PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rufio Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Raiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Souza
vs
Raiden

175 cm
24
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

183 cm
25
183 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rufio Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jack Raiden!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raiden fails in his attempt to clinch.
Raiden lands with a thumping leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Raiden. Souza does a little dance to reset his feet.
Souza fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Raiden avoids it really well and circles away.
Souza changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Raiden tries to avoid it but Souza manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Raiden to the ground. Raiden escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Souza slips a jab and a cross from Raiden.
No luck for Souza with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rufio Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raiden throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Souza shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Raiden pinned against the cage. Raiden gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nice takedown defense from Raiden. No joy for Souza on that attempt.
Souza drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Raiden tries a head kick but it misses.
Some wild striking there from Souza.

Raiden moves into range and clinches up with Souza.
Raiden is pushing Souza up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Raiden using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Souza is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza is trying to force a seperation but Raiden has the dominant position.
Souza tries to pull guard but Raiden holds him up against the cage and eventually Souza drops back down to his feet.
Raiden lands an elbow just above Souza 's eye.

It looks like Rufio Souza has been cut.
Souza takes a knee to the side of the body.
Raiden's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Souza takes a knee to the side of the body.
Souza blocks the elbow strike.
A knee to the head by Raiden.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
Raiden connects with a nasty looking knee right to Souza's face.
Raiden lands with a short shot to the head.
Souza takes an elbow to the forehead.
With the fighters up against the cage, Raiden throws an elbow but misses.
Raiden utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Raiden connects with a nasty looking knee right to Souza's face.
Raiden lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Raiden landing knees to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raiden lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Raiden utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Raiden lands a good knee to the midsection. Souza won't want to take too many of those.
Raiden scores with a knee to the head.
Souza fails to pull guard.
Raiden lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Knees to the body from Raiden.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Raiden.
Raiden tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Raiden throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Souza fails to pull guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raiden with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Raiden gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
Raiden landing knees to the body.
Raiden prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raiden utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Raiden throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Souza blocks it with crossed arms.
Raiden lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Raiden prevents a takedown attempt there.
Raiden utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Raiden with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Raiden misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Souza.
Raiden landing knees to the head.
Souza goes for a takedown in the clinch but Raiden prevents it.
Raiden lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Souza jumps guard and drags Raiden to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Raiden is stalling in the full guard.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Raiden is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Raiden dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rufio Souza's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Raiden slips a jab and a cross from Souza.
Souza takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Raiden shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Raiden connects with a nice looking jab.
Raiden steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Souza.
Raiden goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Raiden throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Souza avoids the head kick by Raiden.
Souza shoots for a double leg takedown but Raiden sprawls well. He's pushed Souza's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Raiden lands with a nice body punch.
Raiden throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Souza.
Raiden slips a jab and a cross from Souza.
Raiden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raiden lands with a slapping head kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raiden throws a head kick but Souza moves out of range.
Raiden connects with a high kick.
Raiden misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raiden clinches up against the cage.
Raiden unloads a knee to the mid-section. Souza lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Souza jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Raiden walks away with a smile on his face. Souza gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rufio Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raiden throws a head kick but Souza moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Souza.
A head kick misses from Raiden.
Raiden throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Souza.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Raiden sprawls well. Raiden wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Souza gets slowly back to his feet.
Souza stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Raiden.
A slapping body kick lands there for Raiden.
Raiden lands with a kick to the ribs.
Souza takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Souza takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Raiden shows good takedown defense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raiden lands a really nice looking cross but Souza seems unphased.
Souza takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Souza avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Souza throws a nice looking combination but Raiden bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Raiden lands a nice looking body shot.
Souza takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Raiden stuffs the takedown.
Rufio Souza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Raiden gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Raiden has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
Souza has Raiden pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Raiden manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Raiden tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.
Raiden landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
Raiden tries to land a knee to the head but Souza blocks with his arms.
Souza fails to pull guard.
Raiden connects with a knee to the head.
Raiden tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza jumps guard but Raiden stands there with Souza around his waist. Souza gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Raiden landing knees to the body.
Souza has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Raiden is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Raiden unloads a knee to the mid-section. Souza lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Raiden with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Souza goes for a takedown attempt but Raiden pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Raiden scores with a one two! Souza had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Souza shoots in and bounces Raiden off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Raiden looking to control.
Souza looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza drops back, looking for a kneebar! Raiden looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Raiden looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Raiden!
Raiden is looking to take a break and control but Souza is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Souza tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Raiden wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Raiden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rufio Souza's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Raiden rushes Souza and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A knee to the head by Raiden.
Souza has had enough of the clinch but Raiden keeps him there for the moment.
Souza fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Raiden with a knee to the head.
Raiden using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Raiden prevents a takedown attempt there.
Raiden working Souza over with knees to the body.
Souza takes a knee right on the jaw!
Raiden landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Raiden scores with a shoulder strike.
Raiden landing knees to the head.
Raiden misses with an elbow strike.
Raiden utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raiden scores a nice knee to the body.
Raiden connects with a nasty looking knee right to Souza's face.
Souza tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rufio Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raiden landing knees to the head.
Souza fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raiden scores with a knee to the head.
Knees to the body from Raiden.
Raiden tries a knee to the head but Souza blocks it.
Raiden gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
Raiden unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Jack Raiden seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Raiden with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Souza jumps guard but Raiden stands there with Souza around his waist. Souza gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Souza can't get the takedown.
Raiden lands a nice knee to the body.
Souza is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Raiden gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Raiden gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Raiden lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Raiden misses with an elbow strike.
Souza tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Raiden smiles and moves away.

Souza looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Jack Raiden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza looking to pass the guard.

Souza has gone for a leg lock! Raiden slips out almost immediately though and dives into Souza's guard.
Raiden passes Souza's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Raiden is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza wants to get back to full guard.
Souza manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Souza has an active guard here but Raiden has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four 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.
Souza is trying to control but can't.
Raiden takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Raiden's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Raiden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Raiden 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Raiden!