PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lay Pray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makebono Bowen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pray comes to the cage accompanied by Don't Fear the Reaper- Blue Oyster Cult. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Pray
vs
Bowen

225 cm
46
300 lbs
16 - 41 - 0

225 cm
43
300 lbs
29 - 74 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 41 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lay Pray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 74 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Makebono Bowen!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bowen gets a clinch.
Bowen looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Pray drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bowen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Bowen stops a takedown attempt from Pray.

Pray jumps into guard, dragging Bowen to the mat.

Pray has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Bowen has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Pray is trying to pull guard but Bowen has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lay Pray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bowen is struggling to control the position.
Pray drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bowen gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Pray is looking to take this one to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pray tries for a takedown. No joy.

Pray has picked Bowen up - he's going for a ride! Pray dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Pray controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bowen pushes Pray off looking to stand but Pray dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Pray is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Bowen is trying to stand up here but Pray is controlling him well.
Pray content to control rather than advance.

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.
Pray 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.
Bowen is trying to stand.
Bowen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Pray scores with a couple of nice shots.
Pray performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Pray passes to side control.
Bowen being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pray lands some shots froms side control.
Pray taking a breather here.
Pray lands an elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pray is staying tight to Bowen's torso, preventing him from escaping.

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.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bowen wants to clinch

and Pray decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Bowen's guard.
Pray seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lay Pray dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bowen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pray.
We've been informed that Bowen has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Pray goes for a double leg but Bowen avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bowen continues to drive forward.
Bowen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pray swats away the attempt to clinch by Bowen.
Bowen is looking to clinch but Pray is avoiding it.
Pray looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bowen is fending him off so far but Pray persists. Nope, Bowen circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lay Pray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bowen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pray shoots in for a takedown but Bowen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bowen throws a head kick that misses.
Lay Pray is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pray gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Bowen tries to close the distance and clinch but Pray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bowen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pray circles away quickly and effectively.
Makebono Bowen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bowen stuffs the takedown attempt from Pray. Pray gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pray closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bowen circles away.
Bowen rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pray moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Bowen doesn't manage to clinch there - Pray circles away.
Pray shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bowen sprawls well. Bowen wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pray gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowen tries to clinch there but Pray circles away.
Pray seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Bowen wants to clinch up but Pray keeps it at a distance.
Bowen tries to clinch but Pray moves out of range.

Bowen rushes Pray and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Bowen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pray fails with the takedown.
Pray circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Bowen as Pray shoots in.

Bowen has closed the distance and engaged Pray in a clinch.
Bowen connects with a knee to the head.
Bowen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pray has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bowen after a bit of a struggle.
Come on Bowen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pray.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pray is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bowen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bowen has Pray pushed against the cage.

Pray successfully pulls guard.
Bowen wanted to stand there but Pray had control of the position.
Pray bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bowen's guard.

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!
Bowen is looking to stand up but Pray isn't so interested in that idea.
Pray controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pray has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pray works over Bowen with some ground and pound from guard.
Pray content to stall in guard here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bowen tries to clinch but Pray is having none of it.
Pray drops down looking for a counter takedown but Bowen sprawls and moves away.
Pray tries to bum rush Bowen with a series of wild strikes but Bowen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bowen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bowen wants it to stay on the feet.
Pray shoots in but no luck this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makebono Bowen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Bowen moves into the clinch.
Pray is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Pray is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bowen gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Bowen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Bowen leaning his opponent against the cage.
Pray tries to pull guard but Bowen won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lay Pray. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pray is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Bowen can't fight it off and eventually Pray manages to take the fight to the floor. Bowen looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bowen wants to get back to his feet but Pray is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bowen being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lay Pray overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Pray is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Bowen can't fight it off and eventually Pray manages to take the fight to the floor. Bowen looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Pray looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Pray cracks Bowen with a solid left hand.
Pray stops Bowen from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pray is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Pray content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pray is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bowen tries to close the distance and clinch but Pray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bowen just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromPray.
Bowen tries to clinch up but Pray circles away and keeps his distance.
Bowen moves in looking to clinch but Pray pushes him off.
Pray changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bowen tries to avoid it but Pray manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bowen to the ground. Bowen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pray tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bowen swivels and escapes.
Pray misses with a wild combination.

Bowen rushes Pray and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pray has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bowen regains guard immediately.
Pray prevents Bowen from getting back to his feet.
Pray controlling from the top position.
Bowen is looking to stand up but Pray isn't so interested in that idea.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pray sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lay Pray showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pray 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lay Pray!
Lay Pray was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.