PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Rave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haka Maka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maka has chosen Island Music as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Haka Maka was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Rave
vs
Maka

185 cm
31
193 lbs
19 - 14 - 0

180 cm
35
201 lbs
20 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Cold Blooded Kemists ↑ 5x160Q

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 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Craig Rave!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Haka Maka!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rave closes the distance and clinches.

Rave has clasped his hands together around Maka's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Rave tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rave has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Maka is looking for a sweep.

Rave is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Maka knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
An elbow from Rave crashes against the mat.
Rave working the ground and pound.
Rave throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Maka is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rave is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Maka is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Rave working the ground and pound.

Rave goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Maka rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rave's guard! Nice work there by Maka!
Maka wants to control from the top but Rave keeps moving.

Rave is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rave trying to keep a closed guard but Maka is proving a slippery customer.
Rave is pulling down on Maka's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rave wants to stand and escape but Maka is having none of it.

Maka got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rave has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maka has managed to get both his arms back between Rave's legs - danger averted.
Rave is trying to keep Maka in close.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maka wants to stand but Rave has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Rave wants to sweep here but Maka controlling him for the moment.
Rave keeping moving, preventing Maka from controlling successfully.

Maka decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rave, up you get!
Maka tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rave swivels and escapes.
Rave tries to score a power double leg takedown but Maka sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rave somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maka gets caught flat footed, as Rave shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rave with a nice head shot there.
Rave chips away with some ground and pound.

Rave drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Maka dives on top into guard.

Rave escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Maka gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rave 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.
Maka has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Rave is proving hard to escape from.

Maka gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Rave jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rave misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Maka throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rave tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maka manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rave throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rave plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Maka with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rave counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rave.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rave tries to stand but Maka is controlling from the bottom.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rave with a flurry of punches that miss.
Maka utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Rave dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rave has Maka up against the cage in a clinch.
Maka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rave is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Maka looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Maka looking to slow down the pace here.
Maka is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Maka tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rave's elbow.

Rave manages to pull guard.
Rave is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maka wants to control from the top but Rave keeps moving.
Rave seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maka got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rave has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maka has managed to get both his arms back between Rave's legs - danger averted.
Rave not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rave wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Rave working for a triangle but Maka defends it easily.
Maka's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Rave wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Maka gets a double leg takedown into Rave's guard.

Rave throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maka drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Maka jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Rave had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maka defends it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Maka working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Maka scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Maka wants to control from the top but Rave keeps moving.

Rave is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Maka defends well.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rave holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rave keeping moving, preventing Maka from controlling successfully.
Maka throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Rave had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maka defends it easily.
Rave avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Rave had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Maka defends it easily.
Maka wants to control from the top but Rave keeps moving.
Rave is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rave pulls Maka in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maka showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Maka trying to control but Rave is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Haka Maka was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Rave gets a double leg takedown into Maka's guard.
Rave passes Maka's left leg - he's now in half guard.
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!

Rave is looking for a kimura here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rave sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Maka defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Rave dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rave with a poor takedown

and Maka counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rave won't be happy with that.
Rave sneaks back into half guard.
Rave is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Rave on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Maka throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rave to regain full guard.
Rave looking to control.
Maka is looking to work some ground and pound but Rave has wrist control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rave looking to hit a scissor sweep but Maka is one step ahead there.

Rave throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maka must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Maka wants to get up but he can't break Rave's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maka has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Rave to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Maka is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Rave pulls down on the head and he's put Maka to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Craig Rave!
Craig Rave decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.