PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vinicius Kruger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kale Ravenal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kruger comes to the cage accompanied by House Boulevard - Set Me Free. Kale Ravenal is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Kruger
vs
Ravenal

178 cm
29
172 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

180 cm
34
185 lbs
23 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Vinicius Kruger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kale Ravenal!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruger connects with a nice looking jab.

It looks like Kale Ravenal has been cut.

Ravenal closes the distance and clinches.
Kruger jumps guard but Ravenal turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Kruger wants to break the clinch but can't.

Ravenal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kruger scores with a punch to the head.
Ravenal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ravenal tries to clinch but Kruger moves out of range.

Kruger closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ravenal wants to improve his position but Kruger is controlling well.

Kruger is working for a kimura but Ravenal is defending it quite comfortably.

Kruger is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ravenal defends it well.
Ravenal is refusing to be controlled, as Kruger sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ravenal gets back to full guard.
Kruger looking to pass the guard.
Kruger looking to sit in guard and control but Ravenal gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ravenal trying to control the position from guard on top but Kruger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ravenal avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kruger trying to control the position here.
Kruger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ravenal postures up.
Ravenal wants to stand but Kruger is controlling his posture from full guard.
Kruger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ravenal with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kruger has momentary wrist control but Ravenal slips an elbow through the middle.
Ravenal throws a big right hand that misses.

Kruger had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ravenal defends it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kruger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kruger managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruger is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ravenal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Kruger is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ravenal is aware though and is defending well.

Kruger is looking for a triangle but Ravenal pushes his legs off easily.
Kruger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ravenal engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ravenal distracts Kruger with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ravenal scoring with some ground and pound.
Ravenal working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kruger keeping moving, preventing Ravenal from controlling successfully.
Kruger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Kruger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kruger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ravenal defends well.
Ravenal slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kruger wants to sweep here but Ravenal controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ravenal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinicius Kruger dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kale Ravenal's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ravenal tries to clinch up.

Ravenal fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kruger, pushing him back against the cage.
Ravenal stalls.
Kruger is looking to break free of the clinch but Ravenal has double underhooks.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ravenal takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Kruger wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ravenal has him pressed against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ravenal - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Kruger fails to pull guard.

Ravenal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kruger tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ravenal swivels and escapes.
Ravenal doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruger circles away.
Kruger lands a jab to the nose.
Ravenal doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruger circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ravenal needs to keep his hands up - Kruger had a free shot at his head there.
Kruger misses with a straight left.

Ravenal drives through with a takedown into guard.

Kruger looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Ravenal preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ravenal trying to control the position from guard on top but Kruger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ravenal is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kale Ravenal was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Kruger cracks a nice hook into Ravenal's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kruger throws a shot to the body.
Ravenal scoring well with a low kick there.
Ravenal throws a shot from downtown. Kruger moves away and avoids it.
Ravenal scores with a nice strike.
Kruger stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kruger shoots in looking for a takedown. Ravenal tries to sprawl out of it but Kruger keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ravenal manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vinicius Kruger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kruger scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Ravenal moves into the clinch.

Kruger pulls guard successfully.
Kruger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Kruger is looking for a triangle here but Ravenal uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ravenal throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Ravenal working away.
Kruger gets back to half guard.

Ravenal is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kruger is just riding it out for now. Ravenal eventually gives up the hold.

Kruger looking for submissions off his back.
Kruger wants to control but Ravenal is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ravenal seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Kruger manages to get to full guard.
Ravenal must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Kruger working for a triangle but Ravenal defends it easily.
Ravenal wants to control from the top but Kruger keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ravenal pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kruger is keeping the position for now.
Ravenal content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinicius Kruger dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Kale Ravenal's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Kruger lands a jab.
Ravenal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice defenses there by Ravenal.
Kruger jabs Ravenal to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Kruger has a takedown stuffed.

Ravenal drives through and clinches with Kruger against the cage.
Ravenal tries a knee to the head but Kruger blocks it.
Kruger is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ravenal is keeping busy.
Ravenal misses with a knee strike.
Ravenal has Kruger pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kruger manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Ravenal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ravenal wants to clinch.
Kruger walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ravenal takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That has opened up Kale Ravenal's cut even more.
Ravenal takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kruger blocks a leg kick.
Kruger throws a lazy right hand but Ravenal sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Kruger darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Ravenal moves in looking to clinch but Kruger pushes him off.
Kruger lands a nice shot to the body.
Kruger swats away the attempt to clinch by Ravenal.
Kruger keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kruger misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd cheers as Kruger lands an impressive looking overhand right. Ravenal doesn't seem phased though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ravenal tries for a takedown but Kruger sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Ravenal takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kruger paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ravenal wants to clinch.
Ravenal steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kruger.
Kruger digs a good hook to Ravenal's body.
Kruger shoots in for a takedown but Ravenal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vinicius Kruger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kruger connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

The cut above Kale Ravenal's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Ravenal is looking to clinch but Kruger is avoiding it.
Ravenal waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kruger.
A jab from Kruger finds it's way through Ravenal's defenses.
Kruger fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kruger swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ravenal.
Kale Ravenal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Ravenal is rocked!

Ravenal clinches.
Ravenal stalling in the clinch but Kruger improves position.

Ravenal breaks the clinch.
Ravenal scoring well with a low kick there.
Ravenal slaps away a takedown attempt from Kruger, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kruger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A left lands for Kruger.
Ravenal misses the jab.
Ravenal uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kruger.
Vinicius Kruger is winning the standup battle so far.
Kruger lands with a nice body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kruger throws a jab when Ravenal was well out of range.
Kruger throws a hook but Ravenal avoids it easily.

Kruger drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kruger is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ravenal has escaped the position, nice work there.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Ravenal is looking for a sweep.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Kruger wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ravenal, who protects the arm well.

Kruger is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ravenal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vinicius Kruger showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kruger, 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vinicius Kruger!
A relieved looking Vinicius Kruger thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.