PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ian Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Cry me a river - Michael buble. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Carter
vs
Richards

180 cm
21
185 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
180 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ian Carter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shane Richards!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Columbo Gatti and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richards throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Richards thumps Carter with a low kick.
Richards takes one on the button.
Carter blocks a head kick by Richards.
Carter thows a leg kick but Richards checks it
and Richards counters with an inside leg kick.
Richards looks to score with a jab to the body but Carter is just out of range.
Carter looks for a takedown but Richards sprawls well.
Richards fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Carter manages to avoid it.
Richards gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Carter moves to clinch but Richards breaks away
and Richards counters with a thumping low kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Carter checks a leg kick.
Carter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Richards swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Richards's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Richards duly obliges.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Carter throws a shot from downtown. Richards moves away and avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Carter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Richards takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Carter throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Richards steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Carter.
Richards steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Carter.
Richards throws a series of punches but Carter avoids them all with ease.
Carter swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Richards.
Carter swinging wildly here.
A shot to the body from Carter misses
and Richards counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Richards has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Carter.
Carter swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Richards counters with a slapping leg kick.
Carter is breathing heavily.
Richards scoring well with a low kick there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richards throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A punch combination from Richards misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Carter throws a hook but Richards avoids it easily.
Carter misses with a double jab.
Richards swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Richards slips under a jab from Carter.
Richards uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carter.
A shot to the body from Carter misses
and Richards counters with a one-two to the body.
Richards will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Richards swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Carter lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Carter throws a nice looking combination but Richards bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Shane Richards is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Richards needs to keep his hands up - Carter had a free shot at his head there.
Carter throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ian Carter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter avoids the head kick by Richards.
Carter throws a body punch but Richards moves out of range.
Richards throws a leg kick which misses Carter's front leg but catches the back leg as Carter tries to avoid it.
Carter scores with a jab to the body.
Richards displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Carter throws out the jab.
Richards throws out a leg kick but Carter moves out of range and Richards only half commits.
Carter looks to land a right hand but Richards moved out of range.
Carter throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Carter throws a shot from downtown. Richards moves away and avoids it.
Carter getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Carter lands with an uppercut that bounces Richards off the cage and back into rage.
Carter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Richards drops his hands momentarily and Carter takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Carter looks to land a right hand but Richards moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carter misses with a kick to the body.
Richards does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Richards lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Richards connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Richards throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Carter on the side of the head.
Richards swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Carter tries to clinch up.
Carter fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Richards misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Richards takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Carter misses with a jab, cross combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Richards.
Carter smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Carter lands with a good body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Richards dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Carter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Carter lands with a straight right. Richards didn't see that one coming.
A slow jab from Richards misses its intended target.
Carter lands with a cross.
Richards displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Carter throws out the jab.
Richards on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Richards plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Carter is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Richards throws a leg kick that misses.
The fighters circling - Carter throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Carter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Richards manages to avoid it.
Carter looks to throw the jab but Richards is out of range.
A big left from Carter misses.
Carter throws a jab but it's blocked by Richards.
Carter misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richards moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Carter throws a right and a left that Richards avoids nicely.
Richards throws a leg kick that misses.
Carter slips under a jab from Richards.
Ian Carter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Carter misses with a hook to the body
and Richards connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Richards slips a jab and a cross from Carter.
Carter bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Carter checks a leg kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Carter.
Shane Richards seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Carter has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Richards.
Richards misses with a looping left.
Carter throws a hook but Richards avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards cracks the inside of Carter's front leg.
A slow jab from Carter misses its intended target.
Carter tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Richards misses with a low kick.
Richards throws out a leg kick but Carter moves out of range and Richards only half commits.
Carter wants to clinch.
Carter checks a leg kick.
Carter moves out of range of the leg kick from Richards.
Richards pivots, looking for a leg kick but Carter is out of range and Richards settles back down.
Carter blocks a head kick by Richards.
Carter shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Richards eats them both and turns towards Carter to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A combination from Richards does no damage.
Richards misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Carter dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Carter misses with a combination
and Richards counters with a left and a right that stings Carter.
Carter throws a hook to the side of Richards's head but Richards sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Richards connects with an inside leg kick.
Carter ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Richards moves away.
Richards jabs Carter right on the nose. Carter blinks but takes it well.
A combination from Carter does no damage.
Richards slips a jab and a cross from Carter.
Richards dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards wants to slow Carter down by chopping away at his legs.
Richards dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Carter. That did some damage!
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Carter slips a jab and a cross from Richards.
Richards lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Carter walks into a straight right hand from Richards.
Richards doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Carter lands with a hook. Richards tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Carter thows a leg kick but Richards checks it
and Richards counters with a stiff right hand.
Richards uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Carter.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Carter moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Carter throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Richards throws a looping overhand right but Carter ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Richards showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Carter throws a jab but it's blocked by Richards.
Richards will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Richards connects with a solid leg kick.
Carter scores with a sloppy right hand. Richards should have avoided that one.
Carter takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Richards throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Carter thows a body shot but no joy.
Carter catches Richards with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Carter throws a shot from downtown. Richards moves away and avoids it.

Carter scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Carter fails to land a wild elbow strike.
I wouldn't like to be where Richards is right now.
Richards is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
You can see the frustration on Richards's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Carter tries to advance to mount but Richards denies him.
Carter misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Richards controls the position for a moment.
Richards tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Carter tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Richards parries the strikes from Carter easily there. Carter is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Richards to escape.
Richards is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Carter asserts his dominance and retains side control.

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.
Carter taking a breather here.
Carter fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Carter tries to score with some ground and pound. Richards controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Richards sneaks back into half guard.
Carter content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Richards is staying active underneath Carter, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Richards tries to roll over but Carter keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richards avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Carter.
Carter is trying to control the action in half guard but Richards is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter is looking to advance position but Richards won't allow it.
Carter wants to take a breather but Richards is having none of it.
Ian Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carter is looking to advance position but Richards won't allow it.
Richards is holding on to half guard well.

We're going to have a standup here because Ian Carter wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Richards.
Carter misses with a straight right.
Carter blocks a head kick by Richards.
Carter dodges the punch combination from Richards.
Carter rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Richards moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Shane Richards is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Richards attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Carter lands with a shot to the body.
Richards moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Richards moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Carter misses with a looping left.
Carter waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Richards.
Richards connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A leg kick checked by Carter.
Richards turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Richards throws a solid leg kick but Carter takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Richards.
Richards thumps Carter with a low kick.
Richards avoids the body shot from Carter.
Carter missing with a left hand there. Richards was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ian Carter.
I think Richards 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shane Richards!