PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hitesh Rafferty (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Jones might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to replay. Rafferty has chosen hayden calnin as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Jones
vs
Rafferty

190 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

192 cm
23
217 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hitesh Rafferty!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Sandra Marshall and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafferty scores with a push kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Rafferty.

Rafferty drives through with a takedown into Jones's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rafferty controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Jones wants to stand but Rafferty is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hitesh Rafferty hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Jones stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Rafferty.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jones is defended easily by Rafferty.
Jones shoots for a takedown but Rafferty saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Rafferty closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rafferty controls the position.
Jones is looking to regain half guard here but Rafferty keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Jones's face as Rafferty controls the position.
Jones is trying to buck Rafferty off.
Jones is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafferty in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
The strikes coming from Rafferty are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Rafferty controlling the position.
Rafferty advances nicely into full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafferty throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rafferty sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Rafferty has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Jones that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rafferty takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rafferty misses with a head shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rafferty looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Rafferty content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitesh Rafferty dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jones shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rafferty pinned against the cage. Rafferty gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rafferty is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Rafferty.
Nice sprawl there from Jones as Rafferty shoots in.
Jones misses with a takedown
and Rafferty counters with a head kick. That will keep Jones thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Rafferty shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jones as he jumps to the side.
Rafferty scores with a kick to the midsection.
Jones tried to score with a low kick but Rafferty checks it.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rafferty looking to score a takedown here. Jones is defending well but Rafferty drives through and ends up in Jones's guard.
Rafferty must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafferty pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jones is keeping the position for now.
Rafferty throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rafferty content to stall in guard here.
Hitesh Rafferty has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hitesh Rafferty has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Rafferty has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rafferty pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jones takes a kick to the side of the head.
Rafferty shoots for a double leg takedown but Jones sprawls well. He's pushed Rafferty's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jones leaves Rafferty with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jones shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rafferty counters with a stiff right hand.

Rafferty rushes Jones and presses him up against the cage.

Rafferty breaks the clinch.
Jones tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rafferty's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Rafferty duly obliges.
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!

Rafferty darts in and clinches Jones up against the cage.

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

Rafferty drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Rafferty missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafferty controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Jones wants to stand but Rafferty is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rafferty controlling from the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up because John Jones just wasn't active enough.
Jones doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Rafferty counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rafferty darts in and clinches Jones up against the cage.
Rafferty is pushing Jones up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Jones. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Rafferty using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rafferty has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Rafferty breaks from the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rafferty scores with a head kick. Jones tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Jones stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jones wants it to stay on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hitesh Rafferty showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Jones's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Jones shoots in but no luck this time.
Jones fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Jones tries to keep at a distance but Rafferty has taken the fight into the clinch.
Jones tries for a takedown but Rafferty manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rafferty takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rafferty gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Jones.
Jones goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rafferty prevents it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The referee is keeping an eye on Rafferty - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rafferty has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jones uses from the top position.
Rafferty pulls Jones in to control the position.

Rafferty looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rafferty trying to strike off his back.
Rafferty controlling Jones's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rafferty works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jones working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jones throws a big elbow that misses.
Rafferty really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jones. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Rafferty wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Jones prevents Rafferty from getting back to his feet.
Rafferty pulls Jones in close to prevent any damage.
Jones passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Rafferty is looking to regain half guard here but Jones keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries to score with some ground and pound. Rafferty controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
You can see the frustration on Rafferty's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jones throws an elbow but Rafferty slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rafferty dodges the ground and pound from Jones.
Rafferty wants to get back to his feet but Jones drags him back down.
Jones works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Rafferty sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Rafferty trying to hold on to Jones's head to control him but Jones postures up.
Jones looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rafferty avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jones.
Rafferty moves into full guard.
Jones postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hitesh Rafferty is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jones in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rafferty is pulling down on Jones's head to control his posture.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rafferty has momentary wrist control but Jones slips an elbow through the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Hitesh Rafferty.
Well Rafferty has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hitesh Rafferty!
Hitesh Rafferty bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
John Jones was interviewed post fight and said 'He gave it all he got and so did i but he got the better of me and he comes out tonight with a win'.