PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chiharu Shiba (ranked 3208 p4p, 4211 weight class) and Hjalmar Raak (ranked 415 p4p, 510 weight class). Shiba comes to the cage accompanied by Sick Puppies - Survive. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Shiba
vs
Raak

185 cm
22
195
5 - 4 - 0

191 cm
20
197
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

HELLBENT

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chiharu Shiba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hjalmar Raak!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Chad Campbell and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raak avoids the head kick by Shiba.
Raak scores with a jab to the jaw.
Raak has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Raak takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Shiba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Chiharu Shiba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raak closes the distance looking to clinch
and Shiba counters with a nice leg kick.
Shiba with a nice calf kick.
Shiba connects with a leg kick.
Shiba uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Raak.
A chopping leg kick lands by Shiba.
Shiba slips under a jab from Raak.
Shiba lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Shiba lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Raak has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Raak and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Shiba keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Raak.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raak throws a shot to the body.
Raak chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shiba can pounce on him.
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raak misses with a body shot.
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.
A jab from Raak misses.
Shiba takes one to the chin there.
Raak throws the left hand but Shiba avoids the punch easily.
Raak looks to score with a jab to the body but Shiba is just out of range.
Shiba buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Shiba scores with a kick to the body.
Shiba wants to land a leg kick but Raak is out of range.
Shiba throws a chopping leg kick but Raak manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Shiba throws a sloppy head kick
and Raak cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shiba throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Shiba attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Shiba throws a front kick aimed at Raak's knee but Raak avoids it well.
Raak thows a left - swing and a miss!
Raak on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shiba misses with a leg kick
and Raak counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Shiba thinking.
Raak chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Shiba can pounce on him.
Shiba is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Shiba throws a sloppy head kick
and Raak counters with a straight right hand.
A low kick from Shiba misses

and Raak counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Shiba is adopting a defensive guard.
Shiba is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Raak postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Shiba preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Raak throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shiba works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Shiba working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Raak.
Shiba has his hands on Raak's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raak in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Raak stopping the sweep attempt from Shiba.
Raak throws a big right hand that misses.
Shiba pulls Raak in close to prevent any damage.
Raak preventing the sweep.
Shiba is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Shiba is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Raak throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Shiba tried to counter with a leg kick but Raak avoided it.
An inside leg kick from Shiba misses.
Raak is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Shiba with a body shot.
Shiba throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
A looping hook to the body misses from Raak. Shiba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Shiba throws a leg kick that misses.
Raak moves out of range as Shiba throws a body kick.
Shiba finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shiba fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Raak is out of range.
Raak tries to clinch but Shiba is having none of it.
Shiba thows a leg kick but Raak checks it
and Raak counters with a nice uppercut.
Shiba misses with a low kick.
Raak's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Raak throws a series of punches but Shiba avoids them all with ease.
Chiharu Shiba is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Shiba throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Shiba lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Shiba throws a leg kick but Raak sees it coming and moves out of range.
Raak throws a jab when Shiba was well out of range.
Shiba is looking to land body kicks.
Raak swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Raak fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Raak cracks a nice hook into Shiba's ribs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Raak swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Shiba counters with a nice leg kick.
Shiba connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Raak just misses with a punch to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hjalmar Raak will probably get the nod.
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.

Raak checks the leg kick.
Shiba throws a low kick but Raak moves out of range easily.
Raak now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Raak moves out of range of the leg kick from Shiba.
A shot to the liver by Raak. Beautiful body shot.
Raak moves out of range of the leg kick from Shiba.
Raak fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Raak misses with a hook.
A clash of legs there as Raak blocks the low kick.
Raak lands a slapping body shot.
A solid body kick from Shiba.
Shiba uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raak.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shiba buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nice body punch from Raak.
Shiba will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Shiba misses with a low kick.
Raak throws a good cross that connects.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Raak finds it's target.
Raak throws a nice looking combination but Shiba bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
An inside leg kick lands from Shiba.
Shiba lands a leg kick that knocks Raak off balance momentarily.
Shiba throws a leg kick that is checked
and Raak connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Raak lands with a straight right. Shiba didn't see that one coming.
Raak fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Shiba manages to avoid it.
Raak throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Shiba gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Raak misses with an uppercut.
Shiba dodges the punch combination from Raak.
Shiba appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Shiba connects with a leg kick.
Shiba thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Raak if he has to take too many more of those.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Good work by Raak as he checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raak lands a nice shot to the body.
Good work by Raak as he checks the leg kick.
Raak stuns Shiba with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Raak fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Shiba misses with a body kick.
Shiba throws a chopping leg kick but Raak manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Raak lands a body shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Raak checks a leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Raak checks a leg kick.
Shiba is looking to land body kicks.
Good work by Raak as he checks the leg kick.
Shiba throws a leg kick but Raak moved away.
Shiba moves away from the strike by Raak.
Shiba pivots, looking for a leg kick but Raak is out of range and Shiba settles back down.
Shiba slips a jab from Raak.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shiba shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Shiba throws a leg kick but Raak moved away.
Shiba throws a head kick that misses.
Raak blocks a leg kick.
Hjalmar Raak seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shiba tries to score with a low kick but Raak moves his leg out of the way.
Raak takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Raak lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Raak feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Shibas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Raak misses with a takedown attempt - Shiba sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Raak takes a swing at Shiba's ribcage but misses.
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.
Raak misses the shot to the body.
Raak tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Shiba was well out of range. Poor timing from Raak.
Shiba tried to counter with a leg kick but Raak avoided it.
Raak throws a jab when Shiba was well out of range.
Shiba appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Shiba will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raak avoids the head kick by Shiba.
It seemed like Raak was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Shiba misses with a low kick.
Raak jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Shiba is looking to score with low kicks.
Shiba tries to score with a low kick but Raak moves his leg out of the way.
Shiba keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Raak moves out of range of the leg kick from Shiba.
Shiba avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.
Raak jabs at Shiba's body.
Raak fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.
Raak is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Shiba rather than just go for the knockout.
Raak lands a nice hook to Shiba's body. Shiba takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Raak drives through with a takedown into Shiba's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Raak preventing the sweep.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Raak showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Raak on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Shiba misses with a low kick.
A head kick by Shiba misses
and Raak counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Raak checks a leg kick.
Nice jab there from Raak.
Shiba walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Raak checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Raak throws out a counter right but Shiba avoids it with no problem.
Shiba connects with a solid leg kick.
Shiba throws a body kick that misses.
Shiba throws a low kick but Raak moves out of range easily.
Raak lands a lovely overhand right.
Raak looks to land a left hand but Shiba moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raak lands a nice shot to the body.
Shiba blocks a jab.
Shiba jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
A looping hook to the body misses from Raak. Shiba does a little dance to reset his feet.
Raak misses with a two punch combination.
Shiba tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Raak with the counter takedown but Shiba avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raak dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Shiba misses with a body kick.
Raak thows a left - swing and a miss!
Raak checks a low kick from Shiba.
Raak swings for the body but Shiba moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Shiba.
Shiba lands with a thumping leg kick.
Shiba wants to slow Raak down by chopping away at his legs.
Shiba finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Raak lands a right hook to the body.
Shiba fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Raak is out of range.
Shiba throws a leg kick but Raak sees it coming and moves out of range.
Raak now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Shiba shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Shiba lands a nice leg kick that just misses Raak's sensitive parts.
Shiba lands a leg kick that knocks Raak off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shiba throws a chopping leg kick but Raak manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Shiba throws a leg kick but Raak sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Raak throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raak misses with a body shot.
Raak lands with a straight right. Shiba didn't see that one coming.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raak moves out of range of the leg kick from Shiba.
Raak throws a lazy right hand but Shiba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Raak stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Shiba.
Shiba finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
An inside leg kick from Shiba misses.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Raak!
You can see that Raak has visibly slowed down as a result of the leg kicks
Raak throws a lazy right hand but Shiba sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Shiba throws a leg kick
and Raak counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Shiba lands a leg kick that knocks Raak off balance momentarily.
Raak avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shiba throws a front kick aimed at Raak's knee but Raak avoids it well.
Shiba throws a low kick, looking for Raak's leg but Raak calmly moves out of range.
Raak blocks a head kick by Shiba.
Shiba throws a body kick that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Shiba throws a head kick but Raak moves out of range.
A lazy body kick from Shiba

and Raak counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Raak with a nice head shot there.
Shiba has momentary wrist control but Raak slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Raak wants to control from the top but Shiba keeps moving.
Shiba pulls Raak in close to his closed guard and prevents Raak from doing any damage or advancing position.
Shiba looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raak is one step ahead there.
Shiba utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shiba looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Raak postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Shiba is trying to keep Raak in close.
Raak lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Raak stands and throws Shiba's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Shiba is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Raak lands an elbow.
Hjalmar Raak is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Raak trying to control the action but Shiba is working from the bottom.
Shiba tries to bench press Raak off him but Raak keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hjalmar Raak comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Raak has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hjalmar Raak!
A relieved looking Hjalmar Raak thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.