PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ray Charles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mukeka di Rato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Charles
vs
di Rato

190 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ray Charles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mukeka di Rato!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Luis Engracia and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Charles keeps the fight on the outside.
di Rato takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Charles avoids the head kick by di Rato.
Charles dips to his left and cracks di Rato with an uppercut!
Ray Charles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
di Rato takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
di Rato on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
di Rato takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

di Rato clinches up with Charles and pushes him back against the cage.

di Rato pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Charles ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Charles throws a series of punches but di Rato moves out of range.
Charles throws out a powerful jab.
Charles digs a good body shot into di Rato's ribs.
di Rato circles away from the clinch attempt
and di Rato counters with a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A jab from Charles does it's job there.
Charles scores with a jab. di Rato acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Charles throws a leg kick

and di Rato counters by moving into the clinch.
di Rato tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Charles just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
di Rato lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Charles wants to get back to striking at distance but di Rato won't allow it.
di Rato with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Charles blocks an uppercut.
di Rato looks gassed!
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
di Rato prevents Charles from breaking the clinch.
Charles is trying to break the clinch but di Rato has him pressed against the cage.

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

Charles thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Charles working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of di Rato's head.
Charles knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for di Rato on the ground.
di Rato bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Charles's guard.
di Rato won't allow Charles to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Charles lands an upkick as di Rato stands over him.
Charles wants to stand up but di Rato is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
di Rato trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Charles trying to keep a closed guard but di Rato is proving a slippery customer.
Charles on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Charles tries to get out of the position.
di Rato throws a strike but Charles rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Charles working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of di Rato's head.

di Rato has his foot on Charles's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Charles works his way back into a safe position though.
Charles with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
di Rato keeping moving, preventing Charles from controlling successfully.
Charles wants to get up but he can't break di Rato's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
di Rato looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Charles puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
di Rato on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Charles wants to stand up but di Rato has a hold of him and won't allow it.

di Rato actively working from the bottom here.
Charles blocks the strikes from di Rato.
di Rato tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Charles has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Charles with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Charles is working for a guillotine from mount but di Rato frees his head quite easily.
di Rato tries to reverse the position but Charles maintains control.
Charles postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. di Rato looks a forlorn figure.
di Rato is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
di Rato taking shots to the head.
di Rato tries to reverse the position but Charles maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Charles dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Charles cracks a nice hook into di Rato's ribs.
di Rato takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Charles looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A head kick from di Rato lands but Charles takes it in his stride.

It looks like Ray Charles has been cut.
di Rato fails with an attempt to clinch.
di Rato moves forwards but Charles connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Charles looks to land a combination. di Rato sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Charles throws a leg kick that is checked
and di Rato counters with a big head kick but Charles shrugs it off.
Ray Charles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
di Rato shoots in but Charles avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Left hook, right uppercut from Charles.
Charles connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed di Rato momentarily.
di Rato is breathing heavily.
di Rato has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Charles looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Charles closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming di Rato to the mat! di Rato manages to get full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
di Rato has a closed guard, preventing Charles from standing up.
di Rato tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Charles looking to pass the guard.
Charles working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of di Rato's head.

di Rato is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
di Rato doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
di Rato is looking to sweep but instead, Charles has passed into half guard.
Charles scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Charles lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Charles wants to stand up but di Rato has a hold of him and won't allow it.

di Rato is defending against the submission attempts here by Charles.
di Rato throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
di Rato slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Charles drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Charles jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
di Rato doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

di Rato looking for a guillotine here but Charles defends easily.
di Rato tries to land a sweep but no joy.
di Rato tries to strike from the bottom.
di Rato tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Charles has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
di Rato keeping full guard, as Charles tries to pass.
Charles working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of di Rato's head.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Charles dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Charles.
Ray Charles is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A low kick from Charles misses
and di Rato counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Charles is lucky that one didn't land flush.
di Rato takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Jab from Charles.
Charles throws a leg kick
and di Rato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Charles wants to land a leg kick but di Rato is out of range.
di Rato moves out of range of the leg kick from Charles.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Charles!
Charles works the jab nicely.
Charles scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Charles takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Charles.
Charles scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Charles takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Charles bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of di Rato's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Charles dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ray Charles's cut.
That's time! Charles's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A jab from Charles does it's job there.
di Rato looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Charles lands with a cross.
di Rato has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
di Rato has his takedown stuffed
and Charles counters with a two punch combo.
Charles tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Charles scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Charles is looking to clinch but di Rato is avoiding it.
di Rato blocks a leg kick.
di Rato is looking to clinch.

Charles darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
di Rato on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charles takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Charles blocks the strikes from di Rato.
di Rato on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Charles drops an elbow to the side of di Rato's head.
di Rato is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Charles wants to stand up but di Rato is controlling the position.
di Rato wants to get back to full guard.
di Rato is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Charles decides to stand up.
Charles tries to clinch up
and di Rato counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Charles is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charles lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as di Rato backs up against the cage.
Charles lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Charles throws a leg kick but di Rato sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Charles closes the distance and lands a one-two.
A jab lands there for Charles.
Charles tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but di Rato paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd cheers as Charles lands an impressive looking overhand right. di Rato doesn't seem phased though.
di Rato has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Charles finds it's way round the side to connect with di Rato's head.
The fighters circle momentarily. Charles darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Charles tries to clinch but di Rato is having none of it.
di Rato gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Charles throws a lazy body kick
and di Rato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Charles is working the combinations to good effect here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Charles.
Charles lands a two punch combo.
A right-left combo lands from Charles.
Charles getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Charles throws a combination. di Rato tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Charles scores with a decent looking hook.
Charles misses with a low kick.
Charles moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
di Rato has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Charles misses with a kick to the body.
di Rato gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Charles.
Charles throws a leg kick
and di Rato counters with a head kick.

Charles rushes di Rato and presses him up against the cage.
Charles taking a breather.
Charles has had enough of the clinch but di Rato keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Charles wants to break free but di Rato has control.
di Rato is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Charles tries to break the clinch but di Rato is controlling the position.
Charles tries to score a body lock takedown but di Rato shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Charles wants to get back to striking at distance but di Rato won't allow it.
di Rato drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ray Charles has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mukeka di Rato.
Charles is trying to work for a single leg takedown but di Rato pulls him back up using the underhooks.
di Rato wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
di Rato goes for a takedown attempt but Charles pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Charles will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mukeka di Rato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ray Charles is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Charles stalks di Rato and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into di Rato's face. di Rato staggers backwards, shaken.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Charles showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Charles, 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ray Charles!