PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Finlay Standifer (ranked 371 p4p, 598 weight class) and Agansing Rai (ranked 47 p4p, 77 weight class). Rai has chosen Break Stuff as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Standifer
vs
Rai

172 cm
26
156
15 - 6 - 0

180 cm
33
155
24 - 13 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

NARCOS
Shadow Realm Apparel

The Pharmacy Phuket

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finlay Standifer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Agansing Rai!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Daniel Bishop and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rai turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rai keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Standifer.
Rai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Rai misses with a looping right.
Rai throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rai misses the shot to the body.
Rai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Standifer.
Standifer slips a jab from Rai.
Standifer looks to score with a jab to the body but Rai is just out of range.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rai enables Standifer to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rai manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Standifer stopping the sweep attempt from Rai.
Standifer looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Standifer being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Standifer accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Standifer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Standifer has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rai looking for a sweep. Not yet Rai, not yet.
Standifer wants to control from the top but Rai keeps moving.
Rai wants to control but Standifer passes easily into half guard.

Standifer is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rai sees it coming and defends easily.
We've been hearing that Standifer has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Standifer lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai tries to kick Standifer off but Standifer keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rai is looking to get back to is feet but Standifer passes into side control.
Rai holding on.
Standifer trying to control the action but Rai is working from the bottom.
Standifer working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Rai wants to control but Standifer postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Standifer in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rai is trying to work for a sweep but Standifer has mounted him!
Rai tries to hold on but Standifer pushes him away.
Standifer is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Rai tries to lock up and control but Standifer gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rai bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Rai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rai is looking to advance position but Standifer has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Standifer raining down hammerfists from mount.
Rai tries to hold on but Standifer pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Standifer lands a couple of good shots and Rai has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Standifer has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Rai covering up well under a series of strikes from Standifer.
Standifer doesn't have the hooks in and Rai manages to turn into his guard.
Standifer is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Nice strikes from Standifer there.
Standifer is nestled in close to Rai, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Standifer working Rai over with strikes.
Standifer lands strikes from half guard.
Rai is looking to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finlay Standifer dominated that round.
That's time! Standifer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Standifer gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Rai throws a punch but it's blocked by Standifer.
Rai drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Standifer pushes Rai back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rai misses with an elbow over the top.
Standifer works on Rai's body with a couple of short punches.
Standifer misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Standifer.

Rai manages to break the clinch.
Rai slips a jab from Standifer.
Rai closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Agansing Rai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Standifer manages to avoid it.
Rai scores with a push kick.
Rai throws a lazy uppercut

and Standifer counters with a nice double leg into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Standifer passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Standifer scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Standifer prevents Rai from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Standifer.
Standifer tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rai knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Standifer working the head and body with strikes.
Standifer lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Standifer is looking to stall here but Rai recovers full guard.
Rai keeping moving, preventing Standifer from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Standifer makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Standifer trying to control the position from guard on top but Rai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Standifer postures up.
Standifer trying to control but Rai is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer controlling from the top position.
Standifer working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rai's head.
Standifer is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Rai trying to keep a closed guard but Standifer is proving a slippery customer.

Rai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Standifer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Rai keeping moving, preventing Standifer from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Standifer scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Standifer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rai.
Standifer feinted with a counter takedown.
Rai takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rai throws a big shot that misses.
Rai throws a big shot that misses.
Standifer drops down looking for a counter takedown but Rai sprawls and moves away.
Rai with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Standifer feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rai keeping moving, preventing Standifer from controlling successfully.
Standifer scoring with some ground and pound.
Standifer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rai can do to turn this around?
Standifer is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rai wants to hit a sweep here but Standifer passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rai there!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finlay Standifer dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Standifer forces Rai back against the cage and clinches.
Agansing Rai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Standifer throws a punch but it's blocked by Rai.
Standifer misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rai manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rai being controlled here, momentarily.
Standifer with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Standifer looking to sit in guard and control but Rai gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Standifer looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rai is one step ahead there.

Standifer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Standifer trying to keep a closed guard but Rai is proving a slippery customer.
Rai being controlled here momentarily.
Rai stopping the sweep attempt from Standifer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rai trying to control the position from guard on top but Standifer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rai postures up.
Rai missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Standifer looking to control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Standifer keeping full guard, as Rai tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rai looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Standifer closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Nice defenses there by Standifer.
Standifer half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Rai throws out a loose jab but Standifer uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer blocks a leg kick.
Rai lands with a thumping leg kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rai enables Standifer to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rai manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Rai looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Standifer working some strikes from top position.
Rai is controlling Standifer's posture.
Standifer working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Standifer is in close to Rai's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rai is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Standifer lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Standifer trying to control but Rai is working from the bottom.
Standifer is working Rai over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rai working a defensive guard here.
Standifer landing some decent shots from guard.
Finlay Standifer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Standifer preventing the sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Standifer.
Standifer works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rai taking some punishment here, with Standifer in his half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Finlay Standifer.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Standifer, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finlay Standifer!