PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richard Hall (ranked 340 p4p, 1692 weight class) and Frankie Venegas (ranked 50 p4p, 132 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Frankie Venegas enters the cage!

Hall
vs
Venegas

170 cm
33
145
29 - 2 - 0

150 cm
33
145
21 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel
Northern Zombie

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 29 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Richard Hall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 19 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Venegas !
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Anthony Taglia and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hall closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Venegas quickly recovers to half guard.

Venegas manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Hall keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Hall drops down looking for a counter takedown but Venegas sprawls and moves away.
Venegas shoots in looking for a takedown but Hall manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Venegas 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Venegas decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hall makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hall.
Venegas pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hall is keeping the position for now.
Hall looking for a sweep. Not yet Hall, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hall trying to keep a closed guard but Venegas is proving a slippery customer.
Venegas trying to control the position from guard on top but Hall is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Venegas controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hall is on top in guard.

Venegas wants to stand and escape but Hall is having none of it.

Venegas looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Venegas is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Venegas has his foot on Hall's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hall works his way back into a safe position though.
Venegas will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hall trying to control the position from guard on top but Venegas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Venegas is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Venegas keeping full guard, as Hall tries to pass.
Hall is working hard here to advance position.
Hall trying to control but Venegas is working from the bottom.

Venegas looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hall pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Venegas is keeping the position for now.
Hall trying to control the position from guard on top but Venegas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Richard Hall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall shoots in but Venegas avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Venegas drives through with a takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Venegas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hall wants to improve his position but instead Venegas has moved into half guard.
Hall tries to get to full guard but Venegas has control of the leg.

Venegas is working for a submission of some sort.

Venegas is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Venegas is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Venegas throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hall wants to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Venegas is looking for a kimura but Hall is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Venegas to get the leverage.
Venegas looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Venegas dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Venegas moves into the clinch successfully.
Hall is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hall lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hall just misses with a elbow thrown towards Venegas 's brow.
Venegas is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hall pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Venegas blocks the elbow strike.
Venegas has Hall pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hall manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Richard Hall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Venegas .
Venegas blocks an uppercut.

Venegas lands a takedown into guard.
Hall tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hall is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Venegas manages to get himself to full guard.

Hall preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall stands and throws Venegas 's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Hall is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Venegas has escaped the position, nice work there.
Venegas is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Hall tries for a kimura but Venegas is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Venegas 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

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.
Hall tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Venegas sneaks back into half guard.
Venegas tries to roll over but Hall keeps him under control.
Venegas is looking to control Hall's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Venegas avoid being mounted?
Hall slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Venegas does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Venegas has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Hall escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Hall!
Hall working away.

Hall thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Venegas is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hall off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Venegas has the hooks in. Hall is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Venegas is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Frankie Venegas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hall manages to reverse the position and now he's in Venegas 's guard. Nice work there by Hall.
Venegas keeping full guard, as Hall tries to pass.

Venegas is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hall pushing down on Venegas 's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Hall dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

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

Venegas has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Hall is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Venegas .
Venegas wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Venegas tries to bench press Hall off him but Hall keeps the position.
Venegas is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Venegas tries to bench press Hall off him but Hall keeps the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hall has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Venegas !
Venegas is squirming around, avoiding Hall's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Venegas can't escape the position.

Hall looking to secure an arm triangle but Venegas defends it well.
Hall looking to control but Venegas is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Venegas really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Hall jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Venegas manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hall advances nicely into full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hall with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Venegas is squirming around, avoiding Hall's attempts to control the action.
Venegas keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hall can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Venegas is looking to escape.
Venegas is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Hall sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hall tries to control but Venegas wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Venegas manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hall seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Venegas does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Hall showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hall has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Hall!
After winning the bout, Richard Hall thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.