PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luiz Gonzalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Rai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gonzalez
vs
Rai

181 cm
20
210 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

189 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luiz Gonzalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aaron Rai!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Elvis Blanc and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonzalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Gonzalez gets caught flat footed, as Rai shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rai trying to control but Gonzalez is working from the bottom.
Rai controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rai prevents Gonzalez from getting back to his feet.
Rai pushing down on Gonzalez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rai is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Gonzalez is not content to let Rai control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rai is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gonzalez is trying to stand back up but Rai is controlling him
Rai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gonzalez keeps working.

Rai is looking for a kimura here.
Rai looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A head kick misses from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Rai.

Rai decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rai looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gonzalez with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rai thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Gonzalez to regain full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gonzalez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rai throws and elbow that misses. Gonzalez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rai's guard. Nice move by Gonzalez!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rai scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Gonzalez tries to close the distance and clinch but Rai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gonzalez is looking to clinch but Rai is avoiding it.
An inside leg kick lands from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Rai looks gassed!
Gonzalez misses with a head kick.

Gonzalez gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Rai to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Rai throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gonzalez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rai is controlling him.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gonzalez keeping moving, preventing Rai from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gonzalez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rai accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Aaron Rai will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gonzalez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rai.
Gonzalez wants to clinch.
Rai pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gonzalez swings for the body but Rai moves out of range.
Gonzalez throws a head kick that Rai semi-blocks.

It looks like Aaron Rai has been cut.
A head kick misses from Gonzalez.
Rai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rai throws a series of punches but Gonzalez avoids them all with ease.
Rai blocks a head kick by Gonzalez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai throws a looping overhand right but Gonzalez ducks down to avoid it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gonzalez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gonzalez tries to clinch up.
Gonzalez tries to clinch there but Rai circles away.
Rai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gonzalez throws a sloppy head kick and Rai moves out of range easily.
Rai avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rai circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gonzalez tries to clinch up.
Gonzalez looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rai shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rai was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gonzalez is in a horrible position here. Rai smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Rai unloads with some shots from mount but Gonzalez bucks and avoids them well.
Rai looking to ground and pound but Gonzalez is blocking nicely.
Rai throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Gonzalez because Rai loaded up on that one.
Rai landing punches.
Gonzalez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gonzalez is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Rai goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Gonzalez turns into him and now he's in Rai's guard.
Rai keeping full guard, as Gonzalez tries to pass.
Rai is pulling down on Gonzalez's head to control his posture.
Gonzalez wants to stand but Rai has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gonzalez won't allow Rai to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez tries to stand but Rai is controlling from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rai can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rai keeping moving, preventing Gonzalez from controlling successfully.
Gonzalez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rai's guard.
Rai has his hands on Gonzalez's head, controlling the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rai takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gonzalez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gonzalez doesn't manage to clinch there - Rai circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Luiz Gonzalez will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Aaron Rai's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gonzalez turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rai chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Gonzalez can pounce on him.
Gonzalez tries to clinch but Rai is having none of it.
Gonzalez misses with a head kick.
Gonzalez tries to clinch but Rai is having none of it.

Rai shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rai was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rai raining down shots from the mount!
Rai unloading with bombs!
Gonzalez is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez wants to control but Rai is having none of it.
Gonzalez is squirming around, avoiding Rai's attempts to control the action.
Rai lands a big shot there that rocks Gonzalez but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rai working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Rai looking to finish with strikes here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gonzalez?
Gonzalez trying desperately to get to his feet.
Rai throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rai working Gonzalez over with strikes here.
BOOM! Rai connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Gonzalez takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Rai goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Gonzalez is on top in guard.
Rai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gonzalez tries to free his leg and advance position but Rai is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Rai keeps moving.
Rai seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Rai is looking to stand up but Gonzalez isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rai thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rai can't keep his opponent in guard - Gonzalez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rai tries to get to full guard but Gonzalez has control of the leg.
Gonzalez is keen to just control but Rai is a slippery customer.
Rai holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Rai gets full guard.
Rai has a closed guard, preventing Gonzalez from standing up.
Gonzalez wants to control from the top but Rai keeps moving.
Gonzalez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rai is proving hard to escape from.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Rai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rai has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Rai!