PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Samin Ax (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Te Rauparaha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Te Rauparaha has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ax
vs
Rauparaha

176 cm
29
140 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

168 cm
23
143 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Sex Panther!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Samin Ax!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Te Rauparaha!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rauparaha dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ax. That did some damage!
Ax has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Rauparaha digs a good body shot into Ax's ribs.

Rauparaha rushes Ax and presses him up against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rauparaha.
Rauparaha scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ax blocks a body shot from Rauparaha.
Rauparaha tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ax's elbow.
Rauparaha tries to work over Ax's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rauparaha misses with a body punch.
Rauparaha throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Axs head.
Rauparaha lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ax backwards.
Rauparaha manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Rauparaha lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rauparaha prevents it.
Rauparaha tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ax's elbow.
A short left from Rauparaha.
Ax's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A nice right hand lands inside from Rauparaha.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Rauparaha tries a body shot but Ax blocks it.
Ax blocks a body shot from Rauparaha.
Rauparaha tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ax's elbow.
Rauparaha lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rauparaha doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rauparaha stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rauparaha gets through Ax's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Rauparaha.
Rauparaha lands a shot to the body.
A short right from Rauparaha on the inside.
Rauparaha lands with a right to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rauparaha presses Ax against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rauparaha lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ax backwards.
Rauparaha lands a body shot.
Rauparaha lands a shot to the body.
Rauparaha lands with a left to the head.
Rauparaha lands an uppercut.
A right handed body shot lands from Rauparaha.
Ax is breathing heavily.
Rauparaha can't find room to land a body shot as Ax controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rauparaha lands a body shot.
Rauparaha scores with a shoulder strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rauparaha.
Rauparaha digs a right hand underneath Ax's ribcage. Ax let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Ax prevents a body shot from Rauparaha.
Ax fails to pull guard.
Good body shot from Rauparaha.
Rauparaha controlling the action here for a moment.
Rauparaha working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rauparaha lands a nice shot to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Rauparaha.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ax changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Rauparaha fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Samin Ax. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ax swings away with a body shot that misses
and Rauparaha counters with a nice kick to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rauparaha ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rauparaha connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Rauparaha lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Rauparaha catches Ax with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Ax is rocked!

Rauparaha rushes Ax and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rauparaha lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rauparaha lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Oh Ax is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rauparaha stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Te Rauparaha dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rauparaha scores with a spinning back kick!
Ax seems to have got his legs back now.

Ax changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rauparaha looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Ax is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rauparaha knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ax misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Rauparaha is trying to get back to half guard.
Rauparaha managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Ax.
Ax wants to control but Rauparaha is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Ax laying and praying for a moment but Rauparaha takes advantage and regains half guard.
Rauparaha has his hands clasped together around Ax's back. He's all about the action.
Ax is looking to advance position but Rauparaha won't allow it.
Ax throwing shots but Rauparaha is blocking nicely.
Rauparaha wants to improve his position but Ax is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ax trying to control the action but Rauparaha is working from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rauparaha manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ax postures up in Rauparaha's guard and throws a big left but Rauparaha blocks it.
Ax keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rauparaha's head.
Ax trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rauparaha working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ax.
Ax working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ax accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ax throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ax wants to control from the top but Rauparaha keeps moving.
Rauparaha preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rauparaha manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Rauparaha is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Crunch! Rauparaha slams his shin into Ax's torso.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Rauparaha lands a big head kick that sends Ax tumbling to the mat! Rauparaha takes a step backwards and waves Ax back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Samin Ax has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rauparaha moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ax. Rauparaha does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ax avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rauparaha cracks Ax with an open hand slap.
Rauparaha is looking to clinch.
Rauparaha has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rauparaha throws a quick inside leg kick.
Ax fails with a takedown attempt.
Ax chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rauparaha can pounce on him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Te Rauparaha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Samin Ax's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A chopping leg kick lands by Rauparaha.
Rauparaha thuds a left hand into Ax's body.
Rauparaha dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rauparaha.
Ax fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rauparaha avoids it really well and circles away.
Ax on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Te Rauparaha seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rauparaha digs a good body shot into Ax's ribs.
Rauparaha throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ax.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rauparaha moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rauparaha is looking to slow Ax down with leg kicks.
Te Rauparaha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rauparaha lands a big head kick that sends Ax tumbling to the mat! Rauparaha takes a step backwards and waves Ax back to his feet - he wants the finish!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rauparaha throws a leg kick which misses Ax's front leg but catches the back leg as Ax tries to avoid it.
Rauparaha is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Ax rather than just go for the knockout.
Ax shoots for a double leg takedown but Rauparaha sprawls well. He's pushed Ax's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rauparaha lands with a nice body punch.

Rauparaha drops Ax with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Ax looks back up at him and smiles so Rauparaha waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Rauparaha feints and then cracks Ax's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ax down.

Ax gets tackled into the cage by Rauparaha. Rauparaha maintains the clinch.
Rauparaha lands an uppercut in the clinch that drops Ax to his knees! Rauparaha keeps firing more shots against his stricken opponent and the referee jumps in to save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Te Rauparaha!
After winning the bout, Te Rauparaha thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.