PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Best Fighter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roylin Rawkus (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.

Fighter
vs
Rawkus

170 cm
24
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

187 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of New York, Best Fighter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roylin Rawkus!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, John Kavanagh and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Fighter or perhaps it was just good defense by Rawkus which made him look bad.
Rawkus tries to clinch up
and Rawkus takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Fighter just misses with a punch to the body.
Fighter misses with a kick to the body

and Rawkus counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Fighter is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rawkus just misses with a elbow thrown towards Fighter's brow.
Rawkus lands an elbow inside that Fighter shrugs off.
Rawkus landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fighter avoids a wild elbow strike from Rawkus.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Fighter avoids it.
Rawkus landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Fighter tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Best Fighter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rawkus misses with a knee to the head.
Fighter is working for takedown but Rawkus is calmly controlling the position for now.

Fighter decides to pull guard.

Fighter working for a triangle but Rawkus defends it easily.
Fighter looking for a sweep. Not yet Fighter, not yet.
Rawkus really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fighter. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawkus sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rawkus won't allow Fighter to sweep him here.

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.
Fighter has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Roylin Rawkus hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Fighter misses with a kick to the body.
Rawkus wants to clinch but Fighter slips to the side

and Fighter counters by clinching up.
Rawkus tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rawkus throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fighter blocks it with crossed arms.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rawkus looking to throw knees to the head but Fighter is blocking nicely.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
Fighter is breathing heavily.

Fighter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rawkus tries to clinch

and Fighter counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Fighter.
Rawkus throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fighter not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Fighter wants to get up but he can't break Rawkus's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Fighter trying to control but Rawkus is working from the bottom.

Best Fighter has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Fighter gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Rawkus moves into the clinch.
Fighter tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

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.
Fighter on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Fighter blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rawkus misses with a knee to the head.
Rawkus landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Rawkus leaning his opponent against the cage.
Rawkus misses with a knee to the head.
Fighter fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Fighter letting Rawkus take a breather here.
Fighter jumps guard but Rawkus stands there with Fighter around his waist. Fighter gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Rawkus misses with a knee to the head.
Rawkus landing knees to the head.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rawkus scores with a knee to the head.
Rawkus throws an elbow but it misses.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Fighter avoids it.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rawkus - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Rawkus misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Best Fighter will probably get the nod.
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.

Fighter swats away the attempt to clinch by Rawkus.
Fighter wants to clinch.
Rawkus tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Fighter counters with a single leg into guard. Rawkus didn't expect that.
Fighter wants to control from the top but Rawkus keeps moving.
Fighter might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fighter throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fighter tries to free his leg and advance position but Rawkus is retaining full guard.
Rawkus lands a decent shot there.
Fighter stops Rawkus from standing up.
Rawkus trying to keep a closed guard but Fighter is proving a slippery customer.

Fighter decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

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.
Fighter tries to clinch but Rawkus moves out of range.
Fighter fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fighter keeps the fight on the outside.
Rawkus tries to clinch up but Fighter circles away and keeps his distance.
Rawkus darts in trying to clinch

and Fighter counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Rawkus is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawkus tries to get to full guard but Fighter has control of the leg.
Fighter trying to control the action but Rawkus is working from the bottom.
Fighter prevents Rawkus from standing back up.

That's four 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Best Fighter.
Rawkus darts in trying to clinch

so Fighter counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rawkus trying to keep a closed guard but Fighter is proving a slippery customer.
Rawkus keeping moving, preventing Fighter from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Best Fighter dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Rawkus tries to clinch there but Fighter circles away.

Fighter clinches.
Rawkus misses with a knee strike.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Fighter tries to stall but Rawkus uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Fighter goes for a takedown attempt but Rawkus pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Fighter misses with a takedown attempt - Rawkus sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rawkus tries to clinch up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rawkus closes the distance looking to clinch

and Fighter counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawkus 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.
Rawkus is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Fighter trying to move into half guard but instead Rawkus has managed to sweep!
Rawkus wants to control from the top but Fighter keeps moving.

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.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Roylin Rawkus hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rawkus tries to clinch up but Fighter circles away and keeps his distance.
Rawkus tries to clinch there but Fighter circles away.
Horrible takedown by Fighter or perhaps it was just good defense by Rawkus which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Best Fighter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rawkus looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawkus is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rawkus tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Fighter manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rawkus looks to clinch

and Fighter moves into the clinch.
Rawkus pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rawkus unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fighter lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rawkus pressing his opponent against the cage.
Rawkus tries to land knees in the clinch but Fighter avoids the damage to the body.
Rawkus with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rawkus tries to land knees in the clinch but Fighter avoids the damage to the body.
Rawkus with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rawkus throws an elbow but misses.
Rawkus looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rawkus throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fighter blocks it with crossed arms.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
Fighter on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rawkus misses with an elbow strike.
Rawkus landing knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rawkus throws an elbow but misses.
Rawkus tries to land a knee to the head but Fighter blocks with his arms.
Roylin Rawkus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rawkus throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Fighter blocks it with crossed arms.
Nice elbow from Rawkus.
Fighter tries to break free but Rawkus pushes him back against the cage.
Rawkus landing knees to the head.
Rawkus trying to land knees to the body.
Fighter dodges an elbow strike from Rawkus.
Fighter takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rawkus connects with a knee to the head.
Rawkus looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Best Fighter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rawkus misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Fighter.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Best Fighter.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Fighter, 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Best Fighter!