PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roger Rickson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tonka Richer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Rickson
vs
Richer

190 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Roger Rickson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tonka Richer!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rickson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Richer pinned against the cage. Richer gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Richer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Left hook, right uppercut from Richer.
Richer throws a lazy right hand but Rickson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rickson misses with a takedown attempt - Richer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rickson has his takedown stuffed
and Richer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Rickson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Rickson with that takedown attempt.
Rickson throws a combination that misses
and Richer counters with a three punch combo that has Rickson backing up. Rickson nods at Richer to acknowledge the strikes.
Rickson throws a leg kick which misses Richer's front leg but catches the back leg as Richer tries to avoid it.
Richer lands a body shot.
Rickson is breathing heavily.

Rickson has Richer up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Richer doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richer is looking to break free of the clinch but Rickson has double underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Rickson breaks the clinch.
Richer lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rickson circles away quickly and effectively.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Richer!

It looks like Roger Rickson has been cut.
Rickson shoots and misses
and Richer counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rickson pushes Richer away with a front kick.
Richer misses the shot to the body.
Richer throws a lazy uppercut
and Rickson counters with a low kick, right behind Richer 's knee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rickson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Richer swivels and escapes.
Richer misses the shot to the body.
Richer looks to land a right hand but Rickson moved out of range.
Rickson tries to clinch up.
Richer connects with a looping right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No joy there for Richer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Richer throws a left and a right that both miss
and Rickson counters with a head kick. That will keep Richer thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Richer throws a left and a right that both miss

and Rickson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Rickson.
Rickson tries to pull guard but Richer won't allow it.
A body shot lands from Richer.
Richer tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rickson tries to pull guard but Richer holds him up against the cage and eventually Rickson drops back down to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richer tries to circle away but Rickson has him pinned against the cage.
Rickson keeps control of Richer as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Rickson looking to slow down the pace here.
Richer wants to get back to striking at distance but Rickson won't allow it.
Richer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Richer misses with a punch to the body.
Richer has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rickson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Richer just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rickson is trying to maintain a safe position but Richer gets an underhook and turns Rickson into the cage.
Rickson jumps guard but Richer stands there with Rickson around his waist. Rickson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rickson keeps control of Richer as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Richer wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Richer has Rickson pushed against the cage.
Rickson throws an elbow but it misses.
Richer wants to get back to striking at distance but Rickson won't allow it.

Rickson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rickson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Richer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Richer misses with a wild body shot.
Rickson fails with the takedown
and Richer counters with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tonka Richer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roger Rickson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Richer lunges at Rickson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rickson's hand.
Richer fails to land with a series of punches.
Richer rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rickson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A nice combination there by Richer.
Richer misses with an uppercut
and Rickson counters with a one-two to the body.
Rickson looks to land a right hand but Richer moved out of range.
Richer takes a swing at Rickson's ribcage but misses.
Rickson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Richer.
A looping hook to the body misses from Richer. Rickson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tonka Richer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rickson looks to throw the jab but Richer is out of range.
Richer is breathing heavily.
Rickson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Richer tries to avoid it but Rickson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Richer to the ground. Richer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
No luck for Rickson with that takedown attempt.
Richer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rickson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Richer counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Rickson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rickson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rickson ducks right into an uppercut from Richer.
Sloppy strikes from Richer. Those never looked like landing.
Richer throws a nice looking combination but Rickson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Richer circles away from the clinch attempt.
Richer lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Richer.
Rickson tries to close the distance and clinch but Richer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Richer takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Richer scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Richer fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rickson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Richer throws the left hand but Rickson avoids the punch easily.
Rickson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rickson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rickson shoots in for a takedown but Richer shows good takedown defense.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Rickson. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Richer misses with a few strikes there.
Richer just misses with a punch to the body.

Rickson drives through and clinches with Richer against the cage.

Rickson breaks from the clinch.
Tonka Richer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Richer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Richer sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rickson tries to clinch but Richer moves out of range.
Richer misses with a series of wild punches.
Rickson misses with a takedown attempt - Richer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rickson looks for a takedown but Richer sprawls well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rickson tries to move into range but Richer moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Roger Rickson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rickson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Richer connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rickson momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richer stuffs the takedown attempt from Rickson. Rickson gets slowly back to his feet.
Richer thows a body shot but no joy.
Richer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Some wild striking there from Richer.

Rickson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Rickson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rickson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Richer just misses with a punch to the body.
Richer throws a combination that misses

and Rickson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tonka Richer will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Roger Rickson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rickson fails with the takedown.
Rickson misses with a lunging right hand
and Richer counters with a nice uppercut.
Richer swats away the attempt to clinch by Rickson.
Rickson tries for a takedown but Richer circles away easily
and Richer counters with a three punch combo that has Rickson backing up. Rickson nods at Richer to acknowledge the strikes.
Rickson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Richer misses with a two punch combination.
Nice sprawl there from Richer as Rickson shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Rickson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rickson avoids the body shot from Richer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Richer lands a right hook to the body.
A combination from Richer does no damage.
Richer throws a jab when Rickson was well out of range.
Richer throws a right and a left that Rickson avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rickson moves out of range as Richer strikes.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rickson fails to pull guard.
Rickson fails to pull guard.
Rickson is trying to break free.
Rickson missing with knees to the body.
Richer is trying to break the clinch but Rickson has him pressed against the cage.
Richer stalling the fight.
Rickson is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Richer is trying to maintain a safe position but Rickson gets an underhook and turns Richer into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rickson fails to pull guard.
Richer can't find room to land a body shot as Rickson controls the action.

Rickson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rickson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Richer sprawls well. Richer wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rickson gets slowly back to his feet.
Richer lands with a right hand.
Richer fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Richer lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sloppy strikes from Richer. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Rickson or perhaps it was just good defense by Richer which made him look bad.
Richer misses with a body shot.
Richer throws out a loose jab but Rickson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Richer falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rickson counters with a series of strikes. Richer will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rickson misses with a takedown attempt - Richer sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Some wild striking there from Richer.
Rickson is looking to clinch but Richer is avoiding it.
Richer circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richer misses with a straight left.
Richer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rickson.

Rickson forces Richer back against the cage and clinches.
Rickson goes for a takedown attempt but Richer pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rickson tries to clinch but Richer is having none of it.
Richer keeps the fight on the outside.
Richer displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rickson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Richer counter with a right hand.
Roger Rickson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tonka Richer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nice shot by Richer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tonka Richer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Richer winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tonka Richer!