PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between David James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Rabi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Rocky Rabi was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

James
vs
Rabi

178 cm
20
164 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

179 cm
21
161 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, David James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Rocky Rabi!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

James throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rabi tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. James is in Rabi's guard.
James tries to stand but Rabi is controlling from the bottom.
James trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Rabi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
James controlling from the top position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
James wants to stand but Rabi is controlling his posture from full guard.
James has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rabi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
James stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rabi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. David James wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rabi shoots and misses

and James counters with a single leg into guard. Rabi didn't expect that.

James stands up from Rabi's guard - James perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rabi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and James counters with a two punch combo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by James!

James closes the distance and clinches.
Rabi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but James pulls him back up using the underhooks.
David James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Rabi.
Rabi looks gassed!
Rabi is working for takedown but James is calmly controlling the position for now.
James wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rabi has him pressed against the cage.
James is trying to break the clinch but Rabi is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rabi has James pressed against the cage, preventing James from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
James stops a takedown attempt from Rabi.

James escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rabi shoots and misses

and James counters with a crisp one two that drops Rabi! James thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Rabi to his feet! Rabi is in big trouble!

James lands a left and a right that send Rabi crashing to the mat, dazed. James thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Rabi is rocked!

James shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Rabi manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Rabi is still in real trouble! Can James finish him?
James looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Rabi seems to have recovered his senses.
James seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rabi for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

James gets to his feet. Rabi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rabi misses with a takedown

and James counters with a takedown into side control.

James stands up.
James scores with a jab. Rabi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

James gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rabi tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rabi wants a takedown but no success here.

James breaks from the clinch.
Rabi tries for a takedown but James circles away easily
and James counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Some wild striking there from James.
James lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rabi tries for a takedown but James circles away easily
and James counters with a straight right hand.
James's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and James duly obliges.

James has Rabi up against the cage in a clinch.
Rabi tries to score a body lock takedown but James shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

James breaks the clinch.
Rabi shoots and misses
and James counters with a nice uppercut.
Rabi slips a jab and a cross from James.

James closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

James closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rabi quickly recovers to half guard.
Rabi is not content to let James control the position.
James tries to stand and escape but Rabi is controlling the position.
James missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
James stalling away here and it's allowed Rabi to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
James stopping the sweep attempt from Rabi.

James stands up and waves to Rabi to follow him.
Rabi is trying desperately to land a takedown but James is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Rabi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James throws a one two combo.
Rabi misses with a takedown attempt
and James counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rocky Rabi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rabi fails with the takedown
enabling James to counter with a crisp jab.
James scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Rabi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Rabi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and James counters with a nice double leg into guard.
David James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Rabi.
This has been an exciting period of action!

James stands up from Rabi's guard - James perhaps looking for a knockout.

James darts in and clinches Rabi up against the cage.
Rabi is trying to work for a single leg takedown but James pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
James throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
David James is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
James feints a jab promting Rabi to slip. James then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Rabi slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rabi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rabi fails with the takedown
and James counters with a stiff right hand.
A left and a right from James both land. Nice combination.
Rabi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and James counters with a takedown into side control.

James has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
James throws a nice looking combination but Rabi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rabi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.
James is working the combinations to good effect here.
James misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James dives in and grabs Rabi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rabi pushes down on James's head and hops out.
Rabi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rabi fails with the takedown
and James connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
James moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nice sprawl there from James as Rabi shoots in.

James fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rabi, pushing him back against the cage.
Rabi wants a takedown but no success here.

James escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rabi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and James counters with a two punch combo.
Rabi misses with a takedown
and James counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
James closes the distance and clinches up with Rabi, looking for a takedown. James pushes Rabi against the cage but Rabi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rabi can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rabi is trying hard to land a takedown here. James sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Rabi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from James.
James tries to clinch there but Rabi circles away.
David James is winning the standup battle so far.
Rabi tries for a takedown but James circles away easily
and James counters with a three punch combo that has Rabi backing up. Rabi nods at James to acknowledge the strikes.
Rabi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and James holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Rabi is working for takedown but James is calmly controlling the position for now.
James gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rabi.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rabi with a poor takedown

and James counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.
James stops a takedown attempt from Rabi.
Rabi has James pressed against the cage, preventing James from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

James breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David James dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

James dives in and scores a takedown into Rabi's guard.
James with a flurry of punches that miss.
James wants to pass the guard but Rabi is keeping the position.
Rabi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
James is trying to stand back up but Rabi is controlling him

Rabi is working for a submission of some sort.

James pushes Rabi off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rabi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? James is fending him off so far but Rabi persists. Nope, James circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rabi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A left and a right from James both land. Nice combination.
Rabi takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rabi shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and James counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
James is pressed up against the cage. Rabi has hold of a leg and is looking to drag James down to the mat. James avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
David James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Rabi.
Rabi tries for a takedown but James circles away easily
and James counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Rabi takes one to the side of the head.
Rabi misses with a takedown

and James counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Rabi looking for a guillotine here but James defends easily.
Rabi is trying to control the position but James postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James's corner is telling him to maintain position.
James won't allow Rabi to sweep him here.
David James overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
James wants to control from the top but Rabi keeps moving.

Rabi is working an open guard so James takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
James throws a series of punches but Rabi moves out of range.
Rabi misses with a takedown attempt

and James holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
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!
Rabi is working for takedown but James is calmly controlling the position for now.

James's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James digs a good hook to Rabi's body.
Rabi gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and James counters with a stiff right hand.

James instigates a clinch.
Rabi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. James is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

James breaks from the clinch.
Rabi takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
James is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

James decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rabi moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

James gets to his feet. Rabi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rabi doesn't succeed with the takedown
and James counters with a stiff right hand.
James scores with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rabi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
James throws a series of punches but Rabi moves out of range.

Rabi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Rabi 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 trying to stand up here but Rabi is controlling him well.
Rocky Rabi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Rabi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

James manages to escape and get back to his feet!

And that's the end of the fight!
David James showed his dominance in that final round.
Well James has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:25
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:25
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David James!