PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jacare Cyde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Rai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jacare Cyde could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Aaron Rai's chin.

Cyde
vs
Rai

186 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacare Cyde!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aaron Rai!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Steve Smith and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cyde takes a swing at Rai's ribcage but misses.
Rai has a takedown stuffed.
Cyde fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rai manages to avoid it.
Rai steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cyde.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cyde jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Cyde throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rai uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Cyde.
Cyde just misses with a punch to the body.
Rai moves away from the strike by Cyde.
Rai ducks under a wild hook from Cyde.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cyde throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Cyde waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rai.
Rai walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Cyde misses with a double jab.
Jacare Cyde seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rai is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Cyde's half guard.
Rai is looking to advance position but Cyde won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai trying to control the action but Cyde is working from the bottom.
Rai working the head and body with strikes.
Rai seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Cyde wants to get back to full guard.
Rai wants to control but Cyde is keeping him busy.
Rai looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cyde with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Rai working the head and body with strikes.
Cyde is refusing to be controlled, as Rai sits in half guard.
Rai with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rai takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rai wants to control but Cyde is keeping him busy.
Cyde has hold of Rai's hands but Rai slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cyde is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cyde has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rai is working away from the top position though.
Cyde tries to roll over but Rai keeps him under control.
Ground and pound from Rai.
Cyde taking some punishment here, with Rai in his half guard.
Rai lands with a punch from half guard.
Rai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cyde keeps working.
Ground and pound from Rai.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Rai avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rai slips a jab from Cyde.
Cyde fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rai fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rai looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rai lands a nice short elbow.
Cyde works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rai postures up in Cyde's guard and throws a big left but Cyde blocks it.

Cyde looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Cyde is trying to control the position but Rai postures up.
Rai trying to control the position from guard on top but Cyde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rai lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rai controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rai trying to control the position from guard on top but Cyde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rai throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rai postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Cyde can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rai controls the pace.
Cyde avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rai trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rai scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Rai wants to control from the top but Cyde keeps moving.
Cyde looking for a sweep. Not yet Cyde, not yet.
Rai postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai lands a couple of elbows.
Rai stands up over Cyde, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rai with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Cyde working a defensive guard here.
Cyde looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rai trying to control but Cyde is working from the bottom.
Rai is in close to Cyde's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rai has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rai scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rai postures up.
Rai trying to control but Cyde is working from the bottom.
Rai lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rai content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cyde looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rai is one step ahead there.
Rai distracts Cyde with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rai working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rai tries to free his leg and advance position but Cyde is retaining full guard.
Cyde has momentary wrist control but Rai slips an elbow through the middle.
Rai trying to control but Cyde is working from the bottom.
Cyde is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rai is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rai connects with a couple of short punches.
Rai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Rai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Cyde throws a lazy right hand but Rai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rai tries for a takedown but Cyde sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cyde throws the left hand but Rai avoids the punch easily.
Nice takedown defense from Cyde. No joy for Rai on that attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cyde misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cyde throws a hook but Rai blocks it.
A jab from Cyde misses.
A big left from Cyde misses.
Rai looks for a takedown but Cyde sprawls well.
Jacare Cyde has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aaron Rai.
Cyde misses with an uppercut. Rai saw that one coming.
Jacare Cyde has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rai waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Cyde.
Rai ducks under a wild hook from Cyde.

Rai shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cyde manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rai wants to pass the guard but Cyde is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai with a nice head shot there.
Rai wants to control from the top but Cyde keeps moving.
Cyde is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rai is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rai makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rai lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rai trying to control the position from guard on top but Cyde is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rai lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rai lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rai scoring with some ground and pound.
Rai trying to control but Cyde is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rai stands up over Cyde, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Cyde throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rai scoring with punches to the head and body.
Aaron Rai has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rai in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rai connects with a couple of short punches.
Rai in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Aaron Rai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cyde wants to sweep but no luck.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Rai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rai 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

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