PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yazan Al Naber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raffik Rassman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yazan Al Naber has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Al Naber
vs
Rassman

193 cm
22
295 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

206 cm
22
290 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yazan Al Naber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raffik Rassman!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Naber looks to land a combination but Rassman avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Al Naber.
Rassman fails with an attempt to clinch.

Al Naber shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Al Naber thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Al Naber throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Rassman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Poor strikes thrown by Al Naber there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Al Naber looking to control but Rassman is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Al Naber wants to finish this one by submission but Rassman is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Al Naber.
Rassman is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Al Naber goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rassman turns into him and now he's in Al Naber's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rassman looking to pass the guard.
Rassman with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rassman wants to control from the top but Al Naber keeps moving.
Al Naber working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rassman.
Rassman trying to control but Al Naber is working from the bottom.
Rassman passes Al Naber's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Al Naber has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rassman is working away from the top position though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rassman doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Al Naber counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Naber seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Al Naber wants to stand but Rassman has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rassman manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Al Naber is breathing heavily.
Rassman trying to control the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Rassman is on top in guard.
Rassman connects with a couple of short punches.
Al Naber might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rassman prevents Al Naber from getting back to his feet.
Rassman lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Rassman drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Rassman jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rassman scoring with some ground and pound.
Rassman trying to control but Al Naber is working from the bottom.
Rassman is looking to work some ground and pound but Al Naber has wrist control.
Rassman tries to free his leg and advance position but Al Naber is retaining full guard.
Al Naber with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Rassman can't handle though.
Rassman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rassman scoring with punches to the head and body.
Rassman stands up over Al Naber, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rassman loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rassman landing some decent shots from guard.
Rassman throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rassman landing some decent shots from guard.
Rassman wants to control from the top but Al Naber keeps moving.
Rassman might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Al Naber kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Al Naber bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rassman's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Yazan Al Naber will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Al Naber throws a sloppy head kick and Rassman moves out of range easily.

Rassman shoots in and bounces Al Naber off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rassman working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Al Naber is trying to keep Rassman in close.
Rassman trying to control but Al Naber is working from the bottom.
Al Naber tries to strike from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rassman cracks Al Naber with a solid left hand.
Al Naber keeping moving, preventing Rassman from controlling successfully.
Rassman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rassman passes Al Naber's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
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.
Al Naber is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rassman scores with a couple of nice shots.
Al Naber is staying active underneath Rassman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rassman winds up and cracks Al Naber with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Al Naber blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rassman.
Rassman passes to full mount!
Al Naber tries to buck Rassman off but he can't manage it.
Rassman controlling the position easily from mount.
Al Naber is trying to reverse the position but instead Rassman has taken his back - oops!

Rassman looking to break Al Naber's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Al Naber remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Rassman will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Rassman is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Al Naber defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Al Naber is really stuck here.
Al Naber holding both Rassman 's hands and preventing any damage.
Al Naber wants to escape the position.
Raffik Rassman has got the better of the ground game so far.
Al Naber has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Rassman tries to keep control of the position but Al Naber is staying busy.
Rassman lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rassman lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Naber is really stuck here.
Rassman scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Al Naber is looking for a way out.

Rassman working for the choke.

Rassman has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Al Naber is in real trouble here. Rassman gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Al Naber is tapping out! Rassman wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Raffik Rassman!