PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Layen Pray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Jackson
vs
Pray

170 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kevin Jackson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Layen Pray!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pray closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Jackson struggling a bit here.
Pray tries to score with some ground and pound. Jackson controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Jackson takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Pray fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Jackson regains half guard, as Pray was trying to land strikes.
Pray missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pray wants to control but Jackson is keeping him busy.
Pray looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Jackson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Pray missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pray stalling away here and it's allowed Jackson to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pray postures up.
Pray cracks Jackson with a solid left hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackson is trying to keep Pray in close.
Pray seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Pray throwing strikes from guard but Jackson blocks nicely.
Pray throws a strike but Jackson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Pray wants to sweep here but Jackson controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pray avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pray seems keen to control Jackson's posture.
Jackson wants to control from the top but Pray keeps moving.
Pray utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jackson tries to clinch but Pray is having none of it.
Pray avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch but Pray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jackson tries to clinch up but Pray circles away and keeps his distance.
Jackson fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pray shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pray has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Jackson's face.
Jackson gets back to half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Pray connects with a nice short shot to Jackson's temple.
Jackson gets full guard.
Pray throws a big right hand that misses.
Jackson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jackson wants to sweep here but Pray controlling him for the moment.
Jackson is trying to keep Pray in close.
Pray lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pray trying to control but Jackson is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Pray shoots in and bounces Jackson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pray throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jackson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pray missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jackson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pray throws a strike but Jackson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Layen Pray dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Jackson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Pray to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pray throws a big right hand that misses.
Pray working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
Pray with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Jackson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pray throwing strikes but missing.
Pray is looking to work some ground and pound but Jackson has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pray cracks Jackson with a solid left hand.
Pray scoring with punches to the head and body.
Layen Pray has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pray throws a big right hand that misses.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
Jackson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pray.
Pray wants to control from the top but Jackson keeps moving.
Jackson has momentary wrist control but Pray slips an elbow through the middle.
Pray postures up in Jackson's guard and throws a big left but Jackson blocks it.
Pray tries to free his leg and advance position but Jackson is retaining full guard.
Pray throws and elbow that misses. Jackson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pray's guard. Nice move by Jackson!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pray 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.
Pray is breathing heavily.
Pray trying to keep a closed guard but Jackson is proving a slippery customer.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jackson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jackson trying to control the position from guard on top but Pray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jackson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jackson wants it to stay on the feet.
Jackson tries to clinch there but Pray circles away.
Jackson tries to clinch but Pray moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pray will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Kevin Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pray dives in and grabs Jackson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Jackson pushes down on Pray's head and hops out.
Kevin Jackson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Layen Pray.
Pray fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jackson tries to clinch there but Pray circles away.
Jackson tries a head kick but it misses.
Pray changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jackson tries to avoid it but Pray manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jackson to the ground. Jackson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jackson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pray counters with a shoot takedown. Jackson fights it but they end up in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pray connects with a couple of short punches.
Pray postures up in Jackson's guard and throws a big left but Jackson blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pray is looking to work some ground and pound but Jackson has wrist control.
Pray postures up in Jackson's guard and throws a big left but Jackson blocks it.
Jackson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pray throws and elbow that misses. Jackson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Pray's guard. Nice move by Jackson!
Jackson stopping the sweep attempt from Pray.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Layen Pray 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! This is the final round!

Jackson tries to clinch up.
Jackson tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pray is defended easily by Jackson.
Jackson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pray counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pray is looking to stall here but Jackson recovers full guard.
Pray makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pray takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jackson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pray working some strikes from top position.
Pray lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Jackson keeping moving, preventing Pray from controlling successfully.
Pray lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pray trying to control but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Pray tries to free his leg and advance position but Jackson is retaining full guard.

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.
Jackson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jackson wants to stand up but Pray is controlling him.
Pray thows a big elbow that misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Pray shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pray was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Pray breaks from Jackson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Pray with the ground and pound from mount.
Pray wants to control but instead Jackson manages to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pray trying to control the pace.
Jackson wants to control but Pray is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Jackson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pray.
Pray winds up and cracks Jackson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Layen Pray is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pray seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jackson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pray content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jackson trying to control but Pray postures up.
Pray trying to control the action but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Pray looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jackson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Still in half guard, Pray seems content to control.
Kevin Jackson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pray wants to control but Jackson is keeping him busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Layen Pray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pray 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Layen Pray!