PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luther Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Warren Raithert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Pope
vs
Raithert

172 cm
21
157 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

170 cm
24
155 lbs
5 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Beast Body

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luther Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Warren Raithert!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raithert ducks under a wild hook from Pope.
Raithert lands with a nice body punch.
Pope steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Raithert.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pope looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pope takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Luther Pope has been cut.
Pope ducks under a wild hook from Raithert.
Pope scores with a jab to the jaw.

Pope gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Raithert blocks a body shot from Pope.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Raithert as Pope tries to tie him up.
Pope misses with a punch to the body.
The referee calls for Raithert to work.
Pope misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pope misses with the head strike.
Raithert stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The crowd are getting on Raithert's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.

Raithert breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raithert ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pope moves away.
Pope looks to score with a jab to the body but Raithert is just out of range.
A slow jab from Raithert misses its intended target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pope. Raithert does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pope doesn't manage to clinch there - Raithert circles away.
Raithert misses with a double jab.
Pope clobbers Raithert with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Raithert lands a nice hook to Pope's body. Pope takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pope throws a big shot that misses.
Raithert lands with a nice body punch.
Pope misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pope swings for the body but Raithert moves out of range.
Pope throws a series of punches but Raithert avoids them all with ease.

Pope drives through and clinches with Raithert against the cage.
Raithert is trying to break the clinch but Pope is controlling him.
Stalling in the clinch from Raithert.
Raithert blocks a body shot from Pope.

Raithert breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raithert throws a hook to the side of Pope's head but Pope sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Raithert misses with a series of wild punches.
Pope lands a jab.
Pope misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Raithert.
Pope on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Pope misses with a series of wild punches.
Raithert throws out a loose jab but Pope uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raithert gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Pope lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Raithert connects with a crisp jab.
Raithert walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Pope slips under a jab.
Pope works over Raithert's head and body with a nice combination.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Raithert takes one to the chin there.
Pope lands a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raithert misses with an uppercut. Pope saw that one coming.
Pope avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Raithert takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Raithert fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pope manages to avoid it.
Pope slips under a jab.
Pope moves in looking to clinch but Raithert pushes him off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Raithert. Pope does a little dance to reset his feet.
Raithert throws a big shot that misses.
Pope looks to land a combination. Raithert sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Raithert misses with a wild body shot.
Pope bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Raithert's head.

Pope moves into the clinch successfully.
A bit of stalling here from Pope.
Raithert has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Pope scores with a nice hook to the head.
Raithert blocks a body shot from Pope.
Raithert prevents a body shot from Pope.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope is looking to control Raithert's arms but Raithert gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pope has his back to the cage.
Pope has a couple of punches blocked by Raithert.
Raithert has Pope pushed against the cage.
Raithert blocking some punches.
Raithert can't break the clinch.

Raithert breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Raithert misses with a low kick.
Pope loads up on a big right hand but Raithert slips the punch.
Raithert throws an overhand right that lands on Pope's shoulder, as Pope tries to avoid the shot.
Raithert staying out of range there.
Raithert with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pope to score with a decent uppercut.
Raithert takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Pope rushes Raithert and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raithert is trying to break the clinch but Pope has him pressed against the cage.
Pope tries a body shot but Raithert blocks it.
Raithert throws a head punch that misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Pope.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Luther Pope will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Luther Pope's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pope thuds a left hand into Raithert's body.
Pope looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pope throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Raithert stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Raithert waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pope.
Pope moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Raithert on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pope is looking to slow Raithert down with leg kicks.
Pope ducks under a wild hook from Raithert.
Nice shot by Pope.
Pope lands with a right hand.
Pope staying out of range there.
Pope just misses with a punch to the body.
Pope lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Raithert backs up against the cage.

Raithert is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Pope is throwing a storm of strikes! Right hook, left hook and follows it up with a spinning back fist! Raithert hits the canvas like a rag doll! And just like that, this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Luther Pope!