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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ant Thrax (ranked 1994 p4p, 3187 weight class) and Keenwah Graines (ranked 254 p4p, 379 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Keenwah Graines enters the cage!
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| 188 cm
21
170
4 - 1 - 0 |
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175 cm
19
182
3 - 2 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin |
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Good takedowns
Good kicks
Fast |
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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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ant Thrax!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Keenwah Graines!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Franklyn Lucas and John Kavanagh.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thrax misses with a wild combination.
Thrax displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Graines throws out the jab.
Graines shoots in and bounces Thrax off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Graines passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Graines throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graines misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
The ground and pound from Graines seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Graines is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Thrax is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Graines working away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrax is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thrax wants to control but Graines postures up.
Thrax tries to improve position but can't.
Thrax pushes Graines away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Graines gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graines wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Thrax, who protects the arm well.
Graines has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Graines wants to control but Thrax is keeping him busy.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Thrax's coaches at Cloud9 have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Sloppy strikes there by Graines.
Thrax knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Graines on the ground.
Thrax takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Graines trying to control the position but Thrax is working away.
Thrax dodges the ground and pound from Graines.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graines moves into full mount!
Graines lands with some strikes.
Graines thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Thrax takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Graines punching from mount but Thrax doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Graines throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Thrax is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Graines lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Thrax tries to hold on but Graines pushes him away.
Graines thowing shots but they're missing.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graines wants to control the pace but Thrax is squirming around nicely.
Graines misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Thrax is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Graines moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Thrax has worked his arm free - good work by Thrax!
Graines creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thrax dodges the ground and pound from Graines.
The strikes coming from Graines are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Keenwah Graines dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Graines misses with a low kick.
Graines drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Thrax avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thrax utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Graines trying to control the position from guard on top but Thrax is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Graines advances position into side control!
Graines is trying to ground and pound but Thrax uses the momentary lack of control by Graines to regain half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thrax wants to get back to his feet.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Graines is working for a submission of some sort.
Graines throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Graines missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Graines trying to mount his opponent but Thrax defends it.
Graines looks to land a strike but Thrax avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Graines has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Thrax can't keep his opponent in guard - Graines advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Graines missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Graines wants to work for an arm triangle but Thrax is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Thrax is looking to escape.
Graines thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Thrax's head.
Thrax looks like he's trying to stand up.
Graines is looking to advance position but Thrax won't allow it.
Graines is looking for a kimura but Thrax is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Graines to get the leverage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graines seems to be working for a kimura but Thrax defends the submission attempt.
Graines trying to control the pace.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ant Thrax is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Graines looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Thrax looks to land a right hand but Graines moved out of range.
Graines with a poor takedown
and Thrax counters with a left to the body.
Thrax throws a series of punches but Graines avoids them all with ease.
Graines scores with the left hand. Thrax knows he should have avoided that one.
Thrax blocks a jab.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graines throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Thrax ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Graines moves away.
Graines fails with a takedown attempt.
Ant Thrax has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Keenwah Graines.
Graines tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Thrax swivels and escapes.
Graines takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Thrax connects with a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thrax slaps away a takedown attempt from Graines, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thrax fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Graines manages to avoid it.
Graines pivots, looking for a leg kick but Thrax is out of range and Graines settles back down.
Graines takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Keenwah Graines will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!
Graines shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A momentary lapse in concentration from Thrax enables Graines to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Thrax manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Graines trying to control but Thrax is working from the bottom.
Graines is fighting to break Thrax's control of his arms but Thrax is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Graines throwing strikes from guard but Thrax blocks nicely.
Graines advances position into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graines throwing shots but missing, from side control.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Thrax is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Thrax is refusing to be controlled, as Graines sits in half guard.
Graines is nestled in close to Thrax, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Graines uses his free foot to push down on Thrax's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Thrax.
Thrax is bucking up trying to escape but Graines cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Ant Thrax has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thrax holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Graines tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Graines thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Thrax holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Graines tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Graines trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Thrax is trying desperately to improve position.
Graines scoring with strikes but Thrax is staying in there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graines fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Graines wants to control the pace but Thrax is squirming around nicely.
Graines goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Thrax turns into him and now he's in Graines's guard.
Graines not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Graines lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.
Graines postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thrax utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Graines pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Thrax is keeping the position for now.
Graines trying to control the position from guard on top but Thrax is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Graines trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Graines with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thrax working for submissions but it's allowed Graines to get to half guard.
Graines wants to work for an arm triangle but Thrax is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that's the end of the fight!
Keenwah Graines comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Graines winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keenwah Graines!
Keenwah Graines seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
33% |
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