PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Raiko Thane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edwin Meadows (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thane comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem - Go to sleep. Meadows has chosen Punky's Whips as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Edwin Meadows is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Thane
vs
Meadows

180 cm
21
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
28
155 lbs
16 - 12 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Raiko Thane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Edwin Meadows!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, David Schapiro and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meadows fails with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Meadows jumps guard and drags Thane to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Thane passes Meadows's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Thane passes the guard and advances to mount!
Meadows is squirming around, avoiding Thane's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thane sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Thane goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Meadows is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Meadows postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Thane is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Meadows, into his guard.
Meadows wants to sweep but no luck.
Thane makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Thane tries to free his leg and advance position but Meadows is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thane advances to half guard.

Meadows looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Thane trying to control from half guard but Meadows is working away.
Thane wants to pass to mount but Meadows is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thane missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thane thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Meadows's head.
Thane wants to take a breather but Meadows is having none of it.

Thane looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Thane wants to pass to mount but Meadows is defending the position.
Thane seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Meadows does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thane is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Thane tries to pass the half guard into mount. Meadows knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Thane with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Meadows is pressing down on Thane's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raiko Thane dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Thane moves in looking to clinch but Meadows pushes him off.
Thane shoots in but no luck this time.
Meadows has a takedown stuffed.
Meadows tries to clinch but Thane moves out of range.
Meadows avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Meadows swats away the attempt to clinch by Thane.
Thane lands an overhand right.
Thane looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Meadows is fending him off so far but Thane persists. Nope, Meadows circles away and we're back to standing.
Meadows lands a body shot.
Thane tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Meadows connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Meadows tries to close the distance and clinch up but Thane swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Edwin Meadows seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Thane gets tackled into the cage by Meadows. Meadows maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thane prevents Meadows from breaking the clinch.
A short right from Meadows.
Meadows stalling against the cage.
Thane is trying to pull guard but Meadows has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raiko Thane. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thane tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Meadows stalling against the cage.
Thane has Meadows pressed against the cage, preventing Meadows from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Meadows can't break the clinch.
Meadows comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Meadows pushes off an throws an elbow but Thane leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Meadows wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thane has him pressed against the cage.
Meadows tries to circle away but Thane has him pinned against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Thane manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Meadows stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Thane swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thane avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Meadows wants to pass the guard but Thane is keeping the position.
Meadows wants to control from the top but Thane keeps moving.
Meadows tries to free his leg and advance position but Thane is retaining full guard.
Meadows is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Thane has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Meadows can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Thane wants to sweep here but Meadows controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thane controls Meadows momentarily but Meadows frees himself.
Thane wants to sweep here but Meadows controlling him for the moment.
Thane keeping full guard, as Meadows tries to pass.
Thane looking to hit a scissor sweep but Meadows is one step ahead there.
Meadows lands a couple of elbows.
Raiko Thane overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Meadows pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thane is keeping the position for now.
Thane controlling the position.
Thane not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Meadows missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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

Thane has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Meadows can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Meadows looking to pass the guard.
Thane keeping moving, preventing Meadows from controlling successfully.
Thane wants to sweep but no luck.
Meadows postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Thane working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Meadows.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thane is on top in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thane throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Meadows works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwin Meadows showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Meadows shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thane but Thane pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Thane fails with an attempt to clinch.
Thane tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Meadows swats away the attempt to clinch by Thane.
Meadows tries to clinch but Thane moves away

and Thane counters by clinching up.
Meadows misses with a knee strike.
Meadows misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Thane.
Meadows has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Thane is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Thane is trying to pull guard but Meadows has him pressed against the cage.
Meadows lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Thane is trying to pull guard but Meadows has him pressed against the cage.
Thane has Meadows pressed against the cage.

Thane jumps guard and drags Meadows to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thane not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Meadows slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Meadows missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Thane is trying to keep Meadows in close.
Meadows wants to pass the guard but Thane is keeping the position.
Thane keeping moving, preventing Meadows from controlling successfully.
Thane pulls Meadows in to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thane tries to close the distance and clinch but Meadows swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thane tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Meadows counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Meadows.
Meadows throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Meadows pulls guard.
Thane trying to control the position from guard on top but Meadows is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thane lands a couple of elbows.
Thane postures up.
Meadows doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Thane controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Meadows tries to strike from the bottom.
Thane preventing the sweep.
Thane sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Meadows's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meadows wants to improve his position but Thane is controlling well.
Thane trying to control the action but Meadows is working from the bottom.
Meadows keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Thane is trying to control the action in half guard but Meadows is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Meadows is looking for a sweep. Thane is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Meadows blocking the ground and pound attempt from Thane.
Meadows is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Thane's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Thane's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thane looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Meadows tightening his grip on Thane, looking for the choke.

Meadows looking to break Thane's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Thane remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Meadows will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Thane is keeping busy.
Thane turns into Meadows and is now in his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Meadows looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Meadows takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Thane trying to control the position from guard on top but Meadows is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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 Raiko Thane.
I think Thane has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Raiko Thane!