PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Josey Wales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raipe Raikas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raipe Raikas has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Wales
vs
Raikas

170 cm
23
148 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

165 cm
23
148 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite 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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Josey Wales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Raipe Raikas!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wales darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Wales tries to pass the half guard into mount. Raikas knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Wales trying to control from half guard but Raikas is working away.

Wales is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Wales wants to control but Raikas is keeping him busy.
Wales is looking to advance position but Raikas won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wales stops Raikas from getting back to his feet.
Wales is trying to control the action in half guard but Raikas is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Raikas swings for the body but Wales moves out of range.
Wales checks a leg kick.

Wales shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wales tries to stand but can't do so whilst Raikas controls his leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wales keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Wales missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Wales seems to be working for a kimura but Raikas defends the submission attempt.
Raikas is trying to stand up here but Wales is controlling him well.
Wales is keen to just control but Raikas is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wales wants to pass to mount but Raikas is defending the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Raikas will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Raipe Raikas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Raikas swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wales tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raikas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Wales looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wales performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Wales wants to pass the guard but Raikas is defending well.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Wales trying to control the action but Raikas is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wales content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Wales stops Raikas from getting back to his feet.
Raikas looks gassed!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wales is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Raikas is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Wales takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Raikas lands a slapping body shot.
Raikas lands a glancing blow to the side of Wales's head.
Raikas works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Some wild striking there from Raikas.
Wales checks a low kick from Raikas.

Wales fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Raikas sprawls well initially but Wales persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Wales stalling.
Wales trying to pass the guard but Raikas defending well.
Wales trying to control the action but Raikas is working from the bottom.
Raikas is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wales tries to pass to full mount but Raikas defends it.
Wales not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Wales trying to control from Raikas's half guard. Raikas has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Wales wants to pass the guard but Raikas is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Raikas gets caught flat footed, as Wales shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wales wants to control from the top but Raikas keeps moving.
Raikas keeping full guard, as Wales tries to pass.
Wales wants to control from the top but Raikas keeps moving.
Wales missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Wales trying to control but Raikas is working from the bottom.
Raikas wants to stand but Wales is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wales wants to pass the guard but Raikas is keeping the position.
Raikas keeping moving, preventing Wales from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Wales looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Raikas!
Wales trying to control but Raikas is having none of it.
Wales controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raikas wants to try and get back to his feet.
Wales can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Raikas is looking to escape.
BOOM! Wales connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josey Wales dominated that second round.
That's time! Wales's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

An inside leg kick lands from Wales.
Wales throws a wild body kick that Raikas sees coming a mile off.
Raikas throws the left hand but Wales avoids the punch easily.
Raikas throws a leg kick but Wales checks it.
Raikas misses with the combination.
Wales on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Raikas. Raikas obviously looking to wear him down.
Wales steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Raikas. That one must have hurt.
Raipe Raikas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raikas misses with the body kick
and Wales counters with a stiff right hand.
Wales tries to clinch but Raikas is having none of it.

Wales shoots in and bounces Raikas off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Raikas is looking to stand up but Wales isn't so interested in that idea.
Wales with a flurry of punches that miss.
Raikas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raikas utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wales looking to pass the guard.
Wales stays in close to Raikas's body and controls the position.
Wales trying to control the position from guard on top but Raikas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Wales stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Raikas gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Raikas wants to stand but Wales is controlling the position.
Wales wants to control from the top but Raikas keeps moving.
Wales stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Raikas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wales wants to control from the top but Raikas keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wales is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Wales has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Wales passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Wales wants to control but Raikas is keeping him busy.
Josey Wales overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Wales is really struggling to control Raikas but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Josey Wales just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Raikas scores with a shot to the body.

Raikas gets caught flat footed, as Wales shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wales wants to control from the top but Raikas keeps moving.
Wales is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Raipe Raikas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Raikas isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Wales stacks Raikas on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Wales!

And that's the end of the fight!
Josey Wales showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Wales, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josey Wales!