PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Eric Swift (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy Rain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andy Rain is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Swift
vs
Rain

172 cm
18
142 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

164 cm
19
141 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Swift!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andy Rain!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Leandro Rodrigues and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rain is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rain moves in looking to clinch but Swift pushes him off.
Andy Rain seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Swift changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rain looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rain is looking for a sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swift working the ground and pound.
Swift remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Rain prevents Swift from moving into mount.

Swift tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Swift has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rain is looking to regain half guard here but Swift keeps moving and retains side control.
Rain really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Swift. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Swift is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rain is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on Rain's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Swift is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rain is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rain is looking for a sweep.
Swift misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Swift looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Rain is avoiding damage well.
Swift staying calm.
Rain is trying to control Swift's posture but Swift avoids it.
Swift fails to land a wild elbow strike.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Swift shoots in for a takedown but Rain shows good takedown defense.
Rain tries to clinch up but Swift circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Swift rushes Rain and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Rain missing with knees to the body.
Swift takes an elbow to the forehead.

Swift successfully pulls guard.
Swift working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rain.
Rain showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Swift 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.
Rain trying to stand up but can't free himself from Swift's guard.
Swift keeping moving, preventing Rain from controlling successfully.
Swift is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Swift seems keen to control Rain's posture.
Swift is breathing heavily.
Swift keeping moving, preventing Rain from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rain tries to clinch but Swift moves away

and Swift holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rain with a knee to the head.
Rain using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Swift has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rain tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rain tries to land a knee to the head but Swift blocks with his arms.
Rain lands a nice knee to the body.
Rain looking to stall.
Rain looking to throw knees to the head but Swift is blocking nicely.
Rain using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Swift has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rain with a knee to the head.
Swift fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Swift is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Swift. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rain prevents the takedown attempt.
Rain lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Rain landing knees to the body.
Swift tries for a takedown but Rain manages to get underhooks.
Rain is looking to control Swift's arms but Swift gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rain has his back to the cage.
Swift tries to score a body lock takedown but Rain shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rain controlling the action here for a moment.

Swift turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Swift is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Rain's shoulder. That is not cool.
Rain throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.

Swift wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rain, who protects the arm well.
Swift tries to advance to mount but Rain denies him.
Swift landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Swift dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Swift darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Swift in particular looking to stall.
Rain has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Swift is working away from the top position though.
Swift stalling.
Swift looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Rain with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Swift is nestled in close to Rain, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Swift sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Swift landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rain wants to control but Swift is keeping busy.
Rain keeping hold of Swift's head, controlling as best he can.
Rain pushes Swift off looking to stand but Swift dives back in and keeps control.

Swift looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Swift in particular looking to stall.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rain trying to control here.
Swift sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rain wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swift wants to control but Rain is keeping him busy.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Eric Swift just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rain clinches but Swift breaks the clinch

and Swift holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rain prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rain landing knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Rain.
Rain comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rain with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rain throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rain lands an elbow just above Swift 's eye.
Rain is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Swift has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rain avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Swift tries to pull guard but Rain won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Swift. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Swift has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rain is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rain stops a takedown attempt from Swift.
Swift changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rain fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rain tries to grapple but his opponent circles

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

Swift in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Rain tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Swift!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Eric Swift!