PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Slaughter Rico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John McManus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Rico
vs
McManus

165 cm
24
130 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

179 cm
22
135 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Slaughter Rico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John McManus!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rico is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rico throws a head kick but McManus moves out of range.
Rico misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rico shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. McManus defends it nicely.
Rico fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rico tries a head kick but it misses.
Rico shoots in but no luck this time.
McManus shoots and misses

and Rico counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

McManus looking for a guillotine here but Rico defends easily.
Rico won't allow McManus to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rico wants to get up but he can't break McManus's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rico postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rico is looking to stand up but McManus won't let him.
McManus has his hands on Rico's head, controlling the position.
Rico won't allow McManus to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rico darts in and clinches McManus up against the cage.
Rico prevents the takedown attempt.

Rico's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
No joy there for Rico, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Slaughter Rico seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by McManus.
Rico is breathing heavily.
Rico connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rico gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and McManus counters with an inside leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Slaughter Rico. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rico changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. McManus looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
McManus is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rico connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused McManus some visible discomfort.
McManus can't do much from the bottom here.

Rico has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
McManus throws a head kick that misses.
Rico circles away from the clinch attempt.
McManus shoots in but Rico avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rico stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from McManus.

McManus gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McManus wants to sweep here but Rico controlling him for the moment.

Rico stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Rico connects with a body shot.
Rico cracks McManus with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
McManus has a takedown stuffed.
No joy there for Rico, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rico throws a jab when McManus was well out of range.
Rico throws a combination but it was largely blocked by McManus.
McManus throws a leg kick but Rico sees it coming and moves out of range.
Rico is looking to clinch but McManus is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rico misses with a double jab

and McManus counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rico tries to roll over but McManus keeps him under control.
Rico is looking to escape.
McManus is trying to control the action in half guard but Rico is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
McManus lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rico might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rico makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Rico.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McManus sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rico's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Slaughter Rico dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rico throws a left and a right that both miss
and McManus makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by McManus.
McManus is looking to slow Rico down with leg kicks.
Rico lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McManus circles away quickly and effectively.
McManus dodges the punch combination from Rico.
McManus swats away the attempt to clinch by Rico.
McManus throws a quick inside leg kick.
Rico misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McManus uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rico.
A slapping body kick lands there for McManus.
McManus swats away the attempt to clinch by Rico.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for McManus with that takedown attempt.
Rico is looking to clinch.
McManus throws a series of punches but Rico avoids them all with ease.
Rico fails with an attempt to clinch.
Slaughter Rico is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rico with a jab.
Nice sprawl there from McManus as Rico shoots in.
McManus moves in looking to clinch but Rico pushes him off.
Rico tries to clinch up.
Rico pulls out of a head kick attempt.
McManus avoids the head kick by Rico.

Rico rushes McManus and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McManus wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rico has him pressed against the cage.
McManus prevents the takedown attempt.

McManus manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rico throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
McManus looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rico is one step ahead there.
McManus is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rico is controlling him.
McManus has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
McManus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rico's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rico is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Slaughter Rico overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rico looking for a sweep. Not yet Rico, not yet.

McManus decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rico, up you get!
Rico misses with a combination

and McManus counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
McManus is standing up over Rico. Rico looks to escape but McManus dives into side control.
McManus trying to control the action but Rico is working from the bottom.

McManus is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rico has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rico manages to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rico is looking to escape.
McManus tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rico knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rico tries to roll over but McManus keeps him under control.
McManus slows the pace down in half guard.
McManus stops Rico from getting back to his feet.
McManus trying to control the action but Rico is working from the bottom.
Rico wants to improve his position but McManus is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John McManus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rico fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rico throws a lazy head kick
and McManus counters with a straight right hand.
Rico throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and McManus counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
McManus wants to control but Rico is keeping him busy.
McManus is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
McManus throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rico trying to get back to full guard but McManus takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
McManus landing strikes, looking to finish!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rico regains half guard.
McManus thows a huge punch but Rico dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rico has hold of McManus's hands but McManus slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rico is trying to stand.
McManus is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
McManus working the ground and pound effectively.
McManus landing strikes, looking to finish!
Rico tries to hold on but McManus pushes him away.
McManus lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
McManus landing strikes from the mount.
Rico squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Rico is desperately trying to improve his position but McManus has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
McManus landing shots from mount.
McManus controlling from mount.
Rico bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

McManus working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rico doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rico manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rico works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rico wants to pass to mount but McManus is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McManus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
McManus controls Rico momentarily but Rico frees himself.
McManus looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
McManus keeping full guard, as Rico tries to pass.

McManus has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Rico 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 McManus.
McManus taking a bit of punishment here - Rico scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
McManus tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Rico easily slips into full mount!
McManus is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Rico punishing his opponent with strikes.
McManus is in a horrible position here. Rico smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
McManus is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
McManus is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rico trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
John McManus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think McManus has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John McManus!