PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight kickboxing rules bout between Craig Mack (ranked 6450 p4p, 524 weight class) and Rick Rickerson (ranked 5878 p4p, 508 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rickerson's choice of entrance music: No Homo Monologue. Craig Mack could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rick Rickerson's chin.

Mack
vs
Rickerson

178 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Brawler
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 1 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Craig Mack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rick Rickerson!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rickerson misses with a wild combination.
Rickerson throws an overhand right that lands on Mack's shoulder, as Mack tries to avoid the shot.
Rickerson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rickerson throws a combination that misses
and Mack counters with a low kick, right behind Rickerson 's knee.
Mack doesn't manage to clinch there - Rickerson circles away.
Mack doesn't manage to clinch there - Rickerson circles away.
Mack throws a good cross that connects.

Mack closes the distance and pushes Rickerson back into the ropes.
Rickerson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rickerson throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Mack tries to break the clinch but Rickerson is controlling the position.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rickerson as Mack tries to tie him up.
Rickerson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mack breaks the clinch.
A combination from Rickerson does no damage.
Mack fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mack is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mack looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mack moves out of range of the strikes.
Mack keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rickerson takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Mack closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
A head punch on the inside from Mack fails to land.
With the fighters up against the ropes, Mack throws an elbow but misses.
Mack gets through Rickerson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Rickerson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mack scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rickerson doesn't seem bothered though.
Mack tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rickerson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Craig Mack is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mack with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Mack uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rickerson.
Mack dodges the punch combination from Rickerson.
Mack is looking for a counter combo.
Mack uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Rickerson has time to react.
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!
Mack throws out a powerful jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mack blocks a head kick by Rickerson.
Mack fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rickerson looks to land a combination but Mack avoids it well.
Rickerson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rickerson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Mack has closed the distance and engaged Rickerson in a clinch.
Mack throws an elbow but it misses.
A short uppercut from Mack.
Rickerson is trying to stall.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Mack.
Rickerson looks winded!

Rickerson breaks the clinch.

Mack has closed the distance and engaged Rickerson in a clinch.
Mack misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rickerson.
Mack lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rickerson backwards.
Mack stalling in the clinch but Rickerson improves position.
Rickerson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rickerson trying to land knees to the body.
Mack works on Rickerson's body with a couple of short punches.
Rickerson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mack lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Mack pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Mack moves into the clinch successfully.
Mack working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Mack lands a left hand.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Mack swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Mack throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Mack taking a breather.
Mack throws a head punch that misses.

Mack pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Mack clinches up with Rickerson and pushes him back against the ropes.
Rickerson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rickerson throws an elbow but it misses.
A short right from Mack.
Rickerson stalling in the clinch but Mack improves position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mack pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mack keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mack tries to clinch up but Rickerson circles away and keeps his distance.

Mack instigates a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rickerson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Mack is trying to maintain a safe position but Rickerson gets an underhook and turns Mack into the ropes.
Mack is looking to control Rickerson's arms but Rickerson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mack has his back to the ropes.

Mack breaks from the clinch.

Mack closes the distance and clinches.
Rickerson has Mack pressed against the ropes.
Mack lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Mack will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rickerson up against the ropes.
Rickerson is trying to stall.
A left hand lands to the body for Mack.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rickerson prevents Mack from breaking the clinch.
Mack pushes Rickerson back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rickerson has Mack pressed against the ropes, preventing Mack from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mack tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Mack.
Rickerson scores with a hook to the body.
Rickerson scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rickerson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
Mack avoiding damage as Rickerson throws knees to the body.
Mack misses with a body punch.
Mack gets through Rickerson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Mack breaks the clinch.
Mack throws a nice inside leg kick.
Rickerson looks to score with a jab to the body but Mack is just out of range.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Mack throws a head kick but Rickerson moves out of range.
Mack fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mack tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Rickerson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Mack tries to close the distance and clinch but Rickerson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mack is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rickerson lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Rickerson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Rickerson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rickerson throws a one two combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mack stuns Rickerson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Rickerson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rickerson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rickerson keeps the fight on the outside.

Mack clinches up with Rickerson and pushes him back against the ropes.
Mack lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rickerson backwards.
Mack wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Rickerson breaks the clinch.
Mack cracks Rickerson with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Mack tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rickerson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mack avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mack is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rickerson appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Mack has Rickerson up against the ropes in a clinch.

Mack breaks the clinch.
Mack tries to clinch up but Rickerson circles away and keeps his distance.
Mack doesn't manage to clinch there - Rickerson circles away.

Mack takes the fight into the clinch.

Mack breaks from the clinch.
Mack darts in trying to clinch
and Rickerson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Mack tries to clinch up.
Rickerson has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Mack moves in looking to clinch but Rickerson pushes him off.
Mack is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mack tries to clinch there but Rickerson circles away.
Mack tries to close the distance and clinch but Rickerson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rickerson let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Rickerson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mack doesn't manage to clinch there - Rickerson circles away.
Mack tries to clinch but Rickerson moves away
and Rickerson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mack lands a slapping body shot.
Mack is looking to clinch.
Rickerson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Mack rather than just go for the knockout.
Mack doesn't manage to clinch there - Rickerson circles away.
Rickerson sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Mack tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mack tries to clinch but Rickerson is having none of it.
Mack tries to clinch there but Rickerson circles away.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Rickerson throws a sloppy head kick and Mack moves out of range easily.
Mack throws a big counter combination but Rickerson scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Mack tries to clinch but Rickerson moves out of range.

Rickerson forces Mack back against the ropes and clinches.

Mack breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mack slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Rickerson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Rickerson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rickerson throws a head kick that misses.
Mack buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Rickerson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Macks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mack tries to close the distance and clinch but Rickerson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Mack tries a head kick but it misses.
It seemed like Rickerson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mack wants to clinch up but Rickerson keeps it at a distance.
Rickerson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mack moves away.
A punch combination from Rickerson misses.

Mack takes the fight into the clinch.
Rick Rickerson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Mack showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mack 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 1 round of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Craig Mack!
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight for Craig Mack!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Craig Mack!

Craig Mack wins by unanimous decision!
Rick Rickerson was interviewed post fight and said 'I'll touch your muffins, NO HOMO!!!!'.