PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arj Rick (ranked 3915 p4p, 3945 weight class) and Bronson Hamhog (ranked 458 p4p, 464 weight class). Arj Rick has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Rick
vs
Hamhog

170 cm
20
180
4 - 1 - 0

179 cm
25
179
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arj Rick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bronson Hamhog!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rick moves to clinch but Hamhog breaks away
and Rick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rick moves in looking to clinch but Hamhog pushes him off.
Rick wants to clinch.
Rick tries to clinch up.
Arj Rick seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hamhog looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've been told by Rick's head coaches at Ajax Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Hamhog connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rick's hands.

Rick gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rick manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rick.
Hamhog managing to block the knees to the body from Rick.
Stalling in the clinch from Rick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Rick for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Rick content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hamhog stalling against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Rick.
Rick throws a punch but it's blocked by Hamhog.
Hamhog blocking some punches.
Rick content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hamhog prevents a body shot from Rick.

Rick breaks from the clinch.
Hamhog's corner calls for a 1-2. Hamhog obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Rick tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hamhog paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hamhog connects with a single shot there.
Rick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rick moves into the clinch successfully.
Rick pushes Hamhog back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Rick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A big right from Hamhog misses.
Rick lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Rick uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hamhog.

Rick takes the fight into the clinch.
Hamhog has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Rick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rick tries to clinch but Hamhog is having none of it.
Hamhog stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Rick tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hamhog paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rick tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hamhog doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rick closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nice body punch from Rick.
Hamhog looks winded!
Rick leaning his opponent against the cage.
A knee to the head by Rick.

It looks like Bronson Hamhog has been cut.
Hamhog prevents a body shot from Rick.
Rick lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rick pushes Hamhog back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rick avoiding damage.
Rick lands a shoulder strike.

Rick manages to break the clinch.
Rick wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rick gets a clinch.

Rick manages to break the clinch.

Rick has Hamhog up against the cage in a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Rick.
Rick lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Knees to the body from Rick.
A knee to the head by Rick.
Rick taking a breather.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arj Rick dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bronson Hamhog's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rick tries to clinch but Hamhog is having none of it.
Hamhog tries to bum rush Rick with a series of wild strikes but Rick uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Rick is looking to clinch but Hamhog is avoiding it.
A little jabbing left from Hamhog on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rick tries to clinch
and Rick takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bronson Hamhog seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A jab from Hamhog does it's job there.
Rick tries to clinch but Hamhog moves out of range.
Rick throws a nice outside leg kick.

Rick moves into range and clinches up with Hamhog.
Arj Rick has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Hamhog is trying to maintain a safe position but Rick gets an underhook and turns Hamhog into the cage.
Hamhog looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rick stalling the fight.
Rick lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hamhog or not.
Rick misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rick lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hamhog backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamhog takes a knee to the side of the body.
Hamhog is breathing heavily.
Rick displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hamhog up against the cage.
Rick slows down the pace here.

Rick breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rick tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hamhog swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rick wants to clinch up but Hamhog keeps it at a distance.
Rick tries to clinch but Hamhog is having none of it.

Rick closes the distance and clinches.
Rick lands a nice shot to the body.
Rick lands a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rick slows down the pace here.
A right hand to the body from Rick.
Rick misses with a body punch.
A short body shot lands from Rick as the two fighters clinch.
Rick working Hamhog over with knees to the body.

Rick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hamhog looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Rick fails with an attempt to clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hamhog! But no joy.
Rick tries to clinch up but Hamhog circles away and keeps his distance.

Rick rushes Hamhog and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Rick obliges.
Rick tries to work over Hamhog's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A hook to the body from Rick.
A body shot lands from Rick.
Rick's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Rick is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hamhog can do to turn this around?
Rick stalling against the cage.
Rick throws a knee to the head but misses.
A short left from Rick.
Rick lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rick.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Rick displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hamhog up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rick pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rick with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hamhog avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rick closes the distance but Hamhog moves to the side
and Hamhog counters with a nice uppercut.
Rick tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hamhog throws out a counter right but Rick avoids it with no problem.

Rick has managed to clinch.
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!
Rick scores a nice knee to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arj Rick dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bronson Hamhog's cut.
That's time! Rick's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hamhog looks to land a right hand but Rick moved out of range.
Rick throws a big counter combination but Hamhog scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rick fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rick tries to clinch there but Hamhog circles away.

Rick takes the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rick.
A shot in the inside from Rick.
Rick lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hamhog backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hamhog takes a shot to the head.
Rick stalling against the cage.
Rick stalling against the cage.
Rick gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rick lands a shot to the body.
Hamhog takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rick lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hamhog backwards.
A short uppercut from Rick.
Rick manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A left hand lands to the body for Rick.

Rick manages to break the clinch.
Hamhog avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hamhog keeps the fight on the outside.
A countering left hand to the body from Hamhog misses.
Hamhog might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

Rick has managed to clinch.
Rick landing knees to the body.
Rick is leaning against Hamhog and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rick stalling.
Rick displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hamhog up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rick with a knee to the head.

Rick pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rick doesn't manage to clinch there - Hamhog circles away.
Rick tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hamhog manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rick clinches up against the cage.
Knees to the body from Rick.
We've been informed that Hamhog has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Rick with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The referee calls for Rick to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rick throws a head kick that misses.
Rick misses with a series of wild punches.
Rick tries to clinch but Hamhog moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rick tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hamhog manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rick tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hamhog swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rick tries to clinch up but Hamhog circles away and keeps his distance.
Hamhog circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hamhog looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Rick is looking to clinch but Hamhog is avoiding it.
Hamhog is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Rick with a body shot.
Bronson Hamhog has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rick tries to clinch up but Hamhog circles away and keeps his distance.
Rick wants to clinch up but Hamhog keeps it at a distance.
Rick tries to clinch up but Hamhog circles away and keeps his distance.
Hamhog appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Arj Rick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hamhog throws a lazy right hand but Rick sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A quick step to the side and Rick tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rick tries to clinch up
and Hamhog connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rick fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rick rushes Hamhog and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rick lands a hook that snaps the head of Hamhog backwards.
Rick cracks Hamhog with a nice body shot.
Good body shot from Rick.
Arj Rick is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rick lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A body shot lands from Rick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arj Rick showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rick, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arj Rick!
During a confident post fight interview, Arj Rick thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.