PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Granat Xhaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Crane Powhatan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Granat Xhaka has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Xhaka
vs
Powhatan

174 cm
25
146 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

176 cm
24
157 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Granat Xhaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Crane Powhatan !
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Powhatan is looking to clinch but Xhaka is avoiding it.

Xhaka rushes Powhatan and presses him up against the cage.
Powhatan missing with knees to the body.
Xhaka keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Powhatan 's efforts to push away.
Powhatan is trying to drag Xhaka to the mat but Xhaka just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Xhaka lands with a short shot to the head.

It looks like Crane Powhatan has been cut.
Powhatan takes a shot to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Xhaka.
Xhaka lands a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hook to the body lands for Xhaka.
Nice body punch from Xhaka - that landed with a thud.
Xhaka lands a body punch in the clinch.

Xhaka jumps into guard, dragging Powhatan to the mat.
Xhaka on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Xhaka tries to get out of the position.
Powhatan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xhaka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Powhatan .
Xhaka being controlled here, momentarily.
Xhaka knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Powhatan on the ground.
Powhatan trying to control the position from guard on top but Xhaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Powhatan not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Powhatan slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Xhaka is looking for a sweep. Powhatan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Powhatan is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Powhatan is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Powhatan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Powhatan throwing shots but Xhaka is blocking nicely.
Nice strikes from Powhatan there.
Powhatan controlling the action here.
Powhatan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Powhatan postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Xhaka to stand up.
Xhaka scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A swing and a miss from Xhaka.
Powhatan wants to counter with a clinch but Xhaka pushes him away.

Xhaka has closed the distance and engaged Powhatan in a clinch.
Powhatan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xhaka lands a right hand that snaps the head of Powhatan backwards.
Still in the clinch, Xhaka scores with a nice short uppercut.
Powhatan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Xhaka lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Powhatan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Xhaka is pressed up against the cage. Powhatan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Xhaka down to the mat. Xhaka avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Powhatan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Powhatan tries to bum rush Xhaka with a series of wild strikes but Xhaka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Xhaka moves into range and clinches up with Powhatan .
Xhaka misses with the head strike.
Powhatan wants to break the clinch but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Xhaka lands with a left to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Xhaka lands a hook that snaps the head of Powhatan backwards.
Xhaka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Powhatan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Xhaka pulls his leg out and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Granat Xhaka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Crane Powhatan 's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Powhatan shoots for a takedown but Xhaka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Xhaka cracks Powhatan with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Xhaka rushes Powhatan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Xhaka lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Xhaka prevents Powhatan from breaking the clinch.
Xhaka lands a shoulder strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Xhaka.
Powhatan tries to break free but Xhaka pushes him back against the cage.
Powhatan fails to pull guard.
Powhatan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Powhatan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Powhatan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Xhaka's waist but Xhaka gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Powhatan off to one side.
Granat Xhaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Crane Powhatan .
Powhatan is looking to chop away at Xhaka's legs.
Xhaka lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Xhaka keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Xhaka attempts a counter takedown but Powhatan avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xhaka connects with a good right hand that stumbles Powhatan . Powhatan circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Xhaka avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Powhatan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A lazy left from Xhaka finds it's target.

Xhaka has Powhatan up against the cage in a clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Xhaka.
Powhatan is looking to break free of the clinch but Xhaka has double underhooks.
A nice right hand lands inside from Xhaka.
Xhaka lands an uppercut.
Powhatan 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A right handed body shot lands from Xhaka.
A short right from Xhaka.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Xhaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A right hook to the body lands for Xhaka.
Xhaka gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Powhatan .
A right hand to the body from Xhaka.
Xhaka lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Powhatan is looking to break free of the clinch but Xhaka has double underhooks.
Xhaka stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Xhaka.
Xhaka keeps control of Powhatan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Granat Xhaka has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Xhaka lands with a right to the head.
Powhatan is looking for a takedown.
Xhaka scores with a hook to the body.
Powhatan is breathing heavily.
Xhaka lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Powhatan or not.
Xhaka scores with a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xhaka scores with a shoulder strike.
Xhaka scores with a shot to the side of Powhatan 's head.
Xhaka throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Powhatan s head.
Xhaka lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Powhatan .
A quick uppercut on the inside from Xhaka.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Xhaka.
A body shot lands from Xhaka.
Xhaka lands an uppercut.
Xhaka lands a left hand.
Xhaka is working for takedown but Powhatan is calmly controlling the position for now.
Powhatan 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Xhaka scores with an uppercut up the middle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Xhaka lands a right hand.
Powhatan is trying to push Xhaka away but Xhaka has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Powhatan jumps guard but Xhaka turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Xhaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Xhaka lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Xhaka softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Xhaka creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Xhaka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Powhatan can do to turn this around?
Powhatan fails to pull guard.
Xhaka scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Xhaka lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Xhaka lands a left hand.

Powhatan is rocked!
Xhaka lands a body punch.
Powhatan is still on wobbly legs! Can Xhaka finish him?
Powhatan is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Xhaka pushes Powhatan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Granat Xhaka dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Crane Powhatan 's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Powhatan gets tackled into the cage by Xhaka. Xhaka maintains the clinch.
Powhatan seems to have recovered his senses.
Xhaka lands a nice uppercut.
Powhatan has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Xhaka after a bit of a struggle.
Powhatan has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Xhaka is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Xhaka pushes Powhatan back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Xhaka is working Powhatan over against the cage.
Powhatan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Xhaka to keep the fight standing.
Granat Xhaka has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Crane Powhatan .
Xhaka lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xhaka lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Powhatan .
Xhaka pushes Powhatan back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Xhaka.
Xhaka lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Powhatan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Xhaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Xhaka.
Xhaka lands an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Xhaka.
Xhaka lands a nice uppercut.
Xhaka lands with a light punch inside.
Nice body punch from Xhaka.
Powhatan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Xhaka smiles and moves away.
Xhaka connects with a combination that backs up Powhatan into the cage. Xhaka lands a flurry of punches that gets past Powhatan 's guard. Powhatan is down and the referee has seen enough. It is all over! Xhaka bursts into tears - this win obviously means a huge amount to him.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Granat Xhaka!