PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Raziq (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Butcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raziq's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, afghanistan national anthem. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Raziq
vs
Butcher

185 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
19
183 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

Mango Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight 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, Abdul Raziq!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Butcher!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Steve Montenegro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Butcher darts in and clinches Raziq up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Butcher is struggling to control the position.
Raziq blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Butcher tries to land a knee to the head but Raziq blocks with his arms.
Raziq looking to slow down the pace here.
Butcher landing knees to the head.
Raziq has Butcher pressed against the cage.
Butcher misses with a hook to the ribs.
Butcher scores with a shot to the side of Raziq's head.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike.

Butcher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dan Butcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Raziq gets tackled into the cage by Butcher. Butcher maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raziq misses with an elbow strike.
Butcher throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Raziqs head.
Raziq misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Butcher.
Butcher lands an uppercut.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Raziq just misses with a elbow thrown towards Butcher's brow.
Raziq utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Butcher obliges.
Butcher tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Butcher lands with a short shot to the head.
Butcher lands a left hand.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike.
Butcher is leaning against Raziq and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Butcher lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Butcher.
Raziq looking to slow down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Butcher stalling in the clinch.
Raziq is trying to maintain a safe position but Butcher gets an underhook and turns Raziq into the cage.
Butcher tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Raziq's elbow.
Butcher softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Raziq lands an elbow inside.
Butcher softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Butcher misses with a knee to the head.
Butcher lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Raziq lands an elbow that stopped Butcher in his tracks for a moment.
Butcher is pushing Raziq up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Butcher tries a knee to the head but Raziq blocks it.
Raziq wants to stall.
Butcher effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Butcher.
Butcher slows down the pace here.

Butcher breaks the clinch.

Butcher moves into the clinch successfully.
Raziq wants to stall.
Butcher blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Butcher pressing his opponent against the cage.
Raziq throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Butcher as Raziq tries to tie him up.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Butcher lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Butcher scores with a nice hook to the head.
Raziq tries to stall but Butcher uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Raziq lands an elbow inside.

Butcher manages to break the clinch.

Butcher drives through and clinches with Raziq against the cage.
Butcher throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Raziq blocks it with crossed arms.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butcher stalling against the cage.
Butcher looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Raziq misses with an elbow over the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Raziq doesn't manage to clinch there - Butcher circles away.
Butcher circles away from the clinch attempt.

Raziq tries to keep at a distance but Butcher has taken the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Butcher.
Raziq tries a knee to the head but Butcher blocks it.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Butcher in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Raziq tries to stall but Butcher uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Raziq prevents a body shot from Butcher.
Butcher takes an elbow to the temple.
Raziq creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Butcher lands a nice knee to the body.
Butcher throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Raziq blocks it with crossed arms.
Raziq is trying to maintain a safe position but Butcher gets an underhook and turns Raziq into the cage.
Raziq can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Butcher closes the distance and pushes Raziq back into the cage.
Butcher's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Maybe Raziq would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Raziq pushes off an throws an elbow but Butcher leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Butcher takes an elbow to the forehead.
A bit of stalling here from Butcher.
Raziq wants to stall.
A left hand lands to the body for Butcher.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

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

Butcher has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raziq looking to throw knees to the head but Butcher is blocking nicely.
Butcher will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Raziq up against the cage.
Raziq stalling.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Butcher.
Butcher is working Raziq over against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raziq looks to throw an elbow but misses.
The referee calls for Butcher to work.
Butcher with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Butcher takes an elbow to the temple.
Butcher is pushing Raziq up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike.
Butcher is struggling to control the position.
A frustrated look appears on Butcher's face as he tries to break the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Butcher takes an elbow to the temple.
Butcher leaning his opponent against the cage.
Raziq using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Butcher has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Butcher stalling in the clinch.
Raziq tries to stall but Butcher uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raziq pushes off an throws an elbow but Butcher leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Butcher is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Raziq is defending well for now.
Raziq is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Butcher breaks from the clinch.

Raziq tries to keep at a distance but Butcher has taken the fight into the clinch.
Butcher tries to land knees in the clinch but Raziq avoids the damage to the body.
Raziq throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Raziq pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A knee to the head by Butcher.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A short right from Butcher.
Butcher blocks the elbow strike.
Raziq is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Raziq looks to throw an elbow but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Butcher showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Butcher clinches with his opponent.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Raziq just misses with a elbow thrown towards Butcher's brow.
Raziq is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Butcher is keeping busy.
Butcher stalling the fight.
Raziq misses with an elbow strike.
Butcher tries a knee to the head but Raziq blocks it.
Butcher tries to throw a body punch but Raziq avoids it by throwing Butcher back against the cage.
Butcher softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Butcher tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Raziq misses with a knee strike.
Raziq tries to land knees in the clinch but Butcher avoids the damage to the body.
Butcher tries to land a knee to the head but Raziq blocks with his arms.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike.
Butcher manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Raziqs head.
Raziq looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Butcher tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Raziq throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Butcher avoids the elbow strike from Raziq, against the cage.
Butcher dodges an elbow strike from Raziq.
Butcher misses with a body punch.
Still in the clinch, Butcher scores with a nice short uppercut.
Butcher avoids a wild elbow strike from Raziq.
Raziq avoiding damage as Butcher throws knees to the body.
Raziq lands an elbow inside that Butcher shrugs off.

It looks like Dan Butcher has been cut.
Raziq pushes off an throws an elbow but Butcher leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Raziq tries to land knees in the clinch but Butcher avoids the damage to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raziq looking to throw knees to the head but Butcher is blocking nicely.
Butcher on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dan Butcher seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Butcher blocks an elbow strike from Raziq.
Raziq lands an elbow just above Butcher 's eye.
Raziq trying to stall but Butcher improves his position.
Butcher is stalling here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Raziq just misses with a elbow thrown towards Butcher's brow.
Raziq trying to land knees to the body.
Good body shot from Butcher.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raziq tries to stall but Butcher uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Butcher with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Butcher moves into the clinch successfully.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Raziq looking to throw knees to the head but Butcher is blocking nicely.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Raziq just misses with a elbow thrown towards Butcher's brow.
Butcher tries to land a knee to the head but Raziq blocks with his arms.
Butcher on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Butcher trying to land knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Butcher creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Raziq pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Butcher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Raziq wants to clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butcher blocks the elbow strike.
Raziq lands an elbow that stopped Butcher in his tracks for a moment.
Raziq tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Butcher breaks from the clinch.

Butcher clinches up with Raziq and pushes him back against the cage.
Dan Butcher is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Butcher as Raziq tries to tie him up.
Raziq creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Raziq has Butcher pressed against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raziq throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Abdul Raziq has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dan Butcher.
Well Butcher has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Butcher!
Dan Butcher decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.