PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jason Craig (ranked 24614 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gonali Raastupe (ranked 3892 p4p, 0 weight class). Gonali Raastupe will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Craig
vs
Raastupe

180 cm
19
177 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

191 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jason Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gonali Raastupe!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Jeff Smith and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raastupe lands with a kick to the temple. Craig shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Raastupe throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Craig was covering up waiting for the punch and Raastupe finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Raastupe wants to control from the top but Craig keeps moving.
Raastupe sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Craig trying to keep a closed guard but Raastupe is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raastupe wants to pass the guard but Craig is keeping the position.

Raastupe gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raastupe shoots for a double leg takedown but Craig sprawls well. He's pushed Raastupe's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Raastupe gets a takedown into half guard.
Raastupe controlling the pace.
Raastupe's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Craig pushes Raastupe off and gets back to his feet.
Raastupe shoots in for a takedown but Craig shows good takedown defense.
Craig shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Raastupe counters with a leg kick.
Craig looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Raastupe is fending him off so far but Craig persists. Nope, Raastupe circles away and we're back to standing.
Despite the aggression on Raastupe's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Craig tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raastupe swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Craig has taken the fight to the clinch.

Raastupe's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Craig shoots in for a takedown but Raastupe shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jason Craig. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raastupe closes this distance looking for a takedown but Craig circles away.
Craig fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Raastupe appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Craig gets caught flat footed, as Raastupe shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Craig is trying to control the position but Raastupe postures up.
Raastupe looking to sit in guard and control but Craig gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Raastupe really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Craig. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Raastupe throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Craig escapes and throws Raastupe's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Raastupe is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raastupe is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Craig off and has taken his back!
Raastupe misses with punches from the back.

Raastupe is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Craig trying to control the hands but Raastupe won't let him.
Craig might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Raastupe biding his time, looking for the opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gonali Raastupe 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.

Raastupe with a lazy takedown attempt

and Craig counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Raastupe is wriggling around but Craig manages to pass to half guard.

Craig throwing shots but Raastupe is blocking nicely.
Raastupe tries to get to full guard but Craig has control of the leg.
Craig throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raastupe works his way to full guard. Good work.
Craig is looking to work some ground and pound but Raastupe has wrist control.
Craig stopping the sweep attempt from Raastupe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raastupe has momentary wrist control but Craig slips an elbow through the middle.
Craig stops Raastupe from standing up.

Raastupe has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Craig off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Craig shoots for a double leg takedown but Raastupe sprawls well. He's pushed Craig's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Raastupe tries to clinch there but Craig circles away.
Craig is looking to counter the offense by Raastupe and move into the clinch.
Raastupe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Craig swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raastupe scores with a head kick. Craig tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Jason Craig has been cut.

Craig feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Raastupe uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raastupe tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Craig defends well and Raastupe ends up having to push Craig into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raastupe looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Craig is fending him off so far but Raastupe persists. Nope, Craig circles away and we're back to standing.
Jason Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gonali Raastupe.

Raastupe closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Raastupe gets control of Craig's arms and successfully pulls guard. Raastupe will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Raastupe has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Raastupe looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Craig puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Raastupe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Raastupe wants to control but Craig is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Craig missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Raastupe defending well though.
Raastupe wants to control but Craig is keeping busy.
Craig not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Raastupe wants to improve his position but Craig is controlling well.
Raastupe wants to control but Craig passes into side.
Craig cracks Raastupe with a big elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raastupe is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Craig is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Raastupe is trying to escape the mount.
Craig avoids the attempt from Raastupe to control.
Craig lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Craig lands a big elbow.
Raastupe throwing hammer fists to the chest of Craig. What's that going to do exactly?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jason Craig will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jason Craig's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Raastupe looks for the body kick but Craig saw that one coming.
Raastupe throws a sloppy head kick and Craig moves out of range easily.
Raastupe shoots in for a takedown but Craig shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Raastupe shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Craig eats them both and turns towards Raastupe to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Raastupe is defended easily by Craig.
Raastupe stuffs the takedown.
Raastupe feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raastupe fails with a takedown attempt.
Jason Craig has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gonali Raastupe.
Raastupe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Raastupe stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raastupe scores with a three punch combo!
Jason Craig is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Raastupe lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Raastupe.

Craig is rocked!
Raastupe lands a big right hand and follows it up with an uppercut. Oh and another big punch and a knee - Craig can't take much more of this! Another big shot to the jaw from Raastupe and Craig drops to the floor. Beaten and bloodied - he had enough there. A vicious beatdown by Raastupe.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gonali Raastupe!