PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Billy Conforto (ranked 4873 p4p, 4542 weight class) and Hjalmar Raak (ranked 570 p4p, 551 weight class). Conforto comes to the cage accompanied by Alabama- Bishop Gunn. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Conforto
vs
Raak

185 cm
18
185
1 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
197
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Billy Conforto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hjalmar Raak!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raak gets cracked there but stands up to it.
We've been told by Conforto's head coaches at Defiant that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
A good leg kick by Conforto.
Conforto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Raak drops his hands momentarily and Conforto takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Conforto has managed to clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Conforto.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Raak is pushing Conforto up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Conforto scores with an uppercut up the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Raak is trying to break the clinch but Conforto is controlling him.

Conforto breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conforto lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Conforto misses with a double jab.
Conforto tests Raak's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Conforto tests Raak's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Conforto throws a right hand that Raak ducks under and follows up with a left that Raak also avoids with ease.
Raak takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Conforto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Conforto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Raak circles away quickly and effectively.
Raak misses with a body shot.
Conforto tries to clinch up but Raak circles away and keeps his distance.
A countering left hand to the body from Raak misses.
Raak swats away the attempt to clinch by Conforto.
No joy there for Conforto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Conforto tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raak swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Conforto forces Raak back against the cage and clinches.

Conforto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conforto avoids the body shot from Raak.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Conforto throws a series of punches but Raak avoids them all with ease.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Raak! But no joy.
Raak stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Conforto.
Conforto connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Raak's hands.
Conforto moves in looking to clinch but Raak pushes him off.
Raak appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Conforto.
Conforto throws out a loose jab but Raak uses good head movement to avoid it.
Conforto scores with a jab to the body.
Conforto looks to land a combination but Raak avoids it well.
Conforto fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Raak has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Conforto clinches.

Conforto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Conforto scores with a jab.
Conforto misses with a wild combination.
Raak swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Conforto tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raak swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Conforto catches Raak right on the button with a cross.
Conforto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raak manages to avoid it.
Raak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Conforto misses with the combination.

Conforto moves into the clinch.
Raak blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Raak throws a punch but it's blocked by Conforto.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Conforto.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Conforto throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Raak is looking to break free of the clinch but Conforto has double underhooks.
Conforto looking to stall.

Conforto breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Conforto scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Billy Conforto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Raak.
Conforto lands with an overhand left.
Raak throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Conforto throws a quick inside leg kick.
Conforto lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Raak displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Conforto throws out the jab.
Conforto tries to clinch but Raak moves out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Raak! But no joy.
Conforto displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Raak takes a swing at Conforto's ribcage but misses.
Conforto went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Nice shot by Conforto.
Raak stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Conforto.
Conforto with a jab.
Conforto will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Conforto dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Conforto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Conforto ducks under a wild hook from Raak.
Conforto throws a hook but Raak avoids it easily.
Raak scores with a sloppy right hand. Conforto should have avoided that one.
Raak misses the shot to the body.
Conforto throws the left hand but Raak avoids the punch easily.
Raak just misses with a punch to the body.
Conforto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raak throws out a counter right but Conforto avoids it with no problem.
Conforto tries to bum rush Raak with a series of wild strikes but Raak uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Conforto goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raak throws a looping overhand right but Conforto ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circling - Conforto throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Conforto ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Conforto feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Conforto is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Raak can do to turn this around?
Conforto throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Raak waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Conforto.
Conforto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Raak circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Conforto has taken the fight to the clinch.
Raak is looking to control Conforto's arms but Conforto gets an underhook and turns him. Now Raak has his back to the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Conforto letting Raak take a breather here.
Conforto lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Raak avoiding damage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Conforto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Conforto misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A combination from Conforto does no damage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Raak! But no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Conforto. Raak does a little dance to reset his feet.
Conforto connects with a good right hand that stumbles Raak. Raak circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Conforto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raak tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Billy Conforto is winning the standup battle so far.
Conforto throws a right hand that Raak ducks under and follows up with a left that Raak also avoids with ease.
Raak unleashes a big counter combination but Conforto bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Raak connects with a nice looking jab.
Conforto connects with a looping right hand.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Conforto misses with a double jab.
Raak throws out a counter right but Conforto avoids it with no problem.
Conforto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raak.
Conforto with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Conforto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Conforto is looking to clinch but Raak is avoiding it.
Conforto lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Conforto fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Conforto shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Conforto misses with a jab, cross combination.
Conforto looks to land a combination but Raak avoids it well.
Conforto tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Billy Conforto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Conforto fails with an attempt to clinch.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Raak in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raak circles away from the clinch attempt.
As Conforto backs off Raak throws a huge counter combo but Conforto manages to avoid it all.
Raak keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Conforto throws a leg kick
and Raak counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raak avoids a punch combination nicely.
Raak misses with a wild combination.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Conforto chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Raak keeps the fight on the outside.
Raak is looking for the big counter here.
Good leg kick by Conforto.
Conforto scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Conforto tries a low kick but Raak avoids it.
Conforto with the inside leg kick.
Conforto misses with a few strikes there.
Conforto throws a series of punches but Raak avoids them all with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raak is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Conforto.
Raak just misses with a punch to the body.
Conforto lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Raak backs up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Conforto will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Conforto moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Conforto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Conforto throws an overhand right that lands on Raak's shoulder, as Raak tries to avoid the shot.
A swing and a miss from Raak.
Raak throws a hook to the side of Conforto's head but Conforto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Conforto throws an overhand right that lands on Raak's shoulder, as Raak tries to avoid the shot.
Conforto throws a nice outside leg kick.
No joy there for Conforto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A punch lands to the side of Conforto 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Raak's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Conforto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Conforto 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!

