PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Keenwah Graines (ranked 1885 p4p, 2013 weight class) and Ike James (ranked 250 p4p, 263 weight class). Ike James has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Graines
vs
James

175 cm
19
182
4 - 2 - 0

177 cm
22
177
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Keenwah Graines!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ike James!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Franklyn Lucas and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Graines was well out of range. Poor timing from James.
Graines dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on James. That did some damage!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Graines escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Graines has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Desert Fitness & Training (14 Elite Coaches) in the buildup to the fight.

James shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. James showed some decent athleticism there.
Graines is pressing down on James's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James passes easily into side control. Nice work.

James is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Graines has escaped the position, nice work there.
Graines tries to escape but James is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

James tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no James has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Graines tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but James wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
James trying to control the position but Graines is working away.
James taking a break here but Graines is having none of it and regains half guard.

James seems to be looking for submissions.
Graines is not content to let James control the position.
James passes to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graines is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

James has hold of Graines's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Graines manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
James trying to control but he's not successful this time.

James is working for a guillotine from mount but Graines frees his head quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James wants to take Graines's back but he can't do it this time.
Graines is working to get back to half guard.

James swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Graines is now in James's guard. A big mistake from James there, giving up the dominant position!
Graines looking to pass the guard.
James tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Graines manages to get himself to full guard.

James is fighting to break Graines's control of his arms but Graines is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Graines keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James tries to free his leg and advance position but Graines is retaining full guard.
James trying to control but Graines is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Graines is trying to keep James in close.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ike James dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

James misses with a body shot
and Graines counters with a stiff right hand.
James is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Graines.
Graines tries to clinch up but James circles away and keeps his distance.
James takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Nice body punch from Graines.
James throws a hook but Graines blocks it.
James shoots in for a takedown but Graines shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
James takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
James pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Graines gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
James is pushing down on Graines's leg trying to pass to half guard. Graines is fighting to maintain full guard but James has managed to sneak the leg through.
Graines is looking to escape.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graines won't allow James to pass to mount.

James looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

James is working for a submission of some sort.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graines moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James trying to control but Graines is working from the bottom.
Graines controlling James's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
James looking to pass the guard.
Graines keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
Graines controls James momentarily but James frees himself.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
James passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graines struggling a bit here.
Graines tries to bench press James off him but James keeps the position.

James is trying to get an arm triangle but Graines is defending well.
Graines manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Graines wants to control but James is keeping busy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Graines darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
James trying to hold on to Graines's head to control him but Graines postures up.
Graines trying to control the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

James is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Graines pulls his head out easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Keenwah Graines will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Graines scores with a head kick. James tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
James takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

James scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Graines is looking for a sweep.
James wants to lay and pray for a moment but Graines keeps working.
Graines is trying to control James's posture but James avoids it.

James wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Graines, who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

James looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ike James has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graines tries to improve position but can't.
James controls the position.
Graines wants to control but James postures up.
Graines regains half guard.

James is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Graines defends it well.
Graines trying to control from the bottom.
James with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Graines is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

James is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Graines is just riding it out for now. James eventually gives up the hold.
Graines trying to control but James postures up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Graines wants to improve his position but James is controlling well.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No joy there for Graines, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
James is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

James shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Graines manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
James's corner is telling him to maintain position.
James sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Graines's guard.

James is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
James is trying to control the action in half guard but Graines is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Graines is controlling James's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Graines is refusing to be controlled, as James sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graines trying to hold on to James's head to control him but James postures up.

James looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

James looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
James is taking a breather. Graines says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ike James comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think James has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ike James!
An out of breath Ike James thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.