PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rick Richardson (ranked 5199 p4p, 6530 weight class) and Jake Askren (ranked 406 p4p, 481 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Richardson
vs
Askren

175 cm
18
145
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
145
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rick Richardson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jake Askren!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richardson throws a front kick aimed at Askren's knee but Askren avoids it well.

Askren throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Richardson was covering up waiting for the punch and Askren finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Askren with a nice head shot there.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Richardson holds on and takes a little breather.
Askren looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Richardson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren trying to control but Richardson is working from the bottom.
Richardson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Askren wants to control from the top but Richardson keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren looking to pass the guard.
Richardson seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Askren missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Askren with a flurry of punches that miss.
Richardson wants to sweep here but Askren controlling him for the moment.
Askren is looking to work some ground and pound but Richardson has wrist control.
Askren throwing strikes from guard but Richardson blocks nicely.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Askren trying to move into half guard but instead Richardson has managed to sweep!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren trying to control the position here.
Askren tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Richardson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Richardson wants to control from the top but Askren keeps moving.
Askren bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Richardson's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Askren won't allow Richardson to sweep him here.
Askren throwing strikes but missing.
Askren working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Richardson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Askren.
Askren in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Askren working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Richardson's head.
Askren with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Askren wants to control from the top but Richardson keeps moving.
Askren content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren distracts Richardson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Richardson being controlled here, momentarily.
Askren scoring with punches to the head and body.
Askren is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Askren with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Richardson controls Askren momentarily but Askren frees himself.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Askren dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Richardson lunges at Askren with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Askren's hand.
Richardson throws the left hand but Askren avoids the punch easily.
Askren tries to clinch there but Richardson circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Richardson. Askren does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice shot by Richardson.
Richardson blocks a leg kick.
Richardson throws a lazy uppercut

and Askren decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Richardson's guard.
Askren working some strikes from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Richardson's head.
Richardson is looking to stand up but Askren isn't so interested in that idea.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Askren's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Richardson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Richardson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Askren lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Richardson wants to sweep but no luck.
Askren throws an elbow that misses. Richardson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Askren's guard. Nice move by Richardson!

Askren manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Richardson manages to get himself to full guard.

Richardson wants to sweep but no luck.
Askren pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Richardson is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Askren content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Askren throwing strikes but missing.
Askren in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Richardson is trying to keep Askren in close.
Richardson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Askren is controlling him.
Askren in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Askren trying to control but Richardson is working from the bottom.
Askren makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Askren has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Askren scoring with punches to the head and body.
Askren is looking to work some ground and pound but Richardson has wrist control.
Askren landing with the ground and pound.
Askren trying to control the position from guard on top but Richardson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Richardson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Askren is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Askren moves into the clinch.
Richardson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richardson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Askren has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Richardson tries to break free but Askren pushes him back against the cage.

Askren gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Richardson looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jake Askren showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A bone on bone clash there as Askren blocks the leg kick.
Askren is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Askren closes the distance and pushes Richardson back into the cage.
Askren tries to work over Richardson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Richardson breaks the clinch.
Askren gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Richardson.
Askren uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Richardson.
Nice uppercut lands for Richardson. That snapped Askren's head back.
Askren takes one on the button.
Askren misses with an attempted mid kick.
Richardson throws an off balance right hand

and Askren counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Askren is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Askren in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Askren loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Askren with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richardson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Askren trying to control but Richardson is working from the bottom.
Richardson has momentary wrist control but Askren slips an elbow through the middle.
Richardson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Askren is stalling in the full guard.
Askren is in close to Richardson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rick Richardson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Askren wants to pass the guard but Richardson is keeping the position.
Askren working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Richardson looking to control but Askren passes into half guard.
Askren is thwarting Richardson's attempts to control the position.
Askren thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Richardson's head.
Askren working the head and body with strikes.
Askren working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richardson is looking to control Askren's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Richardson avoid being mounted?
Askren is pressing down on Richardson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Richardson is holding on for now.
Askren working the head and body with strikes.
Askren working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Askren slips a nice elbow through Richardson's hands, connecting with Richardson's forehead.
Richardson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Askren controlling the pace.
Askren is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Askren working the head and body with strikes.
Askren scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Askren slips a nice elbow through Richardson's hands, connecting with Richardson's forehead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richardson wants to sweep but Askren has passed to side control!
Askren scores with a couple of short elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jake Askren comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Askren 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jake Askren!
A victorious Jake Askren thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.