PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saulnier Raymond (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Velcic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velcic has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Saulnier Raymond has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Raymond
vs
Velcic

178 cm
20
158 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

174 cm
18
164 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Saulnier Raymond!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Renato Velcic!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velcic throws a hook to the side of Raymond's head but Raymond sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Raymond clinches up against the cage.
Raymond landing knees to the head.
Velcic is trying to break free.
Velcic dodges an elbow strike from Raymond.
Velcic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Raymond has him pressed against the cage.

Raymond decides to pull guard.
Raymond working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Velcic.

Velcic has gone for a leg lock! Raymond slips out almost immediately though and dives into Velcic's guard.
Raymond working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Raymond decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Velcic misses with a jab, cross combination.
Velcic looks gassed!
Raymond connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Velcic tries to keep at a distance but Raymond has taken the fight into the clinch.
Raymond tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Raymond breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Raymond slips a jab from Velcic.

Raymond gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Velcic wants to get back to striking at distance but Raymond won't allow it.

Raymond manages to break the clinch.
Raymond moves out of range as Velcic strikes.
Raymond scores with a spinning back kick!

Raymond drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Velcic is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raymond trying to control the position but Velcic is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velcic tries to buck Raymond off but Raymond is having none of it.
Velcic is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Raymond lands a decent elbow from side control.
Velcic is still in real trouble! Can Raymond finish him?
Velcic is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Raymond has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Raymond tries for a kimura but Velcic is defending well.
Velcic seems to have recovered his senses.
Velcic wants to get back to his feet.
Raymond is looking to take a break and control but Velcic is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Raymond decides to stand back up.
Renato Velcic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Raymond wants to clinch up but Velcic keeps it at a distance.

Raymond darts in and clinches Velcic up against the cage.

Velcic breaks the clinch.
Velcic throws a right hand that Raymond ducks under and follows up with a left that Raymond also avoids with ease.
Raymond tries to clinch but Velcic moves out of range.
A combination from Velcic does no damage.

Raymond gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Velcic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Raymond has him pressed against the cage.
Velcic on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Raymond connects with a nasty looking knee right to Velcic's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Raymond manages to break the clinch.
Velcic throws a series of punches but Raymond moves out of range.

Raymond scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Velcic is trying to get back to his feet.
Raymond advances nicely into full mount.

Raymond has control of Velcic's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Velcic regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Raymond has hold of Velcic's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Velcic manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Raymond lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Velcic hang on?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Velcic is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Raymond trying to control but Velcic is having none of it.
Raymond fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Raymond landing strikes from the mount and Velcic is in trouble!
Raymond lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Raymond working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velcic is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Raymond moves to the back position.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Raymond's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
You can see the frustration on Velcic's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Raymond working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Velcic is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Raymond has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Velcic taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Saulnier Raymond!