PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ueda Umanouke (ranked 112 p4p, 17 weight class) and Heavy Rain (ranked 182 p4p, 29 weight class). Umanouke comes to the cage accompanied by Kenji Kawai's Making of a Cyborg. Rain is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: For Heavy Metal we will die!. 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?

Umanouke
vs
Rain

190 cm
33
280 lbs
27 - 13 - 0

222 cm
28
252 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Groove Gear
Urban Fighter

Sin City Allstars

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 27 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Ueda Umanouke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Heavy Rain!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rain checks a low kick from Umanouke.
Rain is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Umanouke stuns Rain with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rain scores with the left hand. Umanouke knows he should have avoided that one.

Umanouke shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rain is trying to defend but Umanouke finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Rain keeping control of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rain trying to hold on to Umanouke's head to control him but Umanouke postures up.
Rain tries to roll over but Umanouke keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umanouke trying to mount his opponent but Rain defends it.
We've been hearing good reports from Umanouke's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Umanouke moves into full mount! Rain won't be happy about that!
Umanouke lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rain really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Umanouke throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Umanouke trying to control but Rain is having none of it.
Umanouke throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rain because Umanouke loaded up on that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rain is looking to get to half guard.
Umanouke looking to finish with strikes here!
Umanouke wants to control the pace but Rain is squirming around nicely.
Umanouke misses with a head shot.

Umanouke swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rain is now in Umanouke's guard. A big mistake from Umanouke there, giving up the dominant position!
Umanouke wants to sweep here but Rain controlling him for the moment.
Rain wants to control from the top but Umanouke keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Umanouke wants to improve his position but instead Rain has moved into half guard.
Umanouke gets full guard.

Umanouke throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rain preventing the sweep.
Umanouke manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rain manages to get himself to full guard.

Rain preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rain not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Umanouke controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rain looking to hit a scissor sweep but Umanouke is one step ahead there.
Rain seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Umanouke looking to pass the guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Umanouke lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ueda Umanouke dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Umanouke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Umanouke punishes Rain's body with a nice straight punch.
Rain 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.
Rain is looking to chop away at Umanouke's legs.
Rain avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Umanouke throws a body punch but Rain moves out of range.
Umanouke shoots in and drives through. Rain sprawls well.
Rain connects with a body shot that sends Umanouke's belly button to the back.
Rain lands a jab to Umanouke's midsection.
A looping hook to the body misses from Umanouke. Rain does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rain keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

It looks like Ueda Umanouke has been cut.
Umanouke scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Umanouke moves out of range as Rain throws a body kick.
Rain gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Umanouke counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Umanouke postures up.
Rain manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Umanouke manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rain stopping the sweep attempt from Umanouke.
Umanouke wants to hit a switch here but Rain passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Umanouke there!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rain takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Umanouke slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Umanouke wants to improve his position but Rain is controlling well.
Umanouke works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rain preventing the sweep.
Umanouke looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Rain puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Rain in particular looking to stall.
Umanouke is looking to improve his position.
Umanouke might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rain wants to control but Umanouke is keeping him busy.
Rain keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Umanouke is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Umanouke moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rain preventing the sweep.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Umanouke misses with an uppercut. Rain saw that one coming.
Umanouke tries to clinch up.
Umanouke doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Rain throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Umanouke pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rain throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rain scores with a one two! Umanouke had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Umanouke shoots in and bounces Rain off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Umanouke trying to control but Rain is working from the bottom.
Ueda Umanouke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rain managing to control the position.
Umanouke trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Heavy Rain will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ueda Umanouke's cut.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rain, right into the meat.
Rain feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Umanoukes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Umanouke tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Rain is able to avoid easily.
Umanouke lands with a cross.
Umanouke misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rain.
Umanouke misses with a body kick.
A jab from Umanouke misses.
Rain is looking for the big counter here.
Rain lands a nice hook to Umanouke's body. Umanouke takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Umanouke misses with a looping right.
Rain tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Umanouke was well out of range. Poor timing from Rain.
Rain throws a hook to the side of Umanouke's head but Umanouke sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Umanouke looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rain is fending him off so far but Umanouke persists. Nope, Rain circles away and we're back to standing.
Rain is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Heavy Rain seems to be getting the better of the standup.
An inside leg kick from Rain misses.
Umanouke cracks Rain with a good jab.
Umanouke walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rain checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rain lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Umanouke defending well as Rain loads up on a big left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Umanouke fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rain avoids it really well and circles away.
Rain throws a body shot but no joy.
Umanouke misses with a looping left.
Rain swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rain feints a jab promting Umanouke to slip. Rain then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Umanouke slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rain throws a hook but Umanouke blocks it.
Rain lands a jab to the head.
Rain takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

Ueda Umanouke's cut is getting worse.
Rain uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Umanouke.

Umanouke throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rain tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Umanouke is in Rain's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Umanouke wants to control from the top but Rain keeps moving.
Umanouke pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rain is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rain looking for a sweep. Not yet Rain, not yet.
Umanouke tries to free his leg and advance position but Rain is retaining full guard.
Rain is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Still in half guard, Rain seems content to control.
Umanouke wants to improve his position but Rain is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Umanouke is working hard here to advance position.
Rain stalling.
Umanouke wants to improve his position but Rain is controlling well.

That's four 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.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Umanouke is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rain blocks a jab.
Umanouke swinging wildly here.
Umanouke avoids the body shot from Rain.
Nice sprawl there from Rain as Umanouke shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ueda Umanouke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Umanouke shoots for a takedown but Rain saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Umanouke gets in close and instigates a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Heavy Rain comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rain has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Heavy Rain!
A less than humble Heavy Rain misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
Ueda Umanouke was interviewed post fight and said 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You can't do anything without risking something. I will be back to avenge my honor.'.