PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kakashi Hataki (ranked 2412 p4p, 5393 weight class) and Maitland Rask (ranked 254 p4p, 425 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hataki
vs
Rask

173 cm
25
157
3 - 0 - 0

153 cm
25
142
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kakashi Hataki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Maitland Rask!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Michael Johnstone and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rask misses with an uppercut. Hataki saw that one coming.
Rask misses with an uppercut.
Hataki looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Hataki slips a straight right by Rask.
Rask connects with a body shot that sends Hataki's belly button to the back.
Rask throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A jab lands there for Rask.
Hataki takes a jab right on the kisser.

Hataki is rocked!

It looks like Kakashi Hataki has been cut.
Rask lands a jab to Hataki's midsection.
Oh Hataki is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rask swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hataki is looking to counter punch.
Hataki seems to have got his legs back now.
Hataki misses with a body shot.
Hataki looks to land a left hand but Rask moved out of range nicely.
Rask misses with a right hand

and Hataki moves into the clinch.
Rask prevents a body shot from Hataki.
Rask tries to pull guard but Hataki forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rask jumps guard but Hataki stands there with Rask around his waist. Rask gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rask blocks a body shot from Hataki.
Hataki scores with a nice hook to the head.
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!
Hataki can't find room to land a body shot as Rask controls the action.
Hataki is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Rask is fighting off a takedown attempt but Hataki is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Rask to the mat. Rask regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hataki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rask swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hataki postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hataki missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Hataki has gone for a leg lock! Rask slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hataki's guard.

Hataki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rask avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hataki.
Rask blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hataki.
Hataki throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hataki is looking for a kimura here.
Rask on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Hataki.
Hataki wants to pass to mount but Rask is defending the position.
Hataki landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hataki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Hataki looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Hataki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rask is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hataki scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hataki working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hataki is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Hataki is working for a kimura but Rask is defending it quite comfortably.
Hataki scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hataki looks to land a strike but Rask avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Rask preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rask controls Hataki momentarily but Hataki frees himself.
Hataki stands up over Rask, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rask looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hataki is working Rask over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hataki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rask preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hataki content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hataki advances position into side control!
Rask gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kakashi Hataki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kakashi Hataki's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rask avoids the body shot from Hataki.
A little jabbing left from Rask on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rask lands a nice looking body shot.
Hataki misses the jab.

Hataki dives in and scores a takedown into Rask's guard.
Hataki content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hataki throws a strike but Rask rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hataki is looking for a triangle but Rask pushes his legs off easily.

Hataki throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hataki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hataki looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rask passes into half guard.
Hataki wants to control but Rask passes into side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Hataki is looking for a sweep.
Hataki is not content to let Rask control the position.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Rask has eaten all the pies!
Rask working away.
Hataki is looking to reverse the position.
Hataki can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hataki is trying to work for a sweep but Rask has mounted him!
Hataki working to try and regain half guard.
Hataki tries to hold on but Rask postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hataki manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hataki is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Hataki tries to hold on but Rask postures up.
Hataki is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rask wants to control the pace but Hataki is squirming around nicely.
Hataki really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rask avoids the attempt from Hataki to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hataki is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rask can do to turn this around?
Rask looking to control but Hataki is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hataki keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rask blocks Hataki's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Hataki sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hataki is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rask pulls his head out easily.
Rask wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hataki keeps working.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Maitland Rask showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kakashi Hataki's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rask tries to sprawl but Hataki drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rask on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Rask is defending against the submission attempts here by Hataki.

Hataki is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rask is just riding it out for now. Hataki eventually gives up the hold.
Hataki sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rask defending well though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rask won't allow Hataki to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hataki thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hataki looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Rask is in trouble now - Hataki has advanced to mount!

Hataki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hataki lands a heavy elbow.
Hataki landing strikes from the mount and Rask is in trouble!
Kakashi Hataki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hataki with shots to the head and body - Rask looks very uncomfortable down there.
Hataki scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hataki unloading with bombs!
Hataki lands a big elbow.
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!
Rask is squirming around, avoiding Hataki's attempts to control the action.
Hataki dominating with strikes here.

Rask is rocked!
Hataki softens up his opponent with a couple of shots there and then CRACK! One massive shot lands there and Rask is out cold! Hataki jumps to his feet and celebrates on the cage with the fans, who are, quite frankly, going absolutely mental!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kakashi Hataki!
A very excited looking Kakashi Hataki made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.