PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rick Rawse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russell Kairouz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rawse comes to the cage accompanied by Hustlin'. Kairouz is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Metallica - Seek and Destroy. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rawse
vs
Kairouz

170 cm
25
181 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

185 cm
26
177 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rick Rawse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russell Kairouz!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rawse drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rawse wants to control from the top but Kairouz keeps moving.
Kairouz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kairouz wants to stand up but Rawse is controlling him.
Rawse preventing the sweep.
Rawse postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Kairouz working for a triangle but Rawse defends it easily.
Rawse trying to control the position from guard on top but Kairouz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rawse in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rawse wants to control from the top but Kairouz keeps moving.
Rawse postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rawse preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kairouz working a defensive guard here.
Rawse throwing strikes but missing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rawse connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Rawse looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kairouz is trying to get back to full guard.
Rawse working Kairouz over with strikes.
Kairouz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Rawse 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.

Rawse is working for a kimura but Kairouz is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Kairouz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kairouz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Kairouz working for a guillotine from mount but Rawse is in no mood to give up.
Kairouz prevents Rawse from getting the reversal.
Rawse wants to control but Kairouz is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawse slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Kairouz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rawse keeps working.
Rawse trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but Rawse is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kairouz to get the leverage.

Kairouz is working for a kimura but Rawse is defending it quite comfortably.

Kairouz is trying to work for a kimura but Rawse is defending well.
Kairouz looks gassed!
Kairouz prevents Rawse from improving his position.
Rawse moves into full guard.
Kairouz preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kairouz is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Kairouz trying to control but Rawse is working from the bottom.
Rawse is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Kairouz advances to half guard.
Rawse tries to get to full guard but Kairouz has control of the leg.
Rawse might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rawse is not content to let Kairouz control the position.
Rawse tries to get to full guard but Kairouz has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Rawse 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.

Kairouz moves away from the strike by Rawse.
Kairouz with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rawse counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kairouz!
Rawse fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kairouz is squirming around, avoiding Rawse's attempts to control the action.
Kairouz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rawse lands a big elbow.
Rawse tries to control but Kairouz wriggling away.
Kairouz tries to reverse the position but Rawse maintains control.
Rawse with a couple of short strikes.
Kairouz wants to hold on but Rawse pushes him away.
Rawse in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Rawse prevents Kairouz from getting the reversal.
Rawse fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kairouz is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kairouz is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Kairouz is breathing heavily.

Rawse goes for an armbar but Kairouz turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Kairouz.
Rawse keeping moving, preventing Kairouz from controlling successfully.
Rawse looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kairouz is one step ahead there.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rawse is on top in guard.
Kairouz wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Kairouz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Kairouz with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Kairouz avoids the attempt from Rawse to control.
Rawse working to try and regain half guard.
Rawse is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Rawse sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kairouz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Kairouz is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rick Rawse overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kairouz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rawse knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rawse preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Kairouz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rawse doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kairouz.
Rawse wants to control but Kairouz is keeping busy.

Kairouz is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rawse sees it coming and defends easily.
Kairouz uses his free foot to push down on Rawse's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Rawse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rawse swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Kairouz wants to control the pace but Rawse is squirming around nicely.
Rawse regains half guard.
Kairouz prevents Rawse from improving his position.
Rawse trying to control but Kairouz postures up.
Kairouz wants to control but Rawse is keeping him busy.
Kairouz might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rawse kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kairouz keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Kairouz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kairouz prevents Rawse from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Rawse dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kairouz tries to keep at a distance but Rawse has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kairouz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rawse smiles and moves away.
Rawse scores with a one two! Kairouz had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rick Rawse seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rawse scores with a crisp jab that stopped Kairouz in his tracks.
Rawse lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Rawse dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kairouz misses with a takedown

and Rawse decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Kairouz's guard.
Rawse won't allow Kairouz to sweep him here.
Rawse lands a couple of digs.
Kairouz manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rawse wants to hold on but Kairouz pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kairouz pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Kairouz tries to control but Rawse wriggling away.
Rawse bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Kairouz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rawse with a nice head shot there.
Kairouz trying to control the position.
Kairouz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rawse wants to control from the top but Kairouz keeps moving.
Rawse looking to sit in guard and control but Kairouz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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.
Rawse trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rawse tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kairouz has his takedown stuffed

so Rawse counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rick Rawse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Russell Kairouz.
Rawse wants to control from the top but Kairouz keeps moving.
Rawse throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kairouz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kairouz bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rawse's guard.
Kairouz trying to control but Rawse is working from the bottom.
Kairouz advances position into side control!
Russell Kairouz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
You can see the frustration on Rawse's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kairouz is working to tighten is grip on Rawse's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Rawse has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Kairouz is really squeezing tight and eventually Rawse passes out! Kairouz breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Russell Kairouz!