PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Isaish Rashad (ranked 5637 p4p, 501 weight class) and Cezare Borgia (ranked 6497 p4p, 532 weight class). Cezare Borgia has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Rashad
vs
Borgia

175 cm
18
163 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
158 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Isaish Rashad !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cezare Borgia!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Albert Achterberg and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Borgia gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Rashad .

Borgia drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Borgia controlling the position from side mount.
Rashad on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rashad tries to get out of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rashad is looking to reverse the position.
Rashad is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Borgia is putting a hurting on Rashad here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rashad takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Borgia is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Rashad will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Rashad tries to improve position but can't.
Borgia is staying tight to Rashad 's torso, preventing him from escaping.

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.
Rashad is trying to get back to his feet.
Rashad is trying to control Borgia's posture but Borgia avoids it.
Borgia moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Borgia lands a decent elbow from side control.
Borgia controls the position.
Borgia cracks Rashad with a big elbow.
Borgia lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Rashad down.
Borgia is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Borgia has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Borgia lands a nice shot to the head.
Borgia controlling the pace for now.

Borgia with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rashad tries to buck Borgia off but he can't manage it.
Borgia content just to control the position here.
Rashad tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Borgia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rashad is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Rashad wants to control but Borgia is having none of it.
Rashad is trying to escape the mount.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Borgia tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rashad is trying desperately to improve position.
Rashad wants to control but Borgia is having none of it.
Borgia controlling the position easily from mount.
Rashad in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Borgia controlling from mount.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Borgia 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.
Borgia putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Borgia is working for a guillotine from mount but Rashad frees his head quite easily.
Borgia controlling from the full mount.
It looks like Borgia might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Borgia is continuing to stall.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Borgia with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Borgia content just to control the position here.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Borgia is working for a guillotine from mount but Rashad frees his head quite easily.

Borgia is working for a guillotine from mount but Rashad frees his head quite easily.
Borgia tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rashad is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Borgia controlling the pace for now.
Borgia with shots to the head and body - Rashad looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Borgia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Borgia in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Borgia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Borgia.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cezare Borgia dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rashad connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Borgia takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Cezare Borgia has been cut.
Rashad lands with a good body shot.
Rashad connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rashad looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rashad cracks Borgia with a right hand to the side of the head.
Donk. Rashad catches Borgia right on the button with a cross.
Rashad lands with a nice body punch.
Borgia has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rashad lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rashad fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Borgia looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nice shot lands for Rashad .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rashad scores with a one two! Borgia had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd cheers as Rashad lands an impressive looking overhand right. Borgia doesn't seem phased though.
Rashad lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Borgia backs up against the cage.
Rashad with a hook.
Rashad lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rashad .
Borgia takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Borgia doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Rashad counter with a right hand.
Rashad looks to land a combination. Borgia sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Rashad connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rashad lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Rashad dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rashad connects with a crisp jab.
Rashad works the jab nicely.
Jab, jab by Rashad - just one landing.
Borgia takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rashad clobbers Borgia with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Rashad throws a good cross that connects.
A nice combination there by Rashad .
Borgia takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rashad tests Borgia's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rashad smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rashad connects with a good right hand that stumbles Borgia. Borgia circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Borgia walks into a stiff left hand from Rashad .
Borgia ducks right into an uppercut from Rashad .
Borgia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Rashad cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rashad cracks Borgia with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rashad throws a combination. Borgia tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nice shot by Rashad .
Rashad connects with a right hand. Borgia shakes it off.
Rashad lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Borgia takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Borgia walks into a straight right hand from Rashad .
Borgia takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Rashad swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Borgia.
Rashad is working the combinations to good effect here.
Borgia fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Isaish Rashad has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cezare Borgia.
Rashad fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Rashad scores with a hook.
Rashad scores with a decent looking hook.
Isaish Rashad is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rashad lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That has opened up Cezare Borgia's cut even more.
Rashad lands a jab to Borgia's midsection.
Isaish Rashad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rashad scores with a hook.
Borgia has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rashad pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Borgia back to the cage. Rashad follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rashad falls off balance throwing a combination

so Borgia counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Rashad can't keep his opponent in guard - Borgia advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Borgia tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rashad knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rashad wants to get back to full guard.
Borgia is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Rashad is trying to stand.
Borgia is taking a breather. Rashad says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Borgia works his foot free and advances to mount.
Borgia pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Borgia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Borgia looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Isaish Rashad is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Borgia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Borgia is landing with some decent strikes but Rashad is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Borgia controlling from mount.
Rashad tries to hold on but Borgia pushes him away.
Borgia controlling from the full mount.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Borgia's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Borgia lands a big shot there that rocks Rashad but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Borgia controlling the pace for now.
Cezare Borgia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The adventures of Borgia the control monster continue. Boring.
Borgia has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Rashad 's face.

And that's the end of the fight!
Isaish Rashad showed his dominance in that final round.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight for Isaish Rashad !
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Isaish Rashad !
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight for Isaish Rashad !

Isaish Rashad wins by unanimous decision!