PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rakio Raw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Stevenson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raw's entrance music is "Hollow Points". A fine choice. Rakio Raw has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Raw
vs
Stevenson

169 cm
23
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rakio Raw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Stevenson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raw slaps away a takedown attempt from Stevenson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Stevenson.
Raw stuffs the takedown attempt from Stevenson. Stevenson gets slowly back to his feet.
Rakio Raw has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Stevenson.
Stevenson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Raw sprawls well. Raw wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Stevenson gets slowly back to his feet.

Stevenson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Raw is looking for a sweep. Stevenson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Stevenson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Raw is trying to stand.
Stevenson is looking to take a break and control but Raw is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Stevenson wants to work for an arm triangle but Raw is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Stevenson looks gassed!
Stevenson is just content to waste time from the top position. Raw takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raw has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Stevenson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Raw keeping moving, preventing Stevenson from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Stevenson shoots in but Raw avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Raw pushes Stevenson up against the cage in a clinch.
Stevenson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Raw is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A hook to the body from Raw.

Raw pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Raw bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Raw working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Stevenson is looking to reverse the position.
Raw postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
You can see the frustration on Stevenson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Raw tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raw tries to score with some ground and pound. Stevenson controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Stevenson is working to avoid the ground and pound but Raw connects with a decent elbow.
Stevenson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Stevenson shoots and misses

and Raw counters by clinching up.
Raw lands a body shot in the clinch.
Knees to the body from Raw.

Raw has clasped his hands together around Stevenson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Raw wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stevenson keeps working.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Raw in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Raw misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Raw wants to stand but Stevenson is controlling his arm.
You can see the frustration on Stevenson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Stevenson prevents Raw from moving into mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson wants to control but Raw postures up.
Raw knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stevenson on the ground.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Raw closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Stevenson trying to control here.
Stevenson is controlling Raw's trapped leg to prevent Raw from advancing to side control.
Raw is thwarting Stevenson's attempts to control the position.
Stevenson is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Raw is staying active.
Stevenson is concentrating on defense, preventing Raw from advancing position.
It looks like Raw is going to stand back up.
Stevenson holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Stevenson actively working from the bottom here.
Raw sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Stevenson defending well though.
Raw is trying to control the action in half guard but Stevenson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Raw thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Stevenson's head.

Stevenson looking for submissions off his back.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A left and a right from Raw both land. Nice combination.
Joe Stevenson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stevenson fails with the takedown

and Raw counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raw throws a strike aimed at the side of Stevenson's head but Stevenson avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rakio Raw dominated that round.
That's time! Raw's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Stevenson shoots and misses

and Raw counters with a single leg into guard. Stevenson didn't expect that.
Raw trying to control but Stevenson is working from the bottom.

Stevenson isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Raw stacks Stevenson on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Raw!

Raw wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Stevenson, who protects the arm well.
Stevenson is trying to control Raw's posture but Raw avoids it.
Stevenson isn't going anywhere.
Raw working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevenson is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Stevenson regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson trying to control but Raw postures up.
Stevenson taking some punishment here, with Raw in his half guard.
Stevenson controlling the position well.
Stevenson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Raw missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Stevenson is looking to improve his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Raw throws a head kick that Stevenson semi-blocks.
Stevenson misses with a takedown
and Raw counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Raw moves in looking to clinch but Stevenson pushes him off.

Stevenson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Raw did well to prevent Stevenson getting side control.
Raw is staying active underneath Stevenson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Stevenson not doing much here.

Raw looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stevenson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Raw keeps working.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Stevenson in particular looking to stall.
Raw is not content to let Stevenson control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stevenson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Raw doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Stevenson.
Raw is not content to let Stevenson control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Raw scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Raw working the ground and pound from side control.
You can see the frustration on Stevenson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson is looking for a sweep.
Who's going to make the next move?
Raw working away.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Raw decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Stevenson is trying to control but can't.
Rakio Raw overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stevenson gets full guard.
Raw postures up.

Stevenson pushes a forearm under Raw's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Raw is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joe Stevenson!