PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Trent Rainey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Michaels (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rainey
vs
Michaels

178 cm
26
167 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

186 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Trent Rainey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Randy Michaels!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Michaels clinches.
Rainey looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Michaels lands with a short punch from the clinch.

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

Rainey moves into the clinch.

Michaels tightens his grip and picks Rainey up, before dumping him to the ground. Rainey manages to land in guard.

Michaels stands up and waves to Rainey to follow him.
A combination from Michaels does no damage.
A nice combination there by Michaels.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Michaels displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Rainey looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Michaels fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rainey or perhaps it was just good defense by Michaels, which made it look bad.
Michaels lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Michaels fails with the takedown

and Rainey counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rainey.

Michaels scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Michaels instigates a clinch.

Michaels's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Michaels lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rainey.

Rainey moves into the clinch.
Michaels lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Michaels takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rainey prevents Michaels from breaking the clinch.
Rainey stops a takedown attempt from Michaels.
Rainey taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Rainey jumps into guard, dragging Michaels to the mat.
Michaels works over Rainey with some ground and pound from guard.
Michaels must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Michaels makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rainey manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Michaels manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Michaels is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Rainey pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Michaels lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rainey backs up against the cage.
Rainey misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As Rainey backs off Michaels throws a huge counter combo but Rainey manages to avoid it all.
Michaels goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Michaels has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Rainey is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Rainey throws a body shot but no joy.
Rainey wants to clinch but Michaels slips to the side

and Michaels counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rainey defending against the ground and pound.
Rainey is trying to control Michaels's posture but Michaels avoids it.
Michaels is looking to take a break and control but Rainey is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Michaels stands up and beckons Rainey to his feet.

Rainey has Michaels up against the cage in a clinch.
A short right from Michaels on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Michaels dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rainey leaves Michaels with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rainey misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Michaels is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Michaels throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rainey.
Rainey appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rainey shoots and misses
and Michaels counters with a three punch combo that has Rainey backing up. Rainey nods at Michaels to acknowledge the strikes.
Rainey with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Michaels to score with a decent uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels lands with a cross.
Rainey has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rainey tries to score a power double leg takedown but Michaels sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rainey somewhat.
Randy Michaels seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Michaels tries to sprawl but Rainey drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rainey sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Michaels defending well though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rainey is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Michaels sees it coming and defends easily.
Michaels looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rainey seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Michaels does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Michaels pushes Rainey off and gets back to his feet.
Michaels shoots in for a takedown but Rainey shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Michaels dips to his left and cracks Rainey with an uppercut!
Rainey tries for a takedown but Michaels circles away easily
and Michaels counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trent Rainey. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Michaels.
Rainey misses with a head kick.
Rainey throws a head kick that misses.
Michaels throws a counter combo.
Michaels has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Michaels misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Michaels clinches up with Rainey and pushes him back against the cage.

Michaels jumps into guard, dragging Rainey to the mat.
Rainey postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Michaels pulls Rainey in close to prevent any damage.

Rainey has gone for a leg lock! Michaels slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rainey's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Rainey working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Michaels.
Rainey looking to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rainey throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Michaels advances position into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Michaels showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Michaels gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
I was talking to Rainey's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rainey tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rainey letting Michaels take a breather here.
Michaels scores with an uppercut up the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Michaels working hard to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Michaels digs a right hand underneath Rainey's ribcage. Rainey let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Michaels escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rainey slips a jab and a cross from Michaels.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rainey displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Michaels.
Michaels stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Michaels wants it to stay on the feet.
Michaels shoots for a double leg takedown but Rainey sprawls well. He's pushed Michaels's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rainey fails with an attempt to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rainey tries to pull guard but Michaels holds him up against the cage and eventually Rainey drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Trent Rainey. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rainey misses with a takedown
and Michaels counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rainey dodges the punch combination from Michaels.
Michaels scores with a hook to the body. Rainey takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Rainey shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Michaels counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Michaels displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rainey.
Michaels is looking for the big counter here.
A left and a right from Michaels both land. Nice combination.
Michaels goes for a double leg but Rainey avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Rainey continues to drive forward.
Nice takedown defense from Michaels. No joy for Rainey on that attempt.
Michaels wants to counter with a clinch but Rainey pushes him away.

Rainey gets a clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Michaels will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rainey up against the cage.
Michaels goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rainey prevents it.
Michaels wants to get back to striking at distance but Rainey won't allow it.
Rainey tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Michaels tries to circle away but Rainey has him pinned against the cage.
Michaels jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rainey walks away with a smile on his face. Michaels gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Michaels dives in and scores a takedown into Rainey's guard.

Rainey is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Trent Rainey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Randy Michaels is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rainey is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Michaels is defending well for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Michaels comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Michaels 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Michaels!