with a few strikes there.
Van Henderson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards tries to clinch
and Henderson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Henderson swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Richards gets a takedown into half guard.

Richards has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Henderson defend it? Richards steps over the head and cranks it - Henderson is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Richards!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mike Richards!