PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hjalmar Raak (ranked 3919 p4p, 2708 weight class) and Hallis Mollen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mollen has chosen Rise Against - Like the Angel as his entrance music. Hjalmar Raak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Raak
vs
Mollen

191 cm
23
197
3 - 2 - 0

194 cm
40
195
19 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hjalmar Raak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hallis Mollen!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raak shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mollen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mollen is fighting to break Raak's control of his arms but Raak is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Raak is trying to keep Mollen in close.
Mollen stopping the sweep attempt from Raak.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mollen gets to his feet - Raak follows without any prompting.
Raak shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mollen as he avoids it easily.
And Mollen tries to counter it with a takedown but Raak pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raak shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hjalmar Raak. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raak tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mollen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mollen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Mollen dodges the punch combination from Raak.
Mollen tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Mollen gets caught napping as Raak dives in and scores a takedown. Mollen manages to retain guard.
Raak is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Mollen wants to sweep but no luck.
Raak controlling from the top position.
Mollen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Mollen trying to strike off his back.
Mollen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mollen is striking but Raak is not phased and passes to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mollen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Raak is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mollen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Raak performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mollen punching from the bottom.
Raak scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen punching from the bottom.
Mollen gets full guard.
Mollen thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Raak passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Mollen punching from the bottom.
Mollen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raak lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raak looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mollen lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Ground and pound from Raak.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Mollen is looking to improve his position.
Raak working over Mollen with some ground and pound. Mollen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Raak lands strikes from half guard.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen taking some punishment here, with Raak in his half guard.
Mollen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Raak controlling the action here.
Raak seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Mollen punching from the bottom.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen tries to roll over but Raak keeps him under control.
Nice strikes from Raak there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raak working over Mollen with some ground and pound. Mollen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mollen is not content to let Raak control the position.
Mollen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Mollen strikes from the bottom but Raak uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Mollen sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Raak working over Mollen with some ground and pound. Mollen looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mollen missing with punches from the bottom.
Raak lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Raak is trying to control. Mollen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mollen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Mollen scores with a few weak punches.
Mollen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Raak dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Mollen circles away from the clinch attempt.

Raak fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mollen sprawls well initially but Raak persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Mollen is staying active underneath Raak, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mollen slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mollen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Mollen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Mollen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Mollen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Mollen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mollen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raak manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mollen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Raak is proving hard to escape from.
Mollen stopping the sweep attempt from Raak.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raak is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Raak looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mollen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Raak wants to sweep but no luck.
Raak has a closed guard, preventing Mollen from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mollen stopping the sweep attempt from Raak.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Raak dives in and scores a takedown into Mollen's guard.
Mollen is striking from the bottom but Raak uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Mollen missing with punches from the bottom.
Mollen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mollen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen missing with punches from the bottom.
Mollen taking some punishment here, with Raak in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raak lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Raak takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Mollen missing with punches from the bottom.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Raak is nestled in close to Mollen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Mollen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Raak seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mollen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hjalmar Raak overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Raak trying to control the pace.
Mollen punching from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Raak lands a nice short elbow.
Raak is looking to advance position but Mollen won't allow it.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mollen is trying to get back to full guard.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen missing with punches from the bottom.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Raak lands strikes from half guard.
Mollen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Raak takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Raak is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mollen can do to turn this around?
Mollen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Raak trying to control from half guard but Mollen is working away.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mollen punching from the bottom.
Mollen strikes from the bottom but Raak uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Mollen is working to avoid the ground and pound but Raak connects with a decent elbow.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Raak dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Mollen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mollen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Raak's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mollen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Raak wants to control from the top but Mollen keeps moving.
Raak working some strikes from top position.
Mollen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Mollen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mollen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mollen looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raak is one step ahead there.
Mollen trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Mollen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Mollen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mollen throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Raak content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Raak wants to control from the top but Mollen keeps moving.
Mollen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Raak's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mollen doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mollen trying to strike off his back.
Mollen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Raak closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Mollen to the mat! Mollen manages to get full guard.
Mollen trying to strike off his back.
Mollen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mollen throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mollen tries to strike from the bottom.
Raak is in close to Mollen's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mollen thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Raak trying to control the position from guard on top but Mollen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mollen throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Raak scoring with some ground and pound.
Raak passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Mollen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mollen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Raak working Mollen over with strikes.
Raak looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mollen lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Mollen is trying to get back to full guard.
Mollen is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Raak jumps into side control!
Mollen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mollen striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Raak wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mollen keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mollen throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Mollen is throwing a few token shots, despite Raak being in side control.
Mollen is looking for a sweep.
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.
Raak lands a nice forearm strike.
A lull in the action here.
Raak grinds an elbow into Mollen's temple.
Mollen tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Raak is looking to take a break and control but Mollen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Raak avoids the strikes from the bottom by Mollen.
Raak works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Mollen misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raak working the body and head with strikes.
Raak in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Raak cracks Mollen with a big elbow.
Raak trying to control the action but Mollen is working from the bottom.
Raak looks up at the clock and then as Mollen takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Raak smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Mollen misses with a strike from the bottom.
Mollen tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Mollen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Raak is putting a hurting on Mollen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Hjalmar Raak is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Raak wants to control but Mollen is keeping him busy.
Mollen sneaks back into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Raak looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hallis Mollen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raak blocks the strikes from Mollen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hjalmar Raak showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Raak, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hjalmar Raak!
Hjalmar Raak seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.