Raak fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Conforto manages to avoid it.
Conforto lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Raak at a distance.
Conforto looks to land a combination but Raak avoids it well.
Conforto looks to land a left hand but Raak moved out of range nicely.
Conforto moves in looking to clinch but Raak pushes him off.
Nice body punch from Conforto.
Conforto misses with a combination
and Raak counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Raak throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raak ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Conforto lands a jab-cross combination.
Raak has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raak checks the leg kick nicely there.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Raak! But no joy.
Conforto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A punch combination from Conforto misses.
Conforto tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raak swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Conforto tries to clinch but Raak moves out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Raak! But no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conforto lands with a cross.
Raak throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Conforto appears to be looking for a big counter.
Conforto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raak.
Conforto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Conforto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Raak moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Conforto wants to clinch.
Raak takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Raak throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Conforto to counter with a crisp jab.
Conforto works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Raak looks to score with a jab to the body but Conforto is just out of range.
A combination from Raak does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Conforto clinches up with Raak and pushes him back against the cage.
Conforto is looking to control Raak's arms but Raak gets an underhook and turns him. Now Conforto has his back to the cage.
Raak looking to slow down the pace here.

Raak breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Conforto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Raak moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Conforto misses the jab.
Conforto moves out of range as Raak strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raak misses with a looping left.
Raak fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Conforto manages to avoid it.
Raak misses with a looping right.
Conforto lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Raak at a distance.
Conforto takes a swing at Raak's ribcage but misses.
Conforto feints a jab promting Raak to slip. Conforto then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Raak slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Raak looks to land a left hand but Conforto moved out of range nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Conforto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conforto's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Conforto duly obliges.
A nice leg kick from Conforto, right into the meat of the thigh.
Conforto takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Raak dodges the punch combination from Conforto.
Conforto connects with a crisp jab.
Raak uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Conforto.
Raak is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Conforto with a body shot.
Raak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raak throws a hook but Conforto blocks it.
Conforto works over Raak's head and body with a nice combination.
Conforto lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Danga de danga de dang - Conforto scores with a four punch combination!
Hjalmar Raak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Conforto with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Raak misses with a looping left.
Raak misses with a lunging right hand
and Conforto counters with a left and a right that stings Raak.
Raak throws a lazy right hand but Conforto sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nice shot by Conforto.
Conforto is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raak moves out of range as Conforto strikes.
Raak fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Conforto manages to avoid it.
Conforto lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Raak showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Conforto.
Conforto throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raak.
Billy Conforto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Conforto feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Raaks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

And that's the end of the fight!
Billy Conforto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Conforto has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Billy Conforto!