PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Hope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Saiquin Raven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hope kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Rock you like ah hurricane. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hope
vs
Raven

165 cm
22
135 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
20
141 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Hope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Saiquin Raven!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Damien Edna and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raven fails with the takedown.
Hope fails with an attempt to clinch.

Raven shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Raven showed some decent athleticism there.
Raven is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Hope reverses the position - he's now on top in Raven's guard.
Hope slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Raven struggling a bit here.
Raven is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hope off and has taken his back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hope is keeping busy.
Good control from Raven.

That's one minute gone in the round.
I really don't envy Hope right now.
Raven trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Hope is in bad spot here.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Raven controlling the positon.
Raven controlling well, preventing Hope from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Raven really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Hope.

Despite being in the dominant position, Saiquin Raven just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hope fails in his attempt to clinch.
Raven shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hope as he avoids it easily.
Raven blocks a head kick by Hope.
Hope tries to clinch up but Raven circles away and keeps his distance.
Hope fails with the takedown

and Raven counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raven tries to free his leg and advance position but Hope is retaining full guard.
Raven wants to control from the top but Hope keeps moving.
Raven is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hope is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Raven is controlling him.
Raven not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Raven works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Hope is looking to control Raven's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hope avoid being mounted?
Hope is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hope is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Raven performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hope tries to roll over but Raven keeps him under control.
Raven wants to free his trapped foot but Hope is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Raven performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Raven is keen to just control but Hope is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hope tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Raven counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Raven stalling.
Raven looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Raven with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Raven wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hope keeps working.

Despite being in the dominant position, Saiquin Raven just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Raven circles away from the clinch attempt

and Raven counters with a takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raven moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Raven moves into full mount!
Raven content just to control the position here.
Hope is squirming around, avoiding Raven's attempts to control the action.
Raven tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hope is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Raven trying to control but Hope is having none of it.
Raven might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Hope kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Raven controlling his opponent.
Hope tries to hold on but Raven pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hope is squirming around, avoiding Raven's attempts to control the action.

Despite being in the dominant position, Saiquin Raven just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hope wants to clinch.

Hope drives through and clinches with Raven against the cage.
Hope misses with a knee to the head.
Hope unloads a knee to the mid-section. Raven lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Raven wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Raven on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hope gets underhooks to prevent Raven's takedown attempt.

Hope breaks from the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hope swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Raven counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Raven controlling the action here.
Saiquin Raven has got the better of the ground game so far.
Raven's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raven trying to mount his opponent but Hope defends it.
Raven controlling the action here.
Raven tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hope knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saiquin Raven 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!

Raven blocks a head kick by Hope.
Raven shoots in looking for a takedown. Hope tries to sprawl out of it but Raven keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hope manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hope tries a head kick but it misses.

Hope pushes Raven up against the cage in a clinch.
Raven takes an elbow to the temple.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hope trying to land knees to the body.
Hope lands a damaging elbow.

Hope escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hope tries to clinch up.
Hope misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hope throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Raven with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hope counters with a two punch combo.

Raven looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hope!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raven looking to control but Hope is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Raven takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raven trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Raven is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Despite being in the dominant position, Saiquin Raven just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Raven drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hope working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hope wants to stand and escape but Raven is having none of it.
Raven wants to control from the top but Hope keeps moving.
Raven is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hope is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Raven stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hope swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hope wants to sweep here but Raven controlling him for the moment.
Hope being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Raven tries for a takedown but Hope circles away easily

and Hope counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hope.
James Hope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Saiquin Raven.
Hope scores with a knee to the head.
Raven avoiding damage as Hope throws knees to the body.

Hope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James Hope has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raven has his takedown stuffed
and Hope counters with a low kick, right behind Raven 's knee.

Hope moves into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hope breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hope throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Saiquin Raven is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Raven fails with the takedown
and Hope counters with a series of strikes. Raven will be more careful next time no doubt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Saiquin Raven.
I've got Raven 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saiquin Raven!