PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between ol rax (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Basket (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). rax has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. ol rax looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

rax
vs
Basket

198 cm
25
255 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

192 cm
25
266 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great low kicks
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, ol rax!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Frank Basket!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Summer Carpenter and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Basket lands a left and a right that send rax crashing to the mat, dazed. Basket thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

rax is rocked!

It looks like ol rax has been cut.
No joy there for Basket, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Oh rax is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Basket looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
rax is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
rax preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Basket controlling from the top position.
rax seems to have got his legs back now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Basket makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basket throws a big right hand that misses.
Basket is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Basket trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two 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.
Basket seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
rax controls Basket momentarily but Basket frees himself.
Basket slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Frank Basket.
Basket throws a one two combo.
Basket fails to land with a series of punches.
Basket shoots in for a takedown but rax shows good takedown defense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Basket fails with a takedown attempt.
Basket keeps the fight on the outside.
rax lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Basket avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
rax throws a nice head kick!
rax doesn't manage to clinch there - Basket circles away.
rax stuffs the takedown attempt from Basket. Basket gets slowly back to his feet.
ol rax has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Basket.
rax moves in looking to clinch but Basket pushes him off.
rax tries to clinch there but Basket circles away.
rax fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Basket as rax shoots in.
Basket throws a series of punches but rax moves out of range.
rax avoids a punch combination nicely.
Basket shoots in looking for a takedown. rax tries to sprawl out of it but Basket keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. rax manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

rax closes the distance and clinches.
Basket is trying to break the clinch but rax has him pressed against the cage.

rax breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
rax fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
rax lands with a kick to the temple. Basket shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
rax on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Basket closes this distance looking for a takedown but rax circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Basket dominated that round.
The cut man is working on ol rax's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Basket connects with a body shot.
Basket throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Basket lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but rax circles away quickly and effectively.
Basket swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by rax.
A combination from Basket does no damage.
Basket defends well against a solid takedown attempt from rax.

Basket looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
rax blocking the ground and pound attempt from Basket.
Basket looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
rax controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
rax is refusing to be controlled, as Basket sits in half guard.
Basket performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Basket seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but rax does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
rax looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Basket wants to get back to his feet.
rax is trying to stand back up but Basket is controlling him
Basket controlling the pace.
rax manages to get to full guard.
rax avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
rax keeping moving, preventing Basket from controlling successfully.
Basket looking to sit in guard and control but rax gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Basket can do anything to dispel that myth.
Basket wants to get back to his feet but rax is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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.
rax advances position into side control!
Basket is trying to buck rax off.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
rax has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Basket!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Basket showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on ol rax's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

rax throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Basket connects with a crisp jab.
rax misses with a takedown attempt

and Basket counters with a shoot takedown. rax fights it but they end up in guard.
Basket throwing strikes but missing.
rax looking to control.
Basket controls from within his opponent's guard.
rax keeping moving, preventing Basket from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Basket content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Basket trying to control but rax is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Frank Basket.
rax moves away from the strike by Basket.
ol rax is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Basket takes a kick to the side of the head.
rax throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Basket counters with a left to the body.
Basket misses with a combination

and rax counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Basket is trying to stand back up but rax is controlling him

rax is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
rax has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Basket works to full guard.
Basket keeping moving, preventing rax from controlling successfully.
rax postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

rax decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Basket, up you get!
rax scores with a head kick.
Basket tries a low kick but rax avoids it.

rax gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

rax turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and rax manages to end up in side control.

rax tries for a kimura but Basket is defending well.
rax tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

rax stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Basket throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
rax gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Basket counters with a left to the body.
rax looks to clinch
and Basket counters with a left and a right that stings rax.
rax tries to move into range but Basket moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Frank Basket is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
rax wants to clinch
and Basket counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
ol rax has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Basket stuns rax with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to ol rax.
I think Basket 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Basket!