PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cody Raeken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexei Lopatin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raeken comes to the cage accompanied by Sour Patch Kids by Bryce Vine. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Raeken
vs
Lopatin

187 cm
23
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Cody Raeken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Alexei Lopatin!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Peter Branson and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raeken tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lopatin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lopatin stuffs the takedown attempt from Raeken. Raeken gets slowly back to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Lopatin. No joy for Raeken on that attempt.
Lopatin avoids a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Raeken throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sloppy strikes from Raeken. Those never looked like landing.
Lopatin wants to counter the offense by Raeken and move into the clinch position.

Lopatin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Raeken quickly recovers to half guard.
Lopatin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopatin thows a huge punch but Raeken dodges it nicely.
Raeken keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopatin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Lopatin is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Raeken won't allow Lopatin to pass to mount.
Lopatin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lopatin stops Raeken from getting back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lopatin in particular looking to stall.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Lopatin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Lopatin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Lopatin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Lopatin controlling the position from side mount.
Lopatin postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Raeken is trying to get back to half guard.
Lopatin throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Raeken gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Lopatin content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopatin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lopatin thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Raeken wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lopatin.
Lopatin looking to control and managing it successfully.
Lopatin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopatin moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Raeken has worked his arm free - good work by Raeken!
Lopatin controls the position.
Raeken is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Lopatin asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Raeken can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopatin controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Raeken tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopatin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raeken looks for the body kick but Lopatin saw that one coming.
And Lopatin tries to counter it with a takedown but Raeken pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Raeken throws a head kick that misses.

Lopatin shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Raeken is trying to defend but Lopatin finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Raeken moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Lopatin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopatin 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.
Lopatin trying to control the position but Raeken is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopatin content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
The strikes coming from Lopatin are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Raeken gets back to half guard.

Lopatin seems to be working for a kimura but Raeken defends the submission attempt.

Lopatin is working for a submission of some sort.

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.
Lopatin is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Raeken!
Lopatin takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Raeken holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lopatin tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raeken is trying to escape the mount.
Lopatin trying to control but Raeken is having none of it.
Lopatin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lopatin trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Alexei Lopatin has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Lopatin controlling from mount.
Raeken holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lopatin tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Lopatin looking to control and managing it successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Raeken is wriggling around trying to escape.
Lopatin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexei Lopatin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Raeken shoots in and gets a takedown into Lopatin's guard.
Raeken throwing strikes but missing.

Lopatin has an active guard here but Raeken has managed to pass into half guard.

Raeken is working for a submission of some sort.
Lopatin manages to get to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Raeken has gone for a leg lock! Lopatin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Raeken's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Raeken has an active guard here but Lopatin has managed to pass into half guard.
Lopatin passes the guard and advances to mount!
Lopatin looking to land elbow strikes but Raeken uses the position to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopatin controlling the action here.
Lopatin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lopatin tries to pass the half guard into mount. Raeken knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lopatin controlling the action here.
Raeken flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopatin stalling.
Raeken regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Lopatin.
Raeken preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Raeken throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Lopatin escapes and throws Raeken's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopatin controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Raeken tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lopatin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Lopatin 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.
Cody Raeken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopatin remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Alexei Lopatin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Lopatin drives through with a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexei Lopatin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lopatin winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexei Lopatin!