PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Raith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktieu Esprit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Raith
vs
Esprit

188 cm
21
175 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

170 cm
21
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Olympic wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thomas Raith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Viktieu Esprit!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Esprit changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Raith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Esprit lands a few punches from side control.
Esprit is trying to ground and pound but Raith uses the momentary lack of control by Esprit to regain half guard.
Esprit trying to mount his opponent but Raith defends it.
Esprit working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Esprit thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Raith's head.
Esprit is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Esprit looks to land a strike but Raith avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Esprit looking to pass the guard.
Esprit with a nice head shot there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raith looking to control.
Esprit working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Esprit is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Esprit looking to pass the guard.
Esprit really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Raith. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Esprit working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Esprit throws a sloppy strike and Raith has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Esprit is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Raith!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Thomas Raith!