PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Duke Richard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samuel Kraken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kraken has chosen Stayin' Alive as his entrance music. Duke Richard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Richard
vs
Kraken

176 cm
22
155 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

178 cm
25
160 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

Vodka Rags

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 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Duke Richard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Samuel Kraken!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kraken fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Richard has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kraken misses with a few strikes there.
Kraken moves out of range as Richard strikes.
Kraken tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Richard swivels and escapes.
Richard cracks Kraken with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Kraken throws the kick towards the body but Richard avoids it.
Kraken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Richard circles away quickly and effectively.
Richard throws a sloppy head kick and Kraken moves out of range easily.

Kraken drives through and clinches with Richard against the cage.
Richard wants to stall.
Kraken prevents the takedown attempt.

Kraken lands a takedown into guard.
Richard keeping full guard, as Kraken tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard seems keen to control Kraken's posture.
Kraken loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kraken tries to free his leg and advance position but Richard is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kraken trying to control the position from guard on top but Richard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Richard is pulling down on Kraken's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kraken steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Richard.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Richard.
Richard avoids the head kick by Kraken.
Kraken fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Richard checks it well.
Kraken misses with a kick to the body.
Richard avoids the head kick by Kraken.
Richard looks to throw the jab but Kraken is out of range.
Kraken is looking to land body kicks.
Richard misses with a wild combination.
Richard takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Duke Richard has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraken throws a half hearted mid kick.
Kraken fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Kraken throws a nice head kick!
Richard swinging wildly here.

Kraken closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Richard to the mat! Richard manages to get full guard.
Kraken wants to pass the guard but Richard is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kraken accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Richard keeping moving, preventing Kraken from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kraken looking to sit in guard and control but Richard gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kraken pulls Richard in close to prevent any damage.
Kraken trying to keep a closed guard but Richard is proving a slippery customer.
Richard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Richard trying to control the position from guard on top but Kraken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richard slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Kraken dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Duke Richard's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kraken jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Richard misses with a takedown attempt - Kraken sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Duke Richard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kraken shoots in but Richard avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kraken throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Kraken misses with a low kick as Richard jumps back.
Kraken tries to clinch up but Richard circles away and keeps his distance.
Richard connects with a looping right hand.
Kraken shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Richard but Richard pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Richard fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kraken manages to avoid it.
Richard ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraken lands a head kick. Richard smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Richard checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A nice leg kick lands there from Kraken.
Kraken fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Richard avoids it really well and circles away.
Duke Richard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Samuel Kraken.
Kraken shoots in looking for a takedown but Richard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kraken's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Richard uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Kraken fails to land with a series of punches.
Richard tries for a takedown but Kraken sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kraken throws a push kick but Richard slaps the foot to one side.
Richard throws a right and a left that Kraken avoids nicely.
Kraken tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Kraken there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kraken pivots, looking for a leg kick but Richard is out of range and Kraken settles back down.
Richard misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kraken tries to land a leg kick but Richard saw it coming and moves away.
Samuel Kraken seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kraken closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kraken lands in his opponent's guard.
Richard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kraken trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraken wants to control from the top but Richard keeps moving.
Richard keeping full guard, as Kraken tries to pass.
Krakenis looking to pass into half guard but Richard pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Richard is in guard.

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.
Kraken keeping moving, preventing Richard from controlling successfully.
Kraken looking for a sweep. Not yet Kraken, not yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Kraken scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Richard misses with a wild combination.
Richard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kraken counters with a one-two to the body.
Kraken lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kraken tries to clinch up but Richard circles away and keeps his distance.
Kraken connects with the punch.

Kraken shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Richard is trying to defend but Kraken finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samuel Kraken showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Duke Richard's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Richard is defended easily by Kraken.
Richard waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kraken.
Kraken lands with a shot to the body.
An inside leg kick from Kraken misses.
Kraken swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kraken looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kraken pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kraken shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Richard as he avoids it easily.
Kraken throws a sloppy head kick and Richard moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richard takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Richard misses the shot to the body.
Kraken throws a series of punches but Richard moves out of range.
Kraken tries to clinch up but Richard circles away and keeps his distance.
Kraken looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Richard is fending him off so far but Kraken persists. Nope, Richard circles away and we're back to standing.
Kraken walks into a straight right hand from Richard.

Kraken shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Kraken takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kraken throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Richard wants to control but Kraken is having none of it.
Kraken unloading with bombs!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richard takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Kraken sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Kraken misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Kraken looking to control but Richard is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kraken is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Richard avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kraken.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richard blocking the ground and pound.
Kraken thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The referee warns Richard that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Kraken misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Richard is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Kraken with shots to the head and body - Richard looks very uncomfortable down there.
Kraken lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Samuel Kraken is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kraken controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Kraken has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Duke Richard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samuel Kraken comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kraken has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samuel Kraken!