PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Maitland Rask (ranked 6338 p4p, 2682 weight class) and Mike Schultz (ranked 481 p4p, 277 weight class). The key to victory for Maitland Rask has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rask
vs
Schultz

153 cm
25
142
0 - 3 - 0

164 cm
27
150
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Maitland Rask!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mike Schultz!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schultz looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rask could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Good shot there by Rask.
Rask cracks Schultz with an open hand slap.

Schultz scores with a takedown into Rask's guard.
Schultz sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Schultz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rask's head.
Schultz is stalling in the full guard.
Schultz passes Rask's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Schultz drops an elbow to the side of Rask's head.
Schultz is nestled in close to Rask, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schultz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Schultz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Let's hope that Schultz has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rask has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schultz is working away from the top position though.
Rask looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Rask tries to roll over but Schultz keeps him under control.
Rask is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Schultz scores with a couple of nice shots.
Schultz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schultz tries to pass to full mount but Rask defends it.
Schultz content to control rather than advance.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Rask throws an off balance right hand

and Schultz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rask won't be happy with that.
Schultz scores with punches from side control.
Schultz slows the pace down.
Schultz working the head with strikes.
Schultz is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Schultz is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Rask looks calm but he's in trouble here. Schultz gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Rask is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Schultz lets go of the hold and Rask can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Mike Schultz!