PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Rai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masaharu Homma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rai
vs
Homma

189 cm
26
210 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

194 cm
28
205 lbs
14 - 8 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

ParalLAX
ParalLAX

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aaron Rai!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Masaharu Homma!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Ian Loll and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rai tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Rai takes a kick to the side of the head.
Masaharu Homma seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rai shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Homma pinned against the cage. Homma gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rai throws a hook to the side of Homma's head but Homma sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rai throws a series of punches but Homma moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rai.

Homma fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rai, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai goes for a takedown in the clinch but Homma prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Rai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Homma misses with an elbow over the top.
Rai is working for takedown but Homma is calmly controlling the position for now.
Homma throws an elbow but it misses.
Rai avoiding damage as Homma throws knees to the body.
Homma tries to land a knee to the head but Rai blocks with his arms.
With the fighters up against the cage, Homma throws an elbow but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Homma.

It looks like Aaron Rai has been cut.
Homma throws an elbow but it misses.

Rai has Homma pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Rai pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Homma tumbling to the mat - Rai dives into Homma's guard.
Rai wants to control from the top but Homma keeps moving.
Rai content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Homma working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rai.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rai postures up in Homma's guard and throws a big left but Homma blocks it.
Rai postures up in Homma's guard and throws a big left but Homma blocks it.
Rai throws a big right hand that misses.
Homma keeping moving, preventing Rai from controlling successfully.
Rai content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rai tries to free his leg and advance position but Homma is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Homma utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rai throws and elbow that misses. Homma uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rai's guard. Nice move by Homma!
Homma postures up.
Rai wants to sweep but no luck.
Rai is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rai has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Homma has passed into side control.
Rai manages to get one leg in to regain half 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.
Rai works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Homma is one step ahead there.
Rai is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rai is on top in guard.
Homma really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rai. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rai with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rai tries to free his leg and advance position but Homma is retaining full guard.
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 Aaron Rai will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Aaron Rai's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Homma misses with a kick to the body.
Good leg kick by Homma there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rai lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rai tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Homma does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Homma, right into the meat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homma throws the kick towards the body but Rai avoids it.
Rai fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Rai tries to clinch but Homma moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Rai.
Aaron Rai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Rai drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rai misses with the ground and pound.
Rai in side control lands a decent elbow.
Rai misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rai 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.
Rai sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Homma is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Homma taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Homma is not content to let Rai control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Homma stops Rai from passing to mount.
Homma tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Rai tries to score with some ground and pound. Homma controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Homma managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rai.
Rai tries to score with some ground and pound. Homma controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai working the head and body with strikes.
Homma managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rai.
Rai cracks Homma with a big elbow.
Rai throws an elbow but Homma slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rai working the strikes but Homma uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Rai is looking to advance position but Homma won't allow it.
Rai thows a huge punch but Homma dodges it nicely.
Rai trying to control the action but Homma is working from the bottom.
Rai is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Homma!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Homma can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rai looking to finish with strikes here!
Rai content just to control the position here.
Rai lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rai throws some wild stikes that Homma manages to avoid easily.
Rai with shots to the head and body - Homma looks very uncomfortable down there.
Rai pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Rai dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Aaron Rai's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Homma throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rai lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Homma throws a push kick but Rai slaps the foot to one side.
Homma is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rai looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Homma is fending him off so far but Rai persists. Nope, Homma circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homma pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rai is out of range and Homma settles back down.
Homma misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai tries to clinch but Homma is having none of it.
Rai misses with a double jab.
Homma uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rai.
Rai misses with a double jab.
Rai throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Homma's waist but Homma gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rai off to one side.
Rai wants to clinch.
Homma tries to close the distance and clinch but Rai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

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.
Rai shoots in and drives through. Homma sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Rai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick from Homma lands but Rai takes it in his stride.
Rai jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Homma closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Homma is pressed up against the cage. Rai has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Homma down to the mat. Homma avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A right-left combo lands from Rai.
Homma showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rai.
Rai shoots in but no luck this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Rai.
Rai has a takedown stuffed.
Homma on the wrong end of a nice hook.
A big right from Rai misses.
Rai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Homma manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Homma moves in looking to clinch but Rai pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rai looks to land a combination. Homma sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Horrible takedown by Rai or perhaps it was just good defense by Homma which made him look bad.
Homma takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Homma tries to clinch up but Rai circles away and keeps his distance.
Masaharu Homma is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rai darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Homma connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rai throws a jab but it's blocked by Homma.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close third round but Masaharu Homma just about did enough to take it.
The cut man is working on Aaron Rai's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A head kick misses from Homma.
Rai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Homma gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Homma tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rai paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rai throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Homma's waist but Homma gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rai off to one side.
Rai cracks Homma with an open hand slap.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Homma pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rai moves out of range of the body kick from Homma.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rai gets tackled into the cage by Homma. Homma maintains the clinch.
Rai is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Rai managing to block the knees to the body from Homma.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Homma just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rai's brow.
Rai goes for a takedown attempt but Homma pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Homma throws a head kick that misses
and Rai counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Homma wants to clinch up but Rai keeps it at a distance.
Rai is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Homma keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick misses from Homma.

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.
Rai throws a hook to the side of Homma's head but Homma sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rai misses with an uppercut. Homma saw that one coming.
Nice defenses there by Homma.
Homma tries to clinch up
and Rai counters with a series of strikes. Homma will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rai thows a left - swing and a miss!
A jab lands there for Rai.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai dives in and grabs Homma's left leg, looking for a takedown. Homma pushes down on Rai's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Rai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rai looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Decent striking displayed by Rai there.
Good standup being displayed there by Rai as he connects with a hook.
Homma closes the distance but Rai moves to the side
enabling Rai to counter with a crisp jab.
Rai cracks Homma with a good jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Homma ducks right into an uppercut from Rai.
Rai stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A punch combination from Rai misses.
Homma misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Homma avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Homma lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Homma tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Rai had his way with Masaharu Homma in that round.
The cut man is working on Aaron Rai'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. This is the final round!

Rai shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Rai was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rai sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Rai lands a heavy elbow.
Rai with good strikes from the mount here!
Rai 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.
Rai putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Rai looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Homma working to try and regain half guard.
Homma is squirming around, avoiding Rai's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Homma looks a forlorn figure.

It looks like Masaharu Homma has been cut.
Rai breaks from Homma's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That has opened up Masaharu Homma's cut even more.
Rai throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rai trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rai throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Rai lands a big elbow.

The cut above Masaharu Homma's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Masaharu Homma's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 5, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Aaron Rai!
Aaron Rai retains his light heavyweight title!