PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between TheRock Obama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Ray Duran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Obama
vs
Ray Duran

194 cm
19
260 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
245 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Heavy handed

Hellbent, Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, TheRock Obama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ray Ray Duran!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Obama shoots in but Duran avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Obama shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Duran but Duran pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Obama decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Duran on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Obama is keen to just control but Duran is a slippery customer.
Duran is trying to stand.
Obama could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Obama takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Duran wants to get back to his feet.
Obama lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Duran avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Obama.
Duran is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Obama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Obama is nestled in close to Duran, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Duran is refusing to be controlled, as Obama sits in half guard.
Obama lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duran blocking the ground and pound attempt from Obama.
Obama thows a huge punch but Duran dodges it nicely.
Obama looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Duran wants to get back to his feet.
Obama seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Duran does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Duran avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Obama.
Obama drops an elbow to the side of Duran's head.
Duran has hold of Obama's hands but Obama slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Duran tries to kick Obama off but Obama keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nice strikes from Obama there.
Obama lands with a punch from half guard.
Obama is breathing heavily.
Obama lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Obama looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Duran with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Duran looks like he's trying to stand up.
Obama takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Obama landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Duran is trying to control but can't.
Obama takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Obama winds up and cracks Duran with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Obama moves nicely into side control.
Obama working the head with strikes.
Duran is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Obama working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran regains half guard.
Duran taking some punishment here, with Obama in his half guard.
Obama scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Obama is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Obama is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Nice strikes from Obama there.
Obama looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Obama stands up and beckons Duran to join him on the feet.
Duran avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Duran is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Obama misses.
TheRock Obama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Obama will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Duran is looking to clinch.
Obama throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Obama throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duran looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Duran avoids the head kick by Obama.
Duran has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duran works over Obama's head and body with a nice combination.
Obama throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TheRock Obama dominated that round.
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.

Obama shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Duran's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Obama accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Obama prevents Duran from getting back to his feet.
TheRock Obama overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Obama is pushing down on Duran's leg trying to pass to half guard. Duran is fighting to maintain full guard but Obama has managed to sneak the leg through.
Duran trying to control but Obama postures up.
Obama has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Obama scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Obama working the head and body with strikes.
Nice strikes from Obama there.
Duran tries to kick Obama off in order to stand up. Obama Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Obama scoring with punches and elbows.
Duran tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Duran on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Obama has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Obama.
Duran is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Obama has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Obama lands an elbow.
Obama scores with punches from side control.
Obama lands a few punches from side control.
Obama working the body and head with strikes.
Obama is working Duran over with some ground and pound from side control.
Duran sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Duran is trying to stand back up but Obama is controlling him
Ground and pound from Obama.
Obama scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duran wants to get back to his feet.
Duran trying to control here.
Obama is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Duran wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Obama digs a good hook to Duran's body.
Obama connects with a looping right hand.
Obama throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Duran counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Obama looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Obama wants to control but Duran is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran is trying to control but can't.
Obama slips a nice elbow through Duran's hands, connecting with Duran's forehead.
Obama works his way into full mount!
Obama controlling from the full mount.
Obama putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Duran gets back to half guard.
Obama slips a nice elbow through Duran's hands, connecting with Duran's forehead.
Duran tries to kick Obama off but Obama keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Obama drops an elbow to the side of Duran's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obama winds up and cracks Duran with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Duran is trying to stand back up but Obama is controlling him
Nice strikes from Obama there.
Obama winds up and cracks Duran with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Obama decides to stand up.
Obama circles away from the clinch attempt.

Obama scores a takedown into full mount!
Obama connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Duran is in a horrible position here. Obama smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Obama with shots to the head and body - Duran looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TheRock Obama dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Duran tries to clinch but Obama moves out of range.
Obama looks to land a combination but Duran avoids it well.
TheRock Obama is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A decent looking cross lands there for Obama.
Duran swinging wilding here.
Duran misses with a takedown attempt

and Obama counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Obama lands strikes from half guard.
Duran is trying to stand up here but Obama is controlling him well.
Obama is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nice strikes from Obama there.
Obama landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Obama lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Obama keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obama lands strikes from half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Duran is trying to stand.
Duran is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Obama lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Duran punching from the bottom.
Duran is refusing to be controlled, as Obama sits in half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Obama throws a good cross that connects.
Obama just misses with a punch to the body.
Duran closes the distance and clinches up with Obama, looking for a takedown. Duran pushes Obama against the cage but Obama circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Obama swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Duran counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Duran winds up and cracks Obama with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obama keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Duran sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Obama defending well though.
Obama regains full guard. Nicely done.
Obama throwing short punches from the bottom.
Duran missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Obama is trying to control the position but Duran postures up.
Obama punching from the bottom.
Obama throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Duran dodges the punch combination from Obama.
Duran wants to clinch but Obama slips to the side
and Obama counters with a one-two to the body.
Obama connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Obama lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Duran backs up against the cage.
Obama looks to land a combination but Duran avoids it well.
Obama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duran tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Obama paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Duran tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Obama fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Obama misses with a combination

and Duran counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Obama's guard now.
Obama on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Obama tries to get out of the position.
Obama looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Obama manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Duran manages to get himself to full guard.
Obama passes into half guard.
Obama is nestled in close to Duran, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Duran is trying to maintain the position but Obama is very close to passing his half guard.
Obama looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Duran with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Duran wants to get back to his feet.

Duran looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Obama winds up and cracks Duran with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Duran pushes Obama off looking to stand but Obama dives back in and keeps control.
Duran tries to roll over but Obama keeps him under control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick by Obama misses

and Duran counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Duran.

Duran has picked Obama up - he's going for a ride! Duran dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
TheRock Obama is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Obama controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Obama missing with punches from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to TheRock Obama.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Obama, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... TheRock Obama!