PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Maurice Richard (ranked 4735 p4p, 4832 weight class) and Selimkhan Rasnov (ranked 0 p4p, 507 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Richard
vs
Rasnov

185 cm
21
175
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Maurice Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Selimkhan Rasnov!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richard tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rasnov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Richard stuffs the takedown.
Richard shoots for a takedown but Rasnov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rasnov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rasnov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Richard was well out of range. Poor timing from Rasnov.

Richard clinches.

Richard's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rasnov shoots in for a takedown but Richard shows good takedown defense.
Richard connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Rasnov shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Richard manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Richard scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Richard shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rasnov as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rasnov is defended easily by Richard.
Maurice Richard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Selimkhan Rasnov.
Richard misses with a combination

and Rasnov counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A nice right hand lands inside from Richard.

Richard drags the fight down to the ground.
Richard bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rasnov's guard.

Rasnov keeping moving, preventing Richard from controlling successfully.
Rasnov is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Richard wants to stand and escape but instead Rasnov has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Rasnov is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Richard is trying to control the position but Rasnov postures up.
Rasnov throws a big elbow that misses.

Rasnov decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Richard, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rasnov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Richard shoots in looking for a takedown but Rasnov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Richard's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Rasnov shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Richard napping and manages to drive through into side control!
A lull in the action here as Rasnov stalls from top position.

Rasnov is trying to get an arm triangle but Richard is defending well.
Richard is looking to reverse the position.

Rasnov has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richard shoots in looking for a takedown but Rasnov manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Richard's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rasnov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Richard sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rasnov fails with a takedown attempt.
Richard tries a low kick but Rasnov avoids it.
Rasnov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Richard tries to clinch up
and Richard takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rasnov has Richard up against the cage in a clinch.
Richard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rasnov has him pressed against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Selimkhan Rasnov will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rasnov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Richard sprawls well. Richard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rasnov gets slowly back to his feet.
Richard throws a sloppy head kick
and Rasnov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rasnov is looking to clinch but Richard is avoiding it.
Richard tries a head kick but it misses.

Rasnov clinches up with Richard and pushes him back against the cage.

Richard manages to pull guard.
Richard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richard throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Rasnov trying to control but Richard is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rasnov won't allow Richard to sweep him here.
Richard keeping moving, preventing Rasnov from controlling successfully.
Richard is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rasnov is controlling him.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Rasnov is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Richard is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Richard has escaped and now he's on top!

Rasnov wants to get back to his feet but Richard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Richard decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Rasnov displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Richard.
Rasnov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Richard wants to clinch.
The fighters circling - Rasnov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Richard is looking to counter the offense by Rasnov and move into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rasnov counters with a two punch combo.

Rasnov drives through and clinches with Richard against the cage.

Rasnov is fighting off a takedown attempt but Richard is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rasnov to the mat. Rasnov regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Rasnov wriggles free and stands up.
Richard misses with a kick to the body.
Rasnov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Richard dodges the punch combination from Rasnov.
Richard is looking to counter the offense by Rasnov and move into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rasnov looks to land a body kick but Richard moved away.

Richard clinches up with Rasnov and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Richard wants the takedown. Rasnov is fighting it off but Richard persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Rasnov's guard against the cage.

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

Rasnov wriggles free and stands up.
A head kick misses from Richard.
Rasnov feints the counter takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Richard shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Richard was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Rasnov throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Nice sprawl there from Richard as Rasnov shoots in.

Rasnov instigates a clinch.

Richard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rasnov tries to keep at a distance but Richard has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Selimkhan Rasnov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Richard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rasnov manages to avoid it.

Rasnov moves into the clinch.
Rasnov jumps guard but Richard stands there with Rasnov around his waist. Rasnov gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Richard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Richard fails with the takedown.
Rasnov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Richard feinted with a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rasnov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Richard's waist but Richard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rasnov off to one side.
Maurice Richard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Selimkhan Rasnov.
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch but Rasnov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rasnov scores with a kick to the body.
Rasnov fails to land with a series of punches.
Richard went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard scoring well with a low kick there.
Richard throws a leg kick that misses.
Rasnov shoots in but no luck this time.
Rasnov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Richard looking to score a takedown here. Rasnov is defending well but Richard drives through and ends up in Rasnov's guard.

Rasnov wriggles free and stands up.
Richard will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Richard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rasnov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Richard moves into the clinch.
Rasnov is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Richard to keep the fight standing.

Rasnov pulls guard effortlessly.
Richard has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
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!
Richard trying to control but Rasnov is working from the bottom.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Rasnov. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rasnov is pulling down on Richard's head to control his posture.
Richard controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Selimkhan Rasnov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Richard's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Richard is looking to stand up but Rasnov won't let him.

Rasnov is looking for a triangle but Richard pushes his legs off easily.
Richard looking to sit in guard and control but Rasnov gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard looking for a sweep. Not yet Richard, not yet.
Richard is working hard here to advance position.
Rasnov trying to control but Richard is working from the bottom.
Richard is wriggling around but Rasnov manages to pass to half guard.
Richard makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Richard.
Rasnov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

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.
Rasnov won't allow Richard to get back to his feet.
Rasnov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rasnov controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rasnov trying to control but Richard is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richard fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maurice Richard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Selimkhan Rasnov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rasnov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Selimkhan Rasnov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rasnov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 for Selimkhan Rasnov!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Selimkhan Rasnov!
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight for Selimkhan Rasnov!

Selimkhan Rasnov wins by unanimous decision!