PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sam Mckenzie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raitis Krakovskis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raitis Krakovskis will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mckenzie
vs
Krakovskis

184 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Mckenzie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Raitis Krakovskis!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Donald Grub and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Krakovskis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mckenzie throws a wild body kick that Krakovskis sees coming a mile off.
Krakovskis looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Krakovskis lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Mckenzie swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Krakovskis counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Krakovskis looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Mckenzie!
Mckenzie is looking to regain half guard here but Krakovskis keeps moving and retains side control.
Krakovskis fails to land a wild elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krakovskis wants to stand but Mckenzie has his arm trapped.
Krakovskis laying and praying for a moment but Mckenzie takes advantage and regains half guard.
Mckenzie trying to control but Krakovskis postures up.
Krakovskis is trying to control the action in half guard but Mckenzie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Krakovskis wants to pass to mount but Mckenzie is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mckenzie has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Krakovskis is working away from the top position though.
Mckenzie really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mckenzie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Krakovskis.

Krakovskis goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mckenzie rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Krakovskis's guard! Nice work there by Mckenzie!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krakovskis wants to get back to his feet but Mckenzie passes into half guard.
Krakovskis misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Krakovskis trying to control but Mckenzie postures up.
Krakovskis is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mckenzie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mckenzie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Krakovskis defending well though.
Krakovskis slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mckenzie preventing the sweep.
Mckenzie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mckenzie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mckenzie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mckenzie postures up in Krakovskis's guard and throws a big left but Krakovskis blocks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mckenzie is working Krakovskis over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Krakovskis wants to hit a switch here but Mckenzie passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Krakovskis there!

Mckenzie is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Krakovskis to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Krakovskis shrugs it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raitis Krakovskis dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Krakovskis works over Mckenzie's head and body with a nice combination.
Mckenzie has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Krakovskis swinging wildly here.

Krakovskis drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mckenzie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Krakovskis wants to stand but Mckenzie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mckenzie keeping full guard, as Krakovskis tries to pass.
Krakovskis wants to stand but Mckenzie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mckenzie 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.
Krakovskis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Krakovskis is pushing down on Mckenzie's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mckenzie is fighting to maintain full guard but Krakovskis has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mckenzie is looking to improve his position.
Mckenzie is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krakovskis looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Krakovskis tries to pass to full mount but Mckenzie defends it.

Krakovskis is working for a kimura but Mckenzie is defending it quite comfortably.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krakovskis trying to control the action but Mckenzie is working from the bottom.
Mckenzie is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Krakovskis's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Krakovskis's back!

Mckenzie is looking for a rear naked choke here but Krakovskis reverses the position brilliantly into Mckenzie's guard!
Mckenzie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mckenzie being controlled here, momentarily.
Krakovskis tries to free his leg and advance position but Mckenzie is retaining full guard.
Raitis Krakovskis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Krakovskis preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Krakovskis accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raitis Krakovskis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Krakovskis closes the distance and pushes Mckenzie back into the cage.
Mckenzie wants to take the fight to the mat but Krakovskis manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Krakovskis manages to break the clinch.
Krakovskis misses with a series of wild punches.
Mckenzie throws a push kick but Krakovskis slaps the foot to one side.

Krakovskis gets a takedown into half guard.
Krakovskis stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mckenzie is looking to control Krakovskis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Mckenzie avoid being mounted?

That's two 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.

Raitis Krakovskis has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Krakovskis fails to land with a series of punches.

Krakovskis moves into the clinch.

Krakovskis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Krakovskis dodges the punch combination from Mckenzie.
Krakovskis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mckenzie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sam Mckenzie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Mckenzie enables Krakovskis to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Mckenzie manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Krakovskis is looking to stand up but Mckenzie won't let him.
Krakovskis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mckenzie keeping full guard, as Krakovskis tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krakovskis wants to control from the top but Mckenzie keeps moving.
Mckenzie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Krakovskis trying to stand up but can't free himself from Mckenzie's guard.

Raitis Krakovskis has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Krakovskis takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Krakovskis thows a body shot but no joy.

Krakovskis shoots in and bounces Mckenzie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Krakovskis stands up and waves to Mckenzie to follow him.
Mckenzie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Raitis Krakovskis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Krakovskis rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mckenzie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sam Mckenzie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Krakovskis throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mckenzie sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Sam Mckenzie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raitis Krakovskis is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Krakovskis scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raitis Krakovskis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Krakovskis has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raitis Krakovskis!