PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between TheDragon Reborn (ranked 2408 p4p, 307 weight class) and Spiros Saravakos (ranked 3340 p4p, 390 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Reborn
vs
Saravakos

181 cm
23
195 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

182 cm
24
191 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, TheDragon Reborn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Spiros Saravakos!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reborn throws a low kick but Saravakos avoids it.
Reborn misses with a leg kick
letting Saravakos counter with a right hand.
Saravakos throws a nice inside leg kick.
Reborn stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Saravakos.
Saravakos throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Saravakos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Reborn throws an overhand right that lands on Saravakos's shoulder, as Saravakos tries to avoid the shot.
Reborn with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Reborn walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reborn missing with a left hand there. Saravakos was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saravakos misses with a body kick.
Reborn tries to counter by clinching up but Saravakos breaks away and moves out of range.

Reborn drives through and clinches with Saravakos against the ropes.
Saravakos misses with the head strike.
We've been hearing reports that Reborn has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Reborn lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saravakos gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Saravakos looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Reborn actively working from the bottom here.
Saravakos seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Saravakos is nestled in close to Reborn, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Reborn looking for submissions off his back.
Saravakos tries to pass the half guard into mount. Reborn knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Reborn makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Reborn.
Saravakos chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Saravakos lands a couple of elbows.
Saravakos stands up over Reborn, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saravakos postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Reborn controls Saravakos momentarily but Saravakos frees himself.
Saravakos cracks Reborn with a solid left hand.
Saravakos wants to pass the guard but Reborn is keeping the position.
Saravakos postures up and lands a big shot to Reborn's brow.

Reborn working for a triangle but Saravakos defends it easily.
Reborn trying to keep a closed guard but Saravakos is proving a slippery customer.
Saravakos slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Reborn wants to improve his position but Saravakos is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reborn is staying active underneath Saravakos, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Saravakos works his way into side control.
Saravakos tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Saravakos advances to full mount.
Reborn is looking to get to half guard.
Saravakos is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Saravakos working Reborn over with strikes here.
Saravakos is landing with some decent strikes but Reborn is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Saravakos controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reborn taking shots to the head.
Saravakos is landing with some decent strikes but Reborn is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Reborn bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Saravakos keeping moving, preventing Reborn from controlling successfully.
Saravakos wants to sweep here but Reborn controlling him for the moment.
Saravakos pulls Reborn in close to prevent any damage.
Let's hope that Saravakos has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Reborn looking to pass the guard.
Saravakos has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at White Eagle. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Saravakos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Reborn is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spiros Saravakos dominated that round.
That's time! Reborn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Reborn instigates a clinch.
Reborn creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Saravakos blocks the elbow strike.
Saravakos blocks an elbow strike from Reborn.
Saravakos lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Saravakos struggles to land a body shot inside as Reborn controls his hands.
Reborn throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Reborn misses with a punch on the inside.
Saravakos blocks an elbow strike.

Saravakos is trying to trip Reborn. He has hold of a leg but Reborn is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Saravakos persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saravakos trying to control but Reborn is working from the bottom.

Reborn is looking for a triangle here but Saravakos uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reborn is looking for a sweep.
Reborn is working to avoid the ground and pound but Saravakos connects with a decent elbow.
Reborn tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Saravakos trying to control the action but Reborn is working from the bottom.
Reborn taking a bit of punishment here - Saravakos scoring with strikes.
Saravakos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Check out the look on Saravakos's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Reborn tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Reborn's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Reborn taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reborn prevents Saravakos from improving position.
Saravakos scores with a couple of short elbows.
Reborn is looking to regain half guard here but Saravakos keeps moving and retains side control.
Reborn wants to control but Saravakos postures up.
Reborn is looking to reverse the position.
Reborn is working hard here to advance position.
Saravakos lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Reborn down.
Reborn is not content to let Saravakos control the position.
Saravakos working the body and head with strikes.
Saravakos has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Saravakos lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Reborn down.
Reborn takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saravakos landing strikes.
Reborn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Saravakos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Reborn taking a bit of punishment here - Saravakos scoring with strikes.
Reborn is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Saravakos lands an elbow.
Saravakos working the head and body with strikes.
Saravakos wants to control but Reborn is keeping him busy.
Reborn regains half guard.
Saravakos working over Reborn with some ground and pound. Reborn looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Reborn is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Saravakos's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Saravakos's back!

Reborn is persistently looking for the submission but Saravakos is defending it well.
Reborn doesn't have the hooks in and Saravakos manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reborn keeping full guard, as Saravakos tries to pass.
Saravakos is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Saravakos sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Saravakos cracks Reborn with a solid left hand.

Reborn looking for a guillotine here but Saravakos defends easily.
Saravakos works over Reborn with some ground and pound from guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saravakos is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spiros Saravakos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Reborn does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Reborn tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Saravakos manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Reborn needs to keep his hands up - Saravakos had a free shot at his head there.
Saravakos with a jab.
Saravakos loads up on a big right hand but Reborn slips the punch.
Reborn fires out a quick counter leg kick but Saravakos just manages to avoid it.
Saravakos throws a body punch but Reborn moves out of range.
A big left from Reborn misses.
Reborn throws a low kick but it's checked well by Saravakos.
Saravakos tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Reborn is able to avoid easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reborn throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Saravakos on the side of the head.
Saravakos misses with a wild combination.
Saravakos scores with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reborn checks the leg kick nicely there.
Saravakos slips under a jab from Reborn.
Reborn slips a jab and a cross from Saravakos.
Saravakos scores with a kick to the midsection.
Saravakos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Reborn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A little feinted left hand from Reborn on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Reborn wants to clinch but Saravakos slips to the side
and Saravakos counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Saravakos displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Reborn throws out the jab.
Saravakos connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Saravakos on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
TheDragon Reborn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Spiros Saravakos seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saravakos bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Reborn's head.
Saravakos scores with a shot to the body.
Saravakos bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Reborn's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reborn takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Saravakos is looking to slow Reborn down with leg kicks.
Reborn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Reborn pushes Saravakos up against the ropes in a clinch.
Saravakos avoids a wild elbow strike from Reborn.
Reborn creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Reborn throws an elbow that misses.
Reborn misses with an elbow over the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reborn pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Saravakos blocks the elbow strike.
Reborn lands with a right to the head.
Reborn pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Reborn throws an elbow that misses.

Saravakos has Reborn pressed up against the ropes. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Saravakos pulls back from the ropes and twists to the side, sending Reborn tumbling to the mat - Saravakos dives into Reborn's guard.
Reborn bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Saravakos's guard.

Saravakos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Reborn manages to get himself to full guard.

Reborn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Saravakos gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Spiros Saravakos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Saravakos trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Saravakos wants to control from the top but Reborn keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saravakos is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Spiros Saravakos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saravakos content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Saravakos landing some decent shots from guard.
Saravakos lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Reborn throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
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!
Saravakos wants to pass the guard but Reborn is keeping the position.

Reborn is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Saravakos defends well.
Saravakos scoring with punches to the head and body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spiros Saravakos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Saravakos 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Spiros Saravakos!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Spiros Saravakos!
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Spiros Saravakos!

Spiros Saravakos wins by unanimous decision!
Our winner, Spiros Saravakos, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
The defeated TheDragon Reborn had this to say: 'I can do better'.