PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Zenzo Rai (ranked 2158 p4p, 2540 weight class) and Mew Choo (ranked 283 p4p, 336 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Mew Choo was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Rai
vs
Choo

183 cm
31
180
8 - 5 - 0

180 cm
44
183
31 - 25 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Vegan Gains

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zenzo Rai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mew Choo!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rai gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rai lands a body shot.
Choo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Choo tries to pull guard but Rai forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Rai gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rai tries to stand and escape but Choo is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rai is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Choo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rai is trying to control. Choo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Choo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rai pulls his head out easily.

Rai seems to be working for a kimura but Choo defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai wants to pass the guard but Choo is defending well.
Rai not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Choo wants to improve his position but Rai is controlling well.
Rai seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Choo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rai fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Choo sprawls well initially but Rai persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rai trying to mount his opponent but Choo defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Choo is trying to control but Rai manages to pass to mount!
Choo wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Rai.
Rai throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rai sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rai wants to control the pace but Choo is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai controlling from the full mount.
Rai throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rai looking to control but Choo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The referee warns Choo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rai working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rai throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rai content just to control the position here.
Choo wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Rai.
Rai unloads with some shots from mount but Choo bucks and avoids them well.
Rai thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Choo tries to hold on but Rai pushes him away.
Rai controlling the pace for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zenzo Rai dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rai shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rai takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Choo is trying to maintain the position but Rai is very close to passing his half guard.
Rai throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rai content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Rai throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai prevents Choo from improving his position.
Rai throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rai with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rai wants to stand up but Choo manages to regain full guard.

Choo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Choo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rai is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Rai shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Choo pinned against the cage. Choo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Choo tests Rai's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Rai wants to clinch.
Choo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Choo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Choo swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Rai throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Choo was covering up waiting for the punch and Rai finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Rai looking to pass the guard.
Rai wants to control from the top but Choo keeps moving.

Choo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rai defends it easily.
Rai is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rai missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rai trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rai looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Choo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rai is aware though and is defending well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zenzo Rai dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rai shoots in for a takedown but Choo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Rai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rai tries to stall but Choo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Rai breaks from the clinch.
Choo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rai.
Choo lands with a right hand.
Choo lands with a shot to the body.
Rai tries to close the distance and clinch but Choo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Choo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rai manages to avoid it.
Nice takedown defense from Choo. No joy for Rai on that attempt.
Rai is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Choo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rai was well out of range. Poor timing from Choo.
Choo misses the shot to the body.
Rai is looking to clinch but Choo is avoiding it.
Choo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rai tries to close the distance and clinch but Choo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Choo steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Rai.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Choo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rai moves out of range of the strikes.
Mew Choo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Choo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rai tries to counter by clinching up but Choo breaks away and moves out of range.
Choo throws a body punch but Rai moves out of range.
As Choo looks to move away, Rai throws a big counter combo but Choo just gets out of the way.
Choo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rai.
Choo has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zenzo Rai. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Choo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Rai walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Choo throws a hook to the side of Rai's head but Rai sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Choo throws a series of punches but Rai avoids them all with ease.
Choo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Choo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rai rather than just go for the knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai blocks a jab.

Rai closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Choo's guard.
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!
Rai advances to half guard.
Choo is refusing to be controlled, as Rai sits in half guard.
Rai wants to stand up but Choo manages to regain full guard.
Choo working a defensive guard here.
Rai is pushing down on Choo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Choo is fighting to maintain full guard but Rai has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai moves nicely into side control.
Rai tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Rai is looking to take a break and control but Choo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Zenzo Rai is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Choo is trying to get back to half guard.

Rai tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

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.
Rai tries to advance to mount but Choo denies him.
Mew Choo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rai working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Choo tries to strike but it doesn't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Choo prevents Rai from moving into mount.
Rai is working hard here to advance position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mew Choo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Rai 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zenzo Rai!
A victorious Zenzo Rai thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.