PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Kerr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matija Rakic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kerr
vs
Rakic

191 cm
22
263 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
20
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Kerr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matija Rakic!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rakic misses with a takedown attempt

and Kerr counters with a takedown into side control.

Kerr looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kerr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rakic keeps working.
The referee asks Kerr politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Kerr prefers to stall for the moment though.
Rakic is trying to get back to his feet.
Kerr misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kerr is looking to take a break and control but Rakic is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rakic is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Kerr trying to control the position but Rakic is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.

Kerr swings around for an armbar but Rakic sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Kerr's guard.
Rakic throws a big right hand that misses.
Rakic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kerr is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rakic is controlling him.
Rakic with a nice head shot there.
Kerr bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rakic's guard.
Kerr looking to pass the guard.
Kerr throwing strikes from guard but Rakic blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kerr looking to sit in guard and control but Rakic gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rakic is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Kerr knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rakic on the ground.
Kerr preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rakic passes Kerr's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Nice strikes from Rakic there.
Kerr trying to hold on to Rakic's head to control him but Rakic postures up.
Rakic 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kerr wants to control but Rakic is keeping busy.
Rakic is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kerr!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kerr is breathing heavily.
Rakic with the ground and pound from mount.
Rakic lands a big shot there that rocks Kerr but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Kerr defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Rakic.
Rakic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kerr tries to reverse the position but Rakic maintains control.
Rakic with the ground and pound from mount.

It looks like Mark Kerr has been cut.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rakic prevents Kerr from getting the reversal.

Rakic looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rakic landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matija Rakic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mark Kerr's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rakic fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kerr sprawls well initially but Rakic persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kerr tries to roll over but Rakic keeps him under control.
Rakic not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rakic tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kerr knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rakic should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Kerr wants to get back to full guard.
Kerr on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rakic is thwarting Kerr's attempts to control the position.

Rakic is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kerr missing with punches from the bottom.

Rakic postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Kerr to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakic has his takedown stuffed

and Kerr counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rakic!
Rakic is desperately trying to improve his position but Kerr has a good base and remains in mount.
Kerr working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kerr pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Matija Rakic has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kerr lands a nice shot to the head.
Rakic tries to control Kerr's body but Kerr pushes him off. Rakic squirms to his side and now Kerr has his back!

Kerr is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Rakic defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kerr is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Rakic defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Rakic is trying to shake Kerr off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Kerr won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakic looks to land a combination but Kerr avoids it well.

Kerr gets a clinch.
Rakic tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rakic tries to pull guard but Kerr holds him up against the cage and eventually Rakic drops back down to his feet.
Mark Kerr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matija Rakic.

Kerr breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kerr shoots and misses

so Rakic counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rakic content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Rakic chips away with some ground and pound.
Rakic with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rakic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rakic is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kerr wants to sweep here but Rakic controlling him for the moment.
Rakic throws a big right hand that misses.
Kerr 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.
Rakic is pushing down on Kerr's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kerr is fighting to maintain full guard but Rakic has managed to sneak the leg through.
Rakic slips a nice elbow through Kerr's hands, connecting with Kerr's forehead.
Rakic working over Kerr with some ground and pound. Kerr looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kerr has hold of Rakic's hands but Rakic slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rakic seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kerr does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kerr trying to control from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matija Rakic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mark Kerr'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. And we move into the final round!

Kerr pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Rakic closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kerr quickly recovers to half guard.
Rakic is thwarting Kerr's attempts to control the position.
Rakic not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kerr trying to hold on to Rakic's head to control him but Rakic postures up.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rakic lands a nice short elbow.
Kerr has hold of Rakic's hands but Rakic slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kerr is trying to get back to full guard.
Kerr has hold of Rakic's hands but Rakic slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kerr on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kerr tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kerr wants to sweep but Rakic has passed to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakic creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rakic in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rakic creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rakic scoring with punches from side control.
Rakic working the body and head with strikes.

Rakic has hold of Kerr's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Kerr seems comfortable defending it but Rakic has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Kerr is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Kerr is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Rakic couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Matija Rakic!