PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Theo Medina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Araki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Araki is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Kaczor - Ten dzień. The key to victory for Theo Medina has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Medina
vs
Araki

180 cm
22
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Theo Medina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edward Araki!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Araki lands a nice looking body kick.
Araki tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Medina swivels and escapes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Medina throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Medina is breathing heavily.

Araki moves into range and clinches up with Medina.

Araki pulls guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Araki is trying to control the position but Medina postures up.
Medina has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Medina stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Araki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Araki trying to control the position.
Araki wants to get back to his feet but Medina is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Araki is pulling down on Medina's head to control his posture.
Araki manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Araki lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Medina hang on?
Medina wants to control but Araki is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medina tries to reverse the position but Araki maintains control.
Araki working the ground and pound effectively.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Araki pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Araki is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Araki landing strikes from the mount and Medina is in trouble!
Araki wants to control the pace but Medina is squirming around nicely.
Araki looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Araki with the ground and pound from mount.
Medina is wriggling around trying to escape.
Araki lands a nice shot to the head.
Araki wants to control the pace but Medina is squirming around nicely.
Araki lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Araki cracks Medina with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Medina knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Araki on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Medina is looking to get to half guard.
Araki trying to control but Medina is having none of it.
Araki lands a big elbow.
Medina's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Medina can't escape the position.
Araki lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Medina hang on?
Medina tries to reverse the position but Araki maintains control.
BOOM! Araki connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Araki lands a big elbow.
Medina wants to control but Araki is having none of it.
Araki dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Medina's face.
Medina keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Medina wants to hold on but Araki pushes him away.
Medina tries to reverse the position but Araki maintains control.
Araki has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Araki lands a heavy elbow.
Araki trying to control but Medina is having none of it.
Medina tries to hold on but Araki postures up.
Medina is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Araki is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Medina takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Araki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Medina's face.
BOOM! Araki connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Araki looking to control but Medina is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Medina is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Araki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Araki scoring with strikes but Medina is staying in there.
Medina really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Araki landing punches.
Araki controlling from mount.
Medina is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Araki landing strikes from the mount and Medina is in trouble!
Medina wants to control but Araki is having none of it.
Araki looking to finish Medina with some ground and pound. This is bad for Medina!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Medina tries a head kick but it misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Araki.
Nice sprawl there from Medina as Araki shoots in.
Medina swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Araki dodges the punch combination from Medina.

Araki looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Medina!
Araki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Medina is looking to escape.
Medina really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Araki working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Medina is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araki trying to control but Medina is having none of it.
Medina tries to hold on but Araki postures up.
Araki with shots to the head and body - Medina looks very uncomfortable down there.
Medina is wriggling around trying to escape.
Medina taking shots to the head.
Araki in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Araki wants to control the pace but Medina is squirming around nicely.
Araki landing punches.
Medina keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Araki lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Medina tries to lock up and control but Araki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Araki landing strikes from the mount and Medina is in trouble!
Medina wants to control but Araki is having none of it.
Medina is squirming around, avoiding Araki's attempts to control the action.
Medina tries to lock up and control but Araki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Araki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Araki with shots to the head and body - Medina looks very uncomfortable down there.
Araki landing shots from mount.
Medina tries to hold on but Araki postures up.
Araki lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araki landing shots from mount.
Araki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Medina's face.
Medina is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Araki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Medina is looking to escape.
Araki putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Araki trying to control but Medina is having none of it.
Araki throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four 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.
Medina is working to get back to half guard.
Araki lands a heavy elbow.
Araki in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Araki has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Medina's face.
Medina is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Medina is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Araki landing strikes, looking to finish!
The referee warns Medina that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Araki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Araki with shots to the head and body - Medina looks very uncomfortable down there.
Araki punishing his opponent with strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Araki cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Araki cracks Medina with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Araki landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Araki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Araki looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Medina is fending him off so far but Araki persists. Nope, Medina circles away and we're back to standing.
Theo Medina is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Medina closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Medina throws a one two combo.
Medina throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Medina misses with a body kick.
Medina swinging wilding here.
Medina throws a right and a left that both miss.
Medina throws a series of punches but Araki avoids them all with ease.
Araki throws a head kick that Medina semi-blocks.
Medina lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Araki circles away quickly and effectively.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Medina misses with a kick to the body.
Medina swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Medina pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Araki shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Medina keeping moving, preventing Araki from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Araki advances position into side control!
Araki lands a few punches from side control.
Medina tries to buck Araki off but Araki is having none of it.
Medina is working hard here to advance position.
Araki lands an elbow.
Medina struggling a bit here.
Araki trying to control the position but Medina is working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Medina. No joy for Araki on that attempt.
Medina throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Medina.
Medina throws a wild body kick that Araki sees coming a mile off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Medina scores with a hook.
Medina swinging wilding here.

Medina tries to keep at a distance but Araki has taken the fight into the clinch.
Medina tries to land knees in the clinch but Araki avoids the damage to the body.

Araki escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Medina throws a half hearted mid kick.
Araki shoots for a double leg takedown but Medina sprawls well. He's pushed Araki's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Theo Medina has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edward Araki.
Araki shoots for a takedown but Medina saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Medina gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Araki counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Araki.
Medina is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Araki trying to control the position from guard on top but Medina is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Edward Araki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Medina pulls Araki in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Medina has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Araki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Araki wants to control from the top but Medina keeps moving.
Medina is controlling Araki's posture.
Araki looking to sit in guard and control but Medina gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Araki looking for a sweep. Not yet Araki, not yet.
Medina is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Araki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Medina is one step ahead there.
Medina trying to control the position from guard on top but Araki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Araki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Araki trying to control the position.
Araki throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Medina throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A punch combination from Medina misses.
Medina stuffs the takedown.
Medina throws a left and a right that both miss

and Araki counters with a shoot takedown. Medina fights it but they end up in guard.
Theo Medina has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Edward Araki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Medina wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edward Araki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Araki 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edward Araki!