PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Rau (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raimundo Borges (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Borges has chosen Yesterday don`t mean shit as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Joe Rau had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Joe Rau looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Rau
vs
Borges

185 cm
19
197 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
186 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Rau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raimundo Borges!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rau shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Borges as he avoids it easily.
Borges looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Rau shoots for a double leg takedown but Borges sprawls well. He's pushed Rau's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rau will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Rau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rau fails to land the takedown.

Rau scores with a takedown into Borges's guard.
Rau trying to control the position from guard on top but Borges is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rau looking to sit in guard and control but Borges gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Borges won't allow Rau to sweep him here.
Rau throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Rau escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Borges gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Borges trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Rau pushes Borges off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Rau shoots for a double leg takedown but Borges sprawls well. He's pushed Rau's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Borges with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rau counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rau.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rau trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rau trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rau slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rau working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rau scores with punches from side control.
Borges prevents Rau from moving into mount.
Rau working the ground and pound.
Rau tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Borges is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rau connects with a decent elbow.
Rau working the ground and pound.
Rau advances nicely into full mount.
Rau is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Borges can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Rau lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rau 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Borges has left one of his arms exposed and Rau doesn't need a second invitation. He's isolated it and locked on a tight armbar. Borges screams and taps out, obviously in a lot of pain. Hopefully there isn't permanent damage to that arm.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Joe Rau!