PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Raven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Anastasio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Raven
vs
Anastasio

188 cm
34
197 lbs
22 - 9 - 0

181 cm
34
190 lbs
26 - 11 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q)
Mohito Fightwear (Laundry)

Zenith Nutrition (160q)
Museum of Monsters & Madmen

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 22 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thomas Raven!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Anastasio!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raven shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Raven misses with a body kick.
Anastasio is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Raven with a body shot.
Anastasio thumps Raven with a low kick.
Raven connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Raven wants to land a leg kick but Anastasio is out of range.
Raven jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Anastasio throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raven drops down looking for a counter takedown but Anastasio sprawls and moves away.
Nice uppercut there from Anastasio.
Raven connects with a solid leg kick.
Anastasio misses with a hook
and Raven counters with a low kick, right behind Anastasio 's knee.
Anastasio tries to move into range but Raven moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Raven dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Anastasio. That did some damage!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Anastasio misses with a wild combination.
Raven was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Raven lands a really nice looking cross but Anastasio seems unphased.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Anastasio misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Raven.
A jab from Raven misses.
Anastasio throws a looping overhand right but Raven ducks down to avoid it.
Raven scores with a jab to the body.
Anastasio lands a leg kick that knocks Raven off balance momentarily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Raven.
Anastasio scores with a jab to the body.
Anastasio swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Raven counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Anastasio takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Raven scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Anastasio pushes Raven off and gets back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raven loads up on a big right hand but Anastasio slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio leaves Raven with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Anastasio looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Raven scores with a punch to the head.

Raven gets the takedown into side control.
Raven is looking to take a break and control but Anastasio is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Raven working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Anastasio is looking to reverse the position.
Raven wants to control but Anastasio is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Anastasio's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raven misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Raven has control of an arm but Anastasio manages to advance to Raven's back!
Anastasio controlling the position well here. Raven rolled but Anastasio kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Anastasio keeps control of the position as Raven tries to break free.
Anastasio just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
I really don't envy Raven right now.
Anastasio slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Raven staying busy and making it hard for Anastasio to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Raven.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Raven trying to control but not successfully.
Raven turns into Anastasio and is now in his guard.
Raven chips away with some ground and pound.
Raven lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Raven trying to control the position from guard on top but Anastasio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Raven throws a big elbow that misses.
Raven is pushing down on Anastasio's leg trying to pass to half guard. Anastasio is fighting to maintain full guard but Raven has managed to sneak the leg through.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Anastasio is trying to get back to full guard.
Raven missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thomas Raven will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Anastasio tries a head kick but it misses.
Anastasio takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Raven feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Anastasios jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Anastasio works Raven's body with a nice hook.
Raven fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Anastasio has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Raven is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Raven takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Anastasio misses with a hook. Raven ducked under it nicely.
Anastasio misses with a hook
and Raven counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Raven!
Some wild striking there from Anastasio.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Anastasio misses with a low kick.
Anastasio throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Raven finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anastasio misses with a low kick.
Raven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Anastasio manages to avoid it.
Raven lands with a thumping leg kick.
Anastasio scores with a jab to the body.
Anthony Anastasio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Anastasio missing with a left hand there. Raven was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Anastasio scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Raven doesn't seem bothered though.
Raven loads up on a big right hand but Anastasio slips the punch.
A bone on bone clash there as Anastasio blocks the leg kick.
Anastasio misses with a left hand
and Raven counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A solid body kick from Anastasio.
Raven throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Anastasio.
Anastasio lands a head kick. Raven smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Thomas Raven has been cut.
Raven ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Anastasio moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raven misses with the body kick
and Anastasio counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Raven walks into a stiff left hand from Anastasio.
Anastasio blocks a jab.
Anastasio rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Raven counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A head kick by Anastasio misses
and Raven counters with a nice uppercut.
Raven misses with a leg kick
and Anastasio counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Raven throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Anastasio.
A jab from Anastasio finds it's way through Raven's defenses.
Anastasio misses with a wild body shot.
Anastasio misses with a left hand
and Raven counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raven lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Raven takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A low kick from Raven misses
and Anastasio connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Raven looks to score with a jab to the body but Anastasio is just out of range.
Anastasio flicks out a counter leg kick but Raven steps away.
Raven tries to clinch but Anastasio moves out of range.
Raven blocks a jab.
Anastasio connects with a crisp jab.
Raven steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Anastasio. That one must have hurt.
A head kick by Anastasio misses
and Raven counters with a thumping low kick.
Anastasio tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Raven manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Raven.

Anastasio rushes Raven and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Raven slowing the pace effectively.
Anastasio blocking some punches.
Raven throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Anastasios head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
I was talking to Raven's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Anastasio tries a body shot but Raven blocks it.
Anastasio blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Raven scores with a nice hook to the head.
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!
Anastasio wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Anastasio taking a breather.
Raven fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Raven throws a punch but it's blocked by Anastasio.
Anastasio prevents a body shot from Raven.
Anastasio tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Anastasio blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Raven breaks from the clinch.
Raven moves in looking to clinch but Anastasio pushes him off.
Anastasio is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Raven.
Raven looks to throw a body kick
and Anastasio counters with a straight right hand.
Anthony Anastasio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A combination from Anastasio does no damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thomas Raven will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Thomas Raven's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Raven is looking to chop away at Anastasio's legs.
Raven tries to clinch up.
Anastasio defending well as Raven loads up on a big left hand.
Anastasio jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Raven lands a leg kick that knocks Anastasio off balance momentarily.
Raven throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Raven stuns Anastasio with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Thomas Raven is winning the standup battle so far.
Anastasio throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Raven's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Anastasio connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Raven scrambles back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raven looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Anastasio is fending him off so far but Raven persists. Nope, Anastasio circles away and we're back to standing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Anastasio! But no joy.
Raven throws a poor cross that misses
and Anastasio counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Anastasio, right into the meat.
Anastasio tries to clinch there but Raven circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raven scoring well with a low kick there.
Anastasio chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Raven bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Anastasio scores with a leg kick.
Anastasio throws a leg kick which misses Raven's front leg but catches the back leg as Raven tries to avoid it.
Raven lands a leg kick that knocks Anastasio off balance momentarily.
Anastasio misses with a head kick.
Raven doesn't manage to clinch there - Anastasio circles away.
Anastasio looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Anastasio, as that shot connected.
Raven misses the body punch
letting Anastasio counter with a right hand.
Raven connects with an inside leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Anastasio.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anastasio lands a slapping body shot.
Raven ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Anastasio moves away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Raven lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Anastasio circles away quickly and effectively.
Raven needs to keep his hands up - Anastasio had a free shot at his head there.
Raven throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Raven forces Anastasio back against the cage and clinches.
Anastasio swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Anastasio tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Raven's elbow.

Raven escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A low kick from Raven is predictable there
letting Anastasio counter with a right hand.
Anastasio looks to score with a jab to the body but Raven is just out of range.
Anastasio thows a left - swing and a miss!
Anastasio lands a right hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Anastasio. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Anastasio.
A cross from Raven lands.
Raven tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Raven slips a jab from Anastasio.
Anastasio loads up on a big right hand but Raven slips the punch.
Raven fires out a quick counter leg kick but Anastasio just manages to avoid it.
Anastasio takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Raven throws a hook but Anastasio avoids it easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Anastasio.
Anastasio rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Raven counters with a two punch combo.
Anthony Anastasio has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Anastasio throws a left and a right that both miss
and Raven counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Raven tried to score with a low kick but Anastasio checks it.
Anastasio throws a front kick aimed at Raven's knee but Raven avoids it well.
Thomas Raven is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raven lands a nice leg kick that just misses Anastasio's sensitive parts.
Anastasio fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raven manages to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Anastasio throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Raven stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Anastasio misses with a jab to the body
and Raven cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Anastasio misses with a right hand
and Raven counters with a nice low kick that buckles Anastasio's knee momentarily.
Anastasio scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Raven scores with a punch to the head.
Anastasio misses with a straight right.
Raven lands a nice looking body shot.
Raven stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Anastasio.
Anastasio lands a slapping body shot.
Anastasio throws a lazy head kick
and Raven makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anthony Anastasio.
I think Raven has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!