PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Charleston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lyoto Rapide (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Charleston
vs
Rapide

187 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

184 cm
20
184 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Charleston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lyoto Rapide!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rapide shoots in for a double leg but Charleston sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Rapide gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Charleston keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rapide's efforts to push away.
Rapide blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rapide avoids a wild elbow strike from Charleston.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Rapide pulls guard.
Rapide is pulling down on Charleston's head to control his posture.
Charleston won't allow Rapide to get back to his feet.
Rapide has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Charleston wanted to stand there but Rapide had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charleston trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Lyoto Rapide wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rapide shoots in for a takedown but Charleston shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A head kick by Rapide misses
and Charleston counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rapide is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rapide misses with a head kick.
Rapide misses with a wild body shot.
Charleston avoids the head kick by Rapide.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rapide throws a sloppy head kick and Charleston moves out of range easily.
Rapide looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
James Charleston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Rapide.
Rapide throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Charleston leaves Rapide with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Rapide gets a clinch.
Charleston throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rapide blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charleston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rapide is defending well for now.
Charleston misses with an elbow strike.
Charleston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rapide is defending well for now.

Charleston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rapide closes the distance and clinches up with Charleston, looking for a takedown. Rapide pushes Charleston against the cage but Charleston circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rapide wants to clinch
and Charleston counters with a head kick. That will keep Rapide thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rapide misses with a takedown attempt - Charleston sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rapide wants to clinch up but Charleston keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rapide tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rapide shoots in for a takedown but Charleston shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rapide looks winded!
Rapide fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rapide throws a big shot that misses.
Rapide throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rapide tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Charleston defends well and Rapide ends up having to push Charleston into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rapide avoids a wild elbow strike from Charleston.

Charleston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Rapide instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lyoto Rapide will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rapide shoots in looking for a takedown but Charleston manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rapide's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Charleston slips a jab and a cross from Rapide.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rapide looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Charleston avoids the head kick by Rapide.
Rapide changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Charleston tries to avoid it but Rapide manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Charleston to the ground. Charleston escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rapide moves in looking to clinch but Charleston pushes him off.
Rapide tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rapide tries to clinch up.
James Charleston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rapide throws a body kick that misses
and Charleston counters with a big head kick but Rapide shrugs it off.
Rapide tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Charleston defends well and Rapide ends up having to push Charleston into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
James Charleston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Rapide.
Rapide is breathing heavily.
Charleston looking to throw knees to the head but Rapide is blocking nicely.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Charleston just misses with a elbow thrown towards Rapide's brow.

Charleston breaks from the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Charleston as Rapide shoots in.

Rapide has managed to clinch.
Charleston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Charleston jumps guard and drags Rapide to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rapide trying to control but Charleston is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Rapide trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rapide throwing strikes from guard but Charleston blocks nicely.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Lyoto Rapide wasn't active enough on the ground.
Rapide throws a head kick but Charleston moves out of range.
Rapide moves in looking to clinch but Charleston pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rapide is looking to clinch but Charleston is avoiding it.
Rapide fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rapide tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Charleston moves into the clinch.
Rapide misses with a knee to the head.
Charleston throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rapide blocks it with crossed arms.
Rapide stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rapide drives through and clinches with Charleston against the cage.
Rapide fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rapide can't break the clinch.
Charleston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Rapide has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Charleston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rapide tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rapide rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Charleston counters with a head kick. That will keep Rapide thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rapide is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Charleston avoids the head kick by Rapide.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lyoto Rapide will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Charleston's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rapide throws a head kick but Charleston moves out of range.
Rapide tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Charleston paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rapide fails with the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Charleston. No joy for Rapide on that attempt.
Rapide misses with a leg kick
and Charleston counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Rapide is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rapide tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Charleston swivels and escapes.
James Charleston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lyoto Rapide.
Rapide takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice sprawl there from Charleston as Rapide shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charleston swats away the attempt to clinch by Rapide.
Rapide shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Charleston but Charleston pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A combination from Rapide does no damage.
Rapide looks to throw a body kick
and Charleston counters with a head kick. That will keep Rapide thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rapide tries for a takedown but Charleston sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rapide throws an off balance right hand

and Charleston counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charleston landing knees to the head.

It looks like Lyoto Rapide has been cut.

Charleston manages to break the clinch.
Rapide shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Charleston as he avoids it easily.
Charleston keeps the fight on the outside.
Rapide tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Charleston defends well and Rapide ends up having to push Charleston into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Charleston scores a nice knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Charleston lands a knee to the head.

Charleston gets control of Rapide's arms and successfully pulls guard. Charleston will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rapide trying to control the position from guard on top but Charleston is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lyoto Rapide has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rapide wants to clinch.
Rapide misses with a leg kick
and Charleston counters with a big head kick but Rapide shrugs it off.
Rapide moves to clinch but Charleston breaks away
and Charleston counters with a flying knee. Nice.
James Charleston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rapide fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Charleston avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rapide fails with the takedown.
Rapide throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Charleston finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Rapide misses with a takedown attempt - Charleston sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rapide throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Charleston's waist but Charleston gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rapide off to one side.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rapide tries to clinch there but Charleston circles away.

Rapide rushes Charleston and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Charleston showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rapide has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyoto Rapide!