PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig Rave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arstan Selmy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rave kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is What Happened?. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rave
vs
Selmy

185 cm
39
193 lbs
33 - 26 - 0

190 cm
29
198 lbs
11 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

GREEN!160

Spartan Nutrition
Museum of Monsters & Madmen

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 33 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Craig Rave!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Arstan Selmy!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Selmy. Rave does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rave is looking to counter punch.
Selmy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rave. Rave obviously looking to wear him down.
Selmy jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Jab from Rave.
A good leg kick by Rave.
Selmy looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Selmy throws a body shot but no joy.
Selmy shoots in looking for a takedown but Rave manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Selmy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A left lands for Rave.
Rave misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Selmy misses with a double jab.
Selmy scores with a hook.
Selmy takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Selmy throws a nice outside leg kick.
Selmy displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Rave.
Selmy jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selmy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Selmy misses with a low kick.
Selmy wants to clinch.
Selmy cracks Rave with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Rave fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Selmy.
Rave scores with a crisp jab that stopped Selmy in his tracks.
A head kick misses from Selmy.
Rave misses with a body shot
and Selmy counters with a nice uppercut.
Rave connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Selmy's hands.
Selmy misses with a wild body shot.
Rave changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Selmy thows a leg kick but Rave checks it
and Rave counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Rave lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rave moves out of range of the leg kick from Selmy.
Rave throwing a counter right hand but Selmy manages to avoid it.
Selmy fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rave has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Rave moves out of range of the strikes.

Selmy shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rave's guard.
Rave looking to hit a scissor sweep but Selmy is one step ahead there.
Rave throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Rave wants to sweep here but Selmy controlling him for the moment.
Selmy trying to control but Rave is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selmy is stalling in the full guard.
Selmy trying to control the position from guard on top but Rave is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rave thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Rave has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Selmy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Selmy passes Rave's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rave tries to get to full guard but Selmy has control of the leg.
Selmy is taking a breather. Rave says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Selmy misses with a two punch combination.
Rave changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Rave throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rave shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Selmy pinned against the cage. Selmy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A low kick from Rave misses
and Selmy counters with a lovely shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Selmy throws a low kick but Rave moves out of range easily.
Selmy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Selmy tries to bum rush Rave with a series of wild strikes but Rave uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Selmy connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Selmy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rave thumps Selmy with a low kick.
Selmy lands with a thumping leg kick.
Selmy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rave appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Selmy takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Rave connects with the punch.
Rave shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Selmy sprawls well. Selmy wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rave gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rave fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Selmy on the side of the head.
Selmy misses with a low kick as Rave jumps back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selmy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Rave closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Selmy is trying is best to control the position here.
Rave frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Selmy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rave controlling the position easily from mount.
Rave dominating with strikes here.
Selmy felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rave tries to control but Selmy wriggling away.
Rave landing strikes from the mount and Selmy is in trouble!
Rave lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Selmy tries to lock up and control but Rave gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rave landing strikes from the mount and Selmy is in trouble!
Selmy reaches up to try and control the position but Rave seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Selmy rolls and tries to escape and now Rave has his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Selmy tries to escape the position.
Selmy is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Rave gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selmy has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Rave.
Rave connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Selmy to escape the position.
Selmy trying to control the action but Rave just sinks the hooks in.
Selmy is keeping busy.

Rave is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Selmy is defending well though. Rave let's go of the attempt for now.

Rave has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Rave is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Selmy just trying to survive but Rave is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Selmy tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Rave trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Selmy regains half guard.
Rave thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rave looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Rave dominated that second round.
That's time! Rave's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Rave throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A good leg kick by Selmy.
Arstan Selmy seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Selmy misses with a body shot

and Rave counters with a nice double leg into side control. Selmy won't be happy with that.
Selmy is looking for a sweep.
Selmy dodges the ground and pound from Rave.
Rave wants to lay and pray for a moment but Selmy keeps working.
Selmy can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Selmy taking a bit of punishment here - Rave scoring with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rave is looking to take a break and control but Selmy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rave tries to score with some ground and pound. Selmy controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rave working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Selmy tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rave wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Selmy's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Rave looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Selmy stops Rave from passing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Selmy can't do much from the bottom here.
Selmy gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rave working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Selmy wants to improve his position but Rave is controlling well.
Rave wants to pass the guard but Selmy is defending well.
Selmy taking some punishment here, with Rave in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selmy gets back to full guard.

Selmy had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rave defends it easily.

Selmy looking for a guillotine here but Rave defends easily.
Selmy keeping moving, preventing Rave from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Selmy wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Selmy has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Rave can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Selmy keeping full guard, as Rave tries to pass.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Selmy.
A head kick misses from Rave.
A countering left hand to the body from Selmy misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rave throws a shot to the body.
We've been told by Rave's head coaches at Bloodsport Gym 16 Elites that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Selmy throws a head kick but Rave moves out of range.
Rave looks to score with a jab to the body but Selmy is just out of range.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Selmy lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rave has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rave and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Rave showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rave 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Rave!
An out of breath Craig Rave thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.