PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between JohnMike Apuan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raul Karhim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karhim has chosen Three Days Grace - The Good Life as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Raul Karhim has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Apuan
vs
Karhim

180 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, JohnMike Apuan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Raul Karhim!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Summer Carpenter and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Apuan rushes Karhim and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Karhim pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Apuan changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Karhim looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Karhim tries to improve position but can't.
Apuan just content to control the position.
Apuan working the body and head with strikes.
Karhim is not content to let Apuan control the position.
Apuan is really struggling to control Karhim but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Apuan tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Karhim struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Apuan decides to stand back up. Apuan steps back and let's Karhim get back to his feet.
Karhim throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Karhim looks gassed!
Apuan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Karhim moves in looking to clinch but Apuan pushes him off.
Karhim tries to bum rush Apuan with a series of wild strikes but Apuan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Horrible takedown by Apuan or perhaps it was just good defense by Karhim which made him look bad.
Raul Karhim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Apuan drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Karhim had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Apuan defends it easily.
Apuan trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apuan prevents Karhim from getting back to his feet.
Apuan won't allow Karhim to sweep him here.
Apuan wants to control from the top but Karhim keeps moving.

Karhim is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Apuan defends well.
Apuan trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Apuan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apuan is looking to take a break and control but Karhim is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Apuan moves into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karhim is desperately trying to improve his position but Apuan has a good base and remains in mount.
A nice elbow there by Apuan.
Apuan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Karhim is looking to escape.
Apuan controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Apuan tries to control but Karhim wriggling away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Karhim throwing hammer fists to the chest of Apuan. What's that going to do exactly?
Apuan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Karhim taking shots to the head.
Apuan controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JohnMike Apuan dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Apuan connects with a high kick.
Apuan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Apuan closes the distance and clinches up with Karhim, looking for a takedown. Apuan pushes Karhim against the cage but Karhim circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Apuan scores with a jab to the head.

Apuan closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Karhim misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Apuan working away.
Apuan working the ground and pound from side control.
Apuan is working Karhim over with some ground and pound from side control.
Apuan working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Karhim manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Apuan is looking for a kimura but Karhim is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Apuan to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apuan tries to pass the half guard into mount. Karhim knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karhim is trying to control but can't.
Karhim wants to get back to full guard.
Karhim trying to hold on to Apuan's head to control him but Apuan postures up.
Karhim tries to get to full guard but Apuan has control of the leg.
Apuan stalling away here and it's allowed Karhim to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Apuan's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Apuan is looking to work some ground and pound but Karhim has wrist control.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Apuan shoots in looking for a takedown. Karhim tries to sprawl out of it but Apuan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Karhim manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Karhim throws a front kick that sends Apuan stumbling back into the cage.
Apuan fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JohnMike Apuan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Karhim instigates a clinch.

Karhim breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Karhim stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Karhim wants it to stay on the feet.
Karhim throws a right and a left that Apuan avoids nicely.
Karhim tries to clinch but Apuan moves out of range.
Karhim looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Apuan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Karhim.
Karhim misses with a jab, cross combination.
Apuan doesn't manage to clinch there - Karhim circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karhim throws a nice looking combination but Apuan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Karhim keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Apuan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Karhim.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Apuan is defended easily by Karhim.
Apuan slips a jab and a cross from Karhim.
Apuan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Apuan wants to clinch.
Karhim misses with a few strikes there.
Apuan wants to clinch.

That's four 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.
Apuan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Karhim sprawls well. Karhim wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Apuan gets slowly back to his feet.
Apuan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Apuan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Karhim's waist but Karhim gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Apuan off to one side.

Karhim moves into range and clinches up with Apuan.
Apuan fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Karhim pulls Apuan into guard.
Karhim is trying to keep Apuan in close.
Apuan looking to sit in guard and control but Karhim gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Apuan wants to control but Karhim passes easily into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Karhim showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Karhim connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Apuan momentarily.
Apuan lands a slapping body shot.

Apuan has managed to clinch.

Apuan gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Karhim working a defensive guard here.
Apuan trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhim looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Apuan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Karhim trying to strike off his back.
Apuan wants to control from the top but Karhim keeps moving.
Apuan wants to pass the guard but Karhim is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apuan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Karhim tries to move into range but Apuan moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Apuan scores with a takedown into Karhim's guard.

Apuan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Karhim is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Apuan is aware though and is defending well.
Apuan trying to control the position from guard on top but Karhim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Karhim is trying to control the position but Apuan postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apuan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karhim is keeping the position for now.
Karhim wants to sweep here but Apuan controlling him for the moment.

Karhim has his foot on Apuan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Apuan works his way back into a safe position though.
Apuan wants to pass the guard but Karhim is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Karhim throws a leg kick but Apuan moved away.
Karhim swats away the attempt to clinch by Apuan.
Karhim throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apuan closes this distance looking for a takedown but Karhim circles away.
Apuan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Apuan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Karhim as he avoids it easily.

Karhim instigates a clinch.
Karhim misses with a hook from the clinch.
Karhim throws a head punch that misses.
Apuan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Karhim walks away with a smile on his face. Apuan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JohnMike Apuan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Apuan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Karhim paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Karhim.
Karhim looks for a takedown but Apuan sprawls well.
Some wild striking there from Karhim.

Apuan throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Karhim was covering up waiting for the punch and Apuan finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Karhim keeping moving, preventing Apuan from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karhim working a defensive guard here.

Karhim looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Apuan controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Karhim not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
JohnMike Apuan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Apuan has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JohnMike Apuan!