PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maximus Rising (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rawls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rising
vs
Rawls

190 cm
22
232 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

178 cm
24
222 lbs
14 - 13 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Springfield HW Nutrition

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maximus Rising!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rawls!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rising cracks Rawls with a good jab.
Rising throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rising scores with a sloppy right hand. Rawls should have avoided that one.

It looks like John Rawls has been cut.
Rawls misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rawls lands with a shot to the body.
Rawls lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rising at a distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rawls dodges the punch combination from Rising.
Rising misses with a hook.

Rising tries to sprawl but Rawls drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rawls in particular looking to stall.
Rawls is thwarting Rising's attempts to control the position.
Rising throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Rawls manages to pass to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rising is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rawls off and has taken his back!

Rawls is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Rising gets his way!

Rawls showing good submission defense here.
Rising wants to control but Rawls manages to buck him off and is now in Rising's guard! Nice work there by Rawls!
Rawls stopping the sweep attempt from Rising.

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.
Rawls scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Rising had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rawls defends it easily.
Rawls postures up in Rising's guard and throws a big left but Rising blocks it.

Rising throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Rawls escapes and throws Rising's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rising sneaks back into half guard.
Rawls with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rising missing with punches from the bottom.
Rawls throwing shots but Rising is blocking nicely.

That's four 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.
Rawls with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Rawls is trying to work for a kimura but Rising is defending well.
Rawls missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rawls dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Rawls's cut.
That's time! Rising's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rising throws an overhand right that lands on Rawls's shoulder, as Rawls tries to avoid the shot.
Rising throws a nice looking combination but Rawls bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rising throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rising misses with a hook. Rawls ducked under it nicely.
Rising lands a jab-cross combination.
Rising swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Rawls shoots in and bounces Rising off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Rising had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rawls defends it easily.
Rawls stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rising swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rising looking for a guillotine here but Rawls defends easily.
Rawls stopping the sweep attempt from Rising.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rawls slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

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.
Rawls controls the position.
You can see the frustration on Rising's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rising is trying to improve his position.
Rising can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rawls 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.

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.
Rising tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Rising is trying to reverse the position but instead Rawls has taken his back - oops!
Rising trying to control the position but Rawls manages to sink in the hooks.
Rising avoids the strikes from Rawls.

Rawls looking for the choke but no joy.
Rawls is hanging on to Rising's back as he tries to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Maximus Rising will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Rawls's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rising has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rising there as he acknowledges the shot.

It looks like Maximus Rising has been cut.
Rising lunges at Rawls with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rawls's hand.
Rising looks to land a combination but Rawls avoids it well.
Rising throws a right hand that Rawls ducks under and follows up with a left that Rawls also avoids with ease.
Maximus Rising seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rising fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Maximus Rising is winning the standup battle so far.
Rising punishes Rawls's body with a nice straight punch.
Rising looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rawls throws a right hand that Rising ducks under and follows up with a left that Rising also avoids with ease.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rawls.
Rawls throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rising counters with a straight right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rising falls off balance throwing a combination

and Rawls counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Rawls got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rising has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rawls has managed to get both his arms back between Rising's legs - danger averted.
Rising is looking to sweep but instead, Rawls has passed into half guard.
John Rawls has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls content to control rather than advance.

Rising looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rawls trying to control the action but Rising is working from the bottom.

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.
Rawls works his way into side control.
Rising is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawls moves into full mount!
Rising really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rising tries to lock up and control but Rawls gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rawls wants to control the pace but Rising is squirming around nicely.
Rising tries to reverse the position but Rawls maintains control.
Rawls tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rising really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rawls trying to control but Rising is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Rawls.
I think Rawls 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Rawls!