PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joseph Paul (ranked 3460 p4p, 0 weight class) and Slugfest Cloudraker (ranked 5418 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Paul
vs
Cloudraker

181 cm
25
141 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joseph Paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Slugfest Cloudraker!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, John Roberts and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cloudraker is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Paul's half guard.

Paul kicks Cloudraker off and gets back to his feet.
Paul lands a slapping body shot.
Paul lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Cloudraker takes one to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Paul is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cloudraker drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cloudraker controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Paul striking off his back but it's not causing Cloudraker any problems.
Cloudraker should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paul preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Paul looking for a sweep. Not yet Paul, not yet.
Paul really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Cloudraker stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Joseph Paul is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Paul tries to bum rush Cloudraker with a series of wild strikes but Cloudraker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Paul dips to his left and cracks Cloudraker with an uppercut!

Paul has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cloudraker swings wildly with an uppercut but Paul uses good head movement to avoid it.
Paul lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Slugfest Cloudraker has been cut.
Paul lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Paul misses with a knee strike.
Paul scores with a knee to the head.
Nice elbow from Paul.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paul lands an elbow inside that Cloudraker shrugs off.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cloudraker takes a knee right on the jaw!
Paul lands a nice elbow.

Cloudraker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cloudraker checks a leg kick nicely.
Cloudraker on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Cloudraker bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cloudraker slows the pace down.
Paul knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cloudraker on the ground.
Paul striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Cloudraker stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Paul lands a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cloudraker on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Paul connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cloudraker slips under a jab.
Paul is looking to clinch.

Cloudraker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paul is looking to regain half guard here but Cloudraker keeps moving and retains side control.
Paul wants to control but Cloudraker postures up.

Cloudraker thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cloudraker is working Paul over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paul is not content to let Cloudraker control the position.
Paul tries to bench press Cloudraker off him but Cloudraker keeps the position.
Cloudraker is looking to take a break and control but Paul is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Cloudraker passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Paul!
Paul tries to lock up and control but Cloudraker gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Paul dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Slugfest Cloudraker's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Paul scores with a decent looking hook.
A jab from Paul misses.

Cloudraker closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Paul quickly recovers to half guard.
Cloudraker wants to pass the guard but Paul is defending well.
Cloudraker is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cloudraker seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Cloudraker keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Paul misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cloudraker seems to be looking for submissions.
Paul tries to kick Cloudraker off in order to stand up. Cloudraker Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Cloudraker controlling the position.
Paul regains half guard.
Cloudraker is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Paul has a hand on Cloudraker's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Cloudraker takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cloudraker pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Cloudraker with shots to the head and body - Paul looks very uncomfortable down there.
Cloudraker trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Cloudraker takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Cloudraker scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Cloudraker avoids the attempt from Paul to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul tries to reverse the position but Cloudraker maintains control.

Cloudraker moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Paul has worked his arm free - good work by Paul!
Paul gets back to half guard.
Cloudraker controlling the pace.
Cloudraker scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Cloudraker seems to be working for a kimura but Paul defends the submission attempt.
Cloudraker looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Paul misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Slugfest Cloudraker has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cloudraker trying to pass the guard but Paul defending well.
Paul wants to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Slugfest Cloudraker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Slugfest Cloudraker's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Paul moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Slugfest Cloudraker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Paul tries to work over Cloudraker's front leg with a kick but Cloudraker checks it.

Cloudraker shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Paul wriggles free and stands up.
Paul jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Paul takes a swing at Cloudraker's ribcage but misses.
Joseph Paul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paul scores with a jab to the jaw.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paul misses the shot to the body.
Paul lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Paul.
Paul lands a jab.
A low kick from Paul misses

and Cloudraker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Paul's guard.
Paul trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Cloudraker sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cloudraker lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Paul wants to sweep but no luck.
Paul is trying to control the position but Cloudraker postures up.
Cloudraker forces his way into half guard.
Paul wants to sweep but Cloudraker has passed to side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Paul is looking to regain half guard here but Cloudraker keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Cloudraker has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Paul misses with a looping left.

Cloudraker gets a double leg takedown into Paul's guard.
Paul is looking to sweep but instead, Cloudraker has passed into half guard.
Cloudraker with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Cloudraker is working for a kimura but Paul is defending it quite comfortably.

Cloudraker is trying to work for a kimura but Paul is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cloudraker takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Paul throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Cloudraker postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Paul to stand up.
Paul uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Cloudraker has time to react.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Paul's corner calls for a 1-2. Paul obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Cloudraker chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Paul can pounce on him.
Paul jabs at Cloudraker's body.
Paul lands a lovely overhand right.
Cloudraker slips under a jab.
Cloudraker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Cloudraker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Joseph Paul is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cloudraker darts in looking for a takedown but Paul gets double underhooks and turns Cloudraker into the cage.
Cloudraker takes a jab right on the kisser.
Nice straight punches there by Paul. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Paul.
Cloudraker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paul jabs Cloudraker to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Slugfest Cloudraker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joseph Paul is winning the standup battle so far.
Cloudraker gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Paul.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Paul showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Paul 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight for Joseph Paul!
Judge John Roberts scores the fight for Joseph Paul!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Joseph Paul!

Joseph Paul wins by unanimous decision!