PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Quan Raiden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Church (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raiden comes to the cage accompanied by Boss Battle. Church is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by . 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.

Raiden
vs
Church

179 cm
32
167 lbs
28 - 14 - 0

170 cm
29
155 lbs
20 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Quan Raiden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Nick Church!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Church throws a leg kick
and Raiden cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Church throws a body punch but Raiden moves out of range.
Raiden misses with a straight left.
Church throws a body punch but Raiden moves out of range.
Decent striking displayed by Raiden there.
Raiden fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Raiden lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Church thuds a left hand into Raiden's body.
Raiden takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Raiden lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Church circles away quickly and effectively.
Church throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raiden throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Raiden fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Church manages to avoid it.
Church is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Raiden rather than just go for the knockout.

Raiden has closed the distance and engaged Church in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church throws a head punch that misses.
Raiden is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Raiden seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Church misses with a hook from the clinch.
The referee calls for Church to work.
Raiden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Church looking to stall.
Raiden scores with a nice hook to the head.
Raiden pushes Church back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Raiden's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Raiden was well out of range. Poor timing from Church.
Raiden misses with a wild body shot.
Church takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Raiden misses with a combination
and Church counters with a low kick, right behind Raiden 's knee.
Raiden takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Church throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Raiden stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Church throws out a leg kick but Raiden moves out of range and Church only half commits.
Raiden throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Church to counter with a crisp jab.
Church throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Raiden staying out of range there.
Church loads up on a big right hand but Raiden slips the punch.
Raiden misses with a low kick as Church jumps back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Church throws a leg kick
and Raiden counters with a nice body shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Raiden checks a leg kick.
Church takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Raiden throws a half hearted mid kick.
Raiden thows a body kick. Church tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Raiden misses with a low kick as Church jumps back.
Church chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Raiden can pounce on him.
Raiden throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Raiden throws a body punch but Church moves out of range.
Raiden cracks Church with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Raiden is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Church fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raiden manages to avoid it.
An inside leg kick lands from Church.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raiden lands a body shot.
Raiden fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Church has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raiden throws a sloppy head kick and Church moves out of range easily.
Raiden throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Church lands a front kick.
Raiden misses with a straight right.
Church misses with a hook. Raiden ducked under it nicely.
Decent striking displayed by Raiden there.
Raiden misses with an uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Church lands a slapping body shot.
Raiden lands with a nice body punch.
Church misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Quan Raiden dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Church lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Church fails with an attempt to clinch.
A nice inside leg kick there by Raiden. That's going to slow Church down.
Church throws a big shot that misses.
Church takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Raiden slips under a jab from Church.
Raiden dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Raiden tries to score with a low kick but Church moves his leg out of the way.
Church gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Raiden connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Church's hands.
Raiden throws a shot to the body.
A slapping body kick lands there for Raiden.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Church ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Raiden moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Raiden. That did some damage!
Raiden misses with a body shot
enabling Church to counter with a crisp jab.
Raiden connects with a leg kick. Church looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

Raiden clinches with his opponent.
A bit of stalling here from Church.
Raiden misses with a hook from the clinch.
Church misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Raiden.
A right handed body shot lands from Raiden.
Church misses with a punch to the body.
Church prevents a body shot from Raiden.
Church misses with a short punch on the inside.
Raiden lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church misses with a punch to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Church letting Raiden take a breather here.
Church tries to throw a body punch but Raiden avoids it by throwing Church back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Raiden.
Church can't find room to land a body shot as Raiden controls the action.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Raiden lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Church backwards.
Church can't find room to land a body shot as Raiden controls the action.
Raiden throws a knee to the head but misses.
Church misses with a punch on the inside.
Raiden lands a left hand that snaps the head of Church backwards.
Raiden scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Church tries a body shot but Raiden blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Church blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Church misses with a punch on the inside.
Church prevents a body shot from Raiden.
Raiden is working Church over against the cage.
Church lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Church throws a head punch that misses.
Raiden blocking some punches.
Church tries to throw a body punch but Raiden avoids it by throwing Church back against the cage.
Raiden lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Church trying to control the position but instead, Raiden has worked for underhooks and has pushed Church into the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Raiden takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Raiden pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Church swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Raiden misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Church slips under a jab.
Raiden misses with a low kick.
Raiden connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Church momentarily.
Raiden takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
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!
Raiden misses with a straight right.
Church takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Raiden throws a leg kick but Church checks it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Church comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Church uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Raiden.
Quan Raiden is winning the standup battle so far.
Raiden feints and then cracks Church's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Church down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Quan Raiden dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Church lands with a hook. Raiden tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Church dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Raiden. That did some damage!
Church lands a nice shot to the body.
Church scores with a hook to the body. Raiden takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Raiden is looking to slow Church down with leg kicks.
Raiden pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Church takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Church tries to keep at a distance but Raiden has taken the fight into the clinch.
Raiden misses with a knee strike.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Church misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Raiden escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Church misses with a body punch.
A short left from Raiden.
Church misses with a punch to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Raiden throws an elbow but misses.
Church swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Church misses with a body punch.

Raiden breaks from the clinch.
Raiden connects with a leg kick. Church looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Raiden has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Church finds it's way round the side to connect with Raiden's head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Raiden.
Church's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Church takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Raiden checks a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Church moves in looking to clinch but Raiden pushes him off.
Raiden uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Church.
Church throws a leg kick
and Raiden counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
That kick from Raiden tenderised Church's leg. Church is trying to keep his angry face on.
Raiden loads up on a big right hand but Church slips the punch.
Church throws a looping overhand right but Raiden ducks down to avoid it.
A solid body kick from Raiden.
Raiden staying out of range there.
Raiden staying out of range there.
Church throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Church takes a swing at Raiden's ribcage but misses.
Church takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Church looks to land a right hand but Raiden moved out of range.
Church takes a swing at Raiden's ribcage but misses.
Nice shot lands for Raiden.
A chopping leg kick lands by Raiden.
Quan Raiden seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Church throws a poor cross that misses
and Raiden counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Church takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Raiden feints and then cracks Church's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Church down.
Nice straight punches there by Raiden. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Raiden.
Raiden checks a leg kick.
Nick Church has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raiden looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Church is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Church tries to move into range but Raiden moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Church chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Raiden can pounce on him.
Church avoids the head kick by Raiden.
Raiden lands with a straight right. Church didn't see that one coming.
Quan Raiden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Church looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Raiden throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Church misses with a body kick.
Raiden thows a body shot but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Good leg kick by Raiden there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Church misses with a leg kick.
Raiden thuds his shin into the meat of Church's side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Quan Raiden showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Raiden has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Quan Raiden!