PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roy Rage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haiki Masatupo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rage
vs
Masatupo

170 cm
24
150 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

180 cm
28
158 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Roy Rage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Haiki Masatupo!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rage swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rage shoots in for a takedown but Masatupo shows good takedown defense.
Rage shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Masatupo counters with a stiff right hand.

Rage shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rage showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Rage seems to be looking for submissions.
Masatupo is looking to improve his position.
Masatupo gets full guard.
Rage throwing strikes from guard but Masatupo blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Masatupo is proving hard to escape from.

Rage has gone for a leg lock! Masatupo slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rage's guard.
Masatupo stopping the sweep attempt from Rage.
Masatupo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rage looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Masatupo advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rage is trying to improve his position.
Masatupo looking to control but instead Rage has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Masatupo is nestled in close to Rage, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Masatupo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rage wants to get back to his feet.
Rage keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rage moves into full guard.

Rage working for a triangle but Masatupo defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo wants to stand but Rage is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Rage is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Rage looking for a guillotine here but Masatupo defends easily.

Rage pushes Masatupo off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Masatupo enables Rage to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Masatupo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rage loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rage has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Masatupo is proving hard to escape from.
Rage prevents Masatupo from getting back to his feet.
Rage working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rage stands up from Masatupo's guard - Rage perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rage fails with the takedown
and Masatupo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roy Rage dominated that round.
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.

Rage circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Rage working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Masatupo utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rage passes Masatupo's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Rage thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Masatupo's head.

Rage is working for a kimura here but Masatupo manages to reverse the position and he's now in Rage's guard.
Rage is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rage tries to pass to full mount but Masatupo defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masatupo regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rage.
Rage has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rage with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rage looking to pass the guard.
Rage is working hard here to advance position.
Rage working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two 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.
Rage with a flurry of punches that miss.
Masatupo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Masatupo wants to stand but Rage is controlling the position.

Rage drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Masatupo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rage has Masatupo in his guard.
Masatupo looking to pass the guard.
Rage 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rage has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Masatupo can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Masatupo stopping the sweep attempt from Rage.
Masatupo working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Rage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Masatupo lands a couple of elbows.
Masatupo throwing strikes from guard but Rage blocks nicely.
Rage bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Masatupo's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rage trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Rage drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Masatupo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rage has Masatupo in his guard.
Rage wants to sweep but no luck.
Masatupo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rage wants to sweep but no luck.
Masatupo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Masatupo with a nice head shot there.

Masatupo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rage tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roy Rage dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Rage closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Masatupo to the mat! Masatupo manages to get full guard.
Masatupo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rage manages to get himself to full guard.
Rage lands an upkick as Masatupo stands over him.
Rage wants to improve his position but instead Masatupo has moved into half guard.
Rage is trying to get back to full guard.
Rage flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Rage is refusing to be controlled, as Masatupo sits in half guard.
Ground and pound from Masatupo.
Rage is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage is trying to stand up here but Masatupo is controlling him well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Masatupo in particular looking to stall.
Rage connecting with a few gentle strikes.

Masatupo decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Rage closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Masatupo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Masatupo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rage.
Rage throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Rage wants to work for an arm triangle but Masatupo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rage throwing shots but Masatupo is blocking nicely.
Haiki Masatupo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo trying to hold on to Rage's head to control him but Rage postures up.
Rage tries to stand and escape but Masatupo is controlling the position.

Masatupo is defending against the submission attempts here by Rage.
Rage missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Roy Rage overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masatupo is looking to escape.
Rage not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rage tries to pass to full mount but Masatupo defends it.
Rage trying to advance position but Masatupo counters by regaining guard.
Roy Rage is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rage is stalling in the full guard.
Rage has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

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.
Masatupo keeping moving, preventing Rage from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Roy Rage.
Masatupo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rage circles away quickly and effectively.

Rage closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Masatupo to the mat! Masatupo manages to get full guard.
Rage advances to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roy Rage showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rage, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roy Rage!