PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ronnie White (ranked 1744 p4p, 2575 weight class) and Rico Van-Plant (ranked 238 p4p, 341 weight class). White comes to the cage accompanied by Battlesick. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

White
vs
Van-Plant

164 cm
38
180
28 - 22 - 2

183 cm
24
174
6 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 28 - 22 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ronnie White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rico Van-Plant!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Wesley Smith and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van-Plant darts in looking for a takedown but White gets double underhooks and turns Van-Plant into the cage.
Ronnie White seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

White scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Van-Plant tries to buck White off but White is having none of it.
White working the ground and pound.
Van-Plant regains half guard.
White prevents Van-Plant from improving his position.
Van-Plant tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
White trying to control from half guard but Van-Plant is working away.
Van-Plant wants to get back to full guard.
White slows the pace down in half guard.

White is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Van-Plant is just riding it out for now. White eventually gives up the hold.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van-Plant looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
White thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Van-Plant trying to hold on to White's head to control him but White postures up.
Van-Plant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Van-Plant is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but White pulls his head out easily.
White trying to control the action but Van-Plant is working from the bottom.
White is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Van-Plant wants to get back to full guard.

Van-Plant looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ground and pound from White.
Van-Plant wants to get back to full guard.
White trying to control the action but Van-Plant is working from the bottom.
Van-Plant is holding on to half guard well.
Van-Plant flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
White prevents Van-Plant from standing back up.
White is trying to control the action in half guard but Van-Plant is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Van-Plant has hold of White's hands but White slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Van-Plant is trying to get back to full guard.
Van-Plant tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Van-Plant wants to improve his position but White is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
White is figuring out what he wants to do next.
White trying to control the action but Van-Plant is working from the bottom.
Van-Plant on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Van-Plant makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Van-Plant.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Van-Plant keeping moving, preventing White from controlling successfully.
White is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Punch Out Gym that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.

Van-Plant escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. White gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
White might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
White scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
White engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Van-Plant has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but White can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van-Plant looking for a sweep. Not yet Van-Plant, not yet.
Van-Plant keeping moving, preventing White from controlling successfully.
White preventing the sweep.
Van-Plant trying to strike off his back.
Van-Plant keeping moving, preventing White from controlling successfully.
Our spies down at at London MMA Club inform us that Van-Plant has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Van-Plant escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. White gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
White works over Van-Plant with some ground and pound from guard.
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Van-Plant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ronnie White dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

White walks into a jab.

White closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Van-Plant trying to hold on to White's head to control him but White postures up.
White is looking to stall here but Van-Plant recovers full guard.
Van-Plant is trying to control the position from the bottom.
White cracks Van-Plant with a solid left hand.
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Van-Plant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White postures up.
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Van-Plant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
White working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Van-Plant's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van-Plant looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
White wants to control from the top but Van-Plant keeps moving.
Van-Plant throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
White trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
White is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Van-Plant can do to turn this around?
White postures up and lands a big shot to Van-Plant's brow.
White trying to control but Van-Plant is working from the bottom.
White controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
White wants to control from the top but Van-Plant keeps moving.
White landing with the ground and pound.
Van-Plant trying to keep a closed guard but White is proving a slippery customer.
White stopping the sweep attempt from Van-Plant.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van-Plant had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. White defends it easily.
White landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells White's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Van-Plant keeping full guard, as White tries to pass.
Van-Plant controls White momentarily but White frees himself.
White looking to sit in guard and control but Van-Plant gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Van-Plant looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van-Plant working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
White wants to sweep but no luck.
Van-Plant pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. White is keeping the position for now.
White wants to sweep here but Van-Plant controlling him for the moment.
Van-Plant tries to free his leg and advance position but White is retaining full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now White is on top in guard.

White postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Van-Plant is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of White, into his guard.

Van-Plant drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and White dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van-Plant looking to control.
White trying to control the position from guard on top but Van-Plant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
White has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Van-Plant looking for a sweep. Not yet Van-Plant, not yet.
White is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
White wants to control from the top but Van-Plant keeps moving.
White lands a couple of elbows.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
White is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
White postures up and lands a big shot to Van-Plant's brow.
White postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ronnie White dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

White throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Van-Plant tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Van-Plant misses with a wild body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
White lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Van-Plant.
White lands a nice uppercut.
White missing with knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by White.
White is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Van-Plant is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Van-Plant is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ronnie White has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rico Van-Plant.
Van-Plant tries for a takedown. No joy.
White lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van-Plant is trying to drag White to the mat but White just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
White crunches a lovely knee into Van-Plant's ribcage.
Van-Plant takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
White stalling the fight.
Van-Plant is looking for a takedown up against the cage. White gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White lands a nice uppercut.
Knees to the body from White.
White makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
White stalling the fight.
A short right from White.
Come on White - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Still in the clinch, White scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ronnie White has scored more points in the clinch so far.
White lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Van-Plant tries to score a body lock takedown but White shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Van-Plant is trying to drag White to the mat but White just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A shot in the inside from White.
White connects with a nasty looking knee right to Van-Plant's face.
White will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Van-Plant up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for White.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
White stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
White lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Van-Plant tries to score a body lock takedown but White shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
White stalling against the cage.
White dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Van-Plant on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
White lands a body punch in the clinch.
White tries to land knees in the clinch but Van-Plant avoids the damage to the body.
Van-Plant has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by White after a bit of a struggle.
White lands a left hand that snaps the head of Van-Plant backwards.
White with a knee to the head.

It looks like Rico Van-Plant has been cut.
Van-Plant is working for takedown but White is calmly controlling the position for now.
White lands with a short shot to the head.
White unloads a knee to the mid-section. Van-Plant lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
White is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
White lands a body punch in the clinch.
Van-Plant's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
White just leaning against Van-Plant, taking a breather.
Van-Plant has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. White avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
White creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
White stalling.

Van-Plant tightens his grip and picks White up, before dumping him to the ground. White manages to land in guard.
Van-Plant wants to stand but White has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
White preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van-Plant stopping the sweep attempt from White.
White is working hard here to advance position.
Rico Van-Plant has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van-Plant trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Van-Plant might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control White haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

White had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van-Plant defends it easily.
White looking to control.
Van-Plant wants to control from the top but White keeps moving.
White trying to keep a closed guard but Van-Plant is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ronnie White is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Van-Plant shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts White as he jumps to the side.
White with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ronnie White showed his dominance in that final round.
Well White has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronnie White!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Ronnie White made sure he mentioned Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing, along with how happy he was to win his fight.