PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Denny Sideman (ranked 402 p4p, 45 weight class) and Thomas Raske (ranked 616 p4p, 79 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Sideman
vs
Raske

183 cm
26
195 lbs
13 - 7 - 1

188 cm
26
185 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Groove Gear
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 13 - 7 - 1, fighting out of London, Denny Sideman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Raske!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, John Kavanagh and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sideman just misses with a punch to the body.
Sideman missing with a left hand there. Raske was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sideman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Raske circles away from the clinch attempt.
Sideman misses with a looping right.
Sideman stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Raske.
Jab, jab by Raske - just one landing.
An inside leg kick lands from Raske.
Crunch! Raske slams his shin into Sideman's torso.
Sideman throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Raske jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sideman moves out of range of the leg kick from Raske.
Sideman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Raske throws a leg kick that is checked
and Raske takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Raske bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Raske moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sideman blocks the body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Raske dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Sideman. That did some damage!
Sideman throws a body shot but no joy.
Raske avoids the body shot from Sideman.
A jab lands there for Raske.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raske bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sideman lands a head shot.
A swing and a miss from Sideman.
Sideman misses with a right hand
and Raske finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Sideman connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Raske's hands.
Raske cracks the inside of Sideman's front leg.
Sideman throws a right and a left that both miss.
Raske keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A slapping body kick lands there for Raske.
Sideman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raske lands a head kick. Sideman smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Raske misses with a straight right.
Raske tries to score with a low kick but Sideman moves his leg out of the way.
Sideman keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Raske.
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!
Sideman misses the shot to the body.
Raske lands with a kick to the ribs.
Raske digs a good body shot into Sideman's ribs.
Raske does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Sideman takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sideman tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Raske tries to score with a low kick but Sideman moves his leg out of the way.
Raske steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sideman.
Sideman tries to clinch there but Raske circles away.
Sideman moves out of range of the body kick.
Raske with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Raske scores with a leg kick.
Sideman looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Raske pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sideman back to the cage. Raske follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Raske loads up on a big right hand but Sideman slips the punch.
Sideman throws an overhand right that lands on Raske's shoulder, as Raske tries to avoid the shot.
Raske throws out a counter right but Sideman avoids it with no problem.
A slow jab from Sideman misses its intended target.
Raske swings widly with a right hand
and Sideman counters with a nice uppercut.
Sideman misses with a series of wild punches.
Raske fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Sideman checks it well.
Raske uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sideman.
Raske swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Sideman counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Sideman throws a lazy right hand but Raske sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Raske tries to land a body kick
and Sideman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raske throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A little feinted left hand from Sideman on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Raske fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Sideman has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Raske lands a head kick. Sideman smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Sideman fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Raske, pushing him back against the cage.
Sideman goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Raske tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sideman's elbow.
Sideman is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Raske misses with a short punch on the inside.
Sideman lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Sideman misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Sideman tries to circle away but Raske has him pinned against the cage.
Raske softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Raske tries a body shot but Sideman blocks it.
Sideman scores with a shoulder strike.
Raske tries a body shot but Sideman blocks it.
Sideman lands with a short shot to the head.
Raske tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Sideman breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sideman. Raske does a little dance to reset his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Raske misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Sideman, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Raske fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A jab from Raske does it's job there.

Sideman clinches up against the cage.
Sideman tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Raske's elbow.
Raske throws a punch but it's blocked by Sideman.
Raske working aggressively here.
Raske has a couple of punches blocked by Sideman.
Raske has a couple of punches blocked by Sideman.
Sideman lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Raske backwards.
Raske lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Raske lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sideman backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Raske fails to land.
Sideman blocking some punches.
Raske tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sideman scores with a nice hook to the head.

It looks like Thomas Raske has been cut.
Raske misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sideman misses with a punch to the body.
Raske misses with a punch to the body.
Sideman has a couple of punches blocked by Raske.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Raske dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Thomas Raske's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sideman throws a shot to the body.
Thomas Raske seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sideman looks to land a left hand but Raske moved out of range nicely.
Raske misses with a body kick.
Raske misses with a low kick.
A left lands for Sideman.
Raske smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Sideman throws a looping overhand right but Raske ducks down to avoid it.
Raske feints a counter leg kick.
Sideman fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Sideman instigates a clinch.
Raske misses with some punches.
Raske has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Sideman seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Raske can turn it around.
Sideman throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Raskes head.

Sideman breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Raske throws the kick towards the body but Sideman avoids it.
Raske lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sideman moves out of range of the body kick from Raske.
Raske displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sideman throws out the jab.
Raske looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Raske loads up on a big right hand but Sideman slips the punch.
Sideman misses with a looping left.
Raske pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sideman is out of range and Raske settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raske tries a head kick but it misses.
Sideman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raske.
Raske finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Sideman lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nice straight punches there by Raske. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Raske.
Sideman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Despite the aggression on Raske's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Raske lands a nice looking body shot.
Sideman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raske manages to avoid it.
Raske fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Sideman is out of range.
Sideman feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Raskes jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Sideman missing with a left hand there. Raske was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sideman blocks a head kick by Raske.
Thomas Raske seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sideman blocks a head kick by Raske.
Raske throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Raske on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
That kick from Raske tenderised Sideman's leg. Sideman is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sideman ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Raske throws a leg kick which misses Sideman's front leg but catches the back leg as Sideman tries to avoid it.
Sideman checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raske throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sideman lands with a right hand.
Sideman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Raske swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Raske moves out of range as Sideman strikes.
Nice shot by Raske.
Some bone on bone action there as Sideman checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Raske slips a straight right by Sideman.
Sideman tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Raske misses with a series of wild punches.
Raske takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Sideman lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Raske swats away the attempt to clinch by Sideman.
Sideman is looking to clinch.
Raske tries to work over Sideman's front leg with a kick but Sideman checks it.
Sideman wants to clinch up but Raske keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raske misses with a looping left.
Sideman misses the shot to the body.
Sideman misses with a hook
and Raske counters with a nice leg kick.

Sideman gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Raske working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Raske pushes Sideman back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Sideman to work.
Sideman stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A short left from Raske.
Raske fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Raske has a couple of punches blocked by Sideman.
Raske throws a punch but it's blocked by Sideman.
Raske working aggressively here.
Raske stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Sideman breaks from the clinch.
Sideman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Raske. That's going to slow Sideman down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raske defending well as Sideman loads up on a big left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raske moves away from the strike by Sideman.
Sideman backing away here, and Raske unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
The crowd cheers as Raske lands an impressive looking overhand right. Sideman doesn't seem phased though.
Raske tries to work over Sideman's front leg with a kick but Sideman checks it.
An attempted straight right counter from Sideman misses the target.
Raske steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sideman.
A chopping leg kick lands by Raske.
Sideman throws a shot from downtown. Raske moves away and avoids it.
Sideman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raske manages to avoid it.
Sideman misses with an uppercut
and Raske counters with a nice uppercut.
Raske lands a slapping body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Sideman 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Raske looks to throw a body kick
and Sideman counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Raske tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sideman was well out of range. Poor timing from Raske.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sideman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Raske manages to avoid it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Raske.
Good leg