PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Kotetsu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pascal Kraus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kotetsu
vs
Kraus

178 cm
23
148 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Likes musicals

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Kotetsu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pascal Kraus!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kotetsu scores with a hook.
Kraus fails with a takedown attempt.
Kraus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kotetsu paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kotetsu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sloppy strikes from Kraus. Those never looked like landing.

Kraus forces Kotetsu back against the cage and clinches.
Kraus throws a head punch that misses.
Kraus misses with some punches.
Kraus is trying to maintain a safe position but Kotetsu gets an underhook and turns Kraus into the cage.
Kraus gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Kotetsu.

Kraus gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Kraus wanted to stand there but Kotetsu had control of the position.
Kraus works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraus stalling.
Kraus seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kotetsu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kraus is looking to stall here but Kotetsu recovers full guard.
Kraus stands and throws Kotetsu's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Kraus prevents Kotetsu from escaping the position.

Kraus decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kraus is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Kotetsu gets tackled into the cage by Kraus. Kraus maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kotetsu wants a takedown but no success here.
Kraus stops a takedown attempt from Kotetsu.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Kotetsu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kraus lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Kraus is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kotetsu is in trouble now - Kraus has advanced to mount!
Kraus looking to control but Kotetsu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Kotetsu is trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraus controlling from mount.
Kotetsu looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Kraus prevents Kotetsu from getting the reversal.
Kraus in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kraus tries to stand up but Kotetsu had a hold of his arm and he's managed to perform a nice reversal, into half guard.
Kotetsu wants to take a breather but Kraus is having none of it.
Kraus tries to get to full guard but Kotetsu has control of the leg.
Kraus keeps trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kotetsu trying to work for an americana but Kraus has managed to regain full guard.
Kotetsu would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kotetsu controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Kraus controls Kotetsu momentarily but Kotetsu frees himself.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kotetsu looking to sit in guard and control but Kraus gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pascal Kraus dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kotetsu instigates a clinch.
Kraus taking a breather.
Kotetsu is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kraus pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Kraus breaks from the clinch.
Kotetsu is looking to clinch.

Kraus shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Kraus was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pascal Kraus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kotetsu is trying to improve his position.

Kraus swings around for an armbar but Kotetsu sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Kraus's guard.
Kotetsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Kraus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotetsu preventing the sweep.

Kotetsu is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Kraus is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Kraus has escaped and now he's on top!
Kraus looking to sit in guard and control but Kotetsu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Kotetsu stays in close to Kraus's body and controls the position.
Kraus pulls Kotetsu in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kraus bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kotetsu's guard.

Kotetsu is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kraus stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kotetsu swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kraus trying to control but Kotetsu is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kraus's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraus connects with a couple of short punches.
Kraus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kotetsu is keeping the position for now.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kraus is pushing down on Kotetsu's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kotetsu is fighting to maintain full guard but Kraus has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kraus trying to control the action but Kotetsu is working from the bottom.
Kraus performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kotetsu is trying to control but can't.
Kraus thows a huge punch but Kotetsu dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kraus looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Kraus is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Kraus is looking to advance position but Kotetsu won't allow it.
Kraus is still trying to improve position.
Kraus controlling the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kraus moves nicely into side control.
Kraus is looking to take a break and control but Kotetsu is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pascal Kraus showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kotetsu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kraus avoids it really well and circles away.
Kotetsu tries to bum rush Kraus with a series of wild strikes but Kraus uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kraus shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kotetsu sprawls well. Kotetsu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kraus gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A punch combination from Kraus misses.
Kraus displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kraus tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Kotetsu defends well and Kraus ends up having to push Kotetsu into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Kotetsu tries to score a body lock takedown but Kraus shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kotetsu is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kraus is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Kotetsu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kraus looking to slow down the pace here.
Kotetsu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Kraus has Kotetsu pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Kraus pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kotetsu tumbling to the mat - Kraus dives into Kotetsu's guard.
Kraus slips nicely into half guard.

Kraus wants to work for an arm triangle but Kotetsu is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kraus takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kotetsu pushes Kraus off looking to stand but Kraus dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kraus is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kotetsu defends it well.
Kraus perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kraus seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Kotetsu slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kraus wants to get up but he can't break Kotetsu's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Kraus trying to control the position from guard on top but Kotetsu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kraus postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kotetsu is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kraus, into his guard.
Kraus keeping moving, preventing Kotetsu from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kraus utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kraus not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kotetsu trying to control the position from guard on top but Kraus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kotetsu has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kotetsu wants to stand but Kraus is controlling his posture from full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kraus can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Roberto Kotetsu just wasn't active enough.
Kotetsu tries to score with a low kick but Kraus moves his leg out of the way.
Roberto Kotetsu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kotetsu misses with a two punch combination.
Kotetsu misses with a two punch combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kraus.
Kraus shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kotetsu sprawls well. Kotetsu wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kraus gets slowly back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Pascal Kraus.
I've got Kraus winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pascal Kraus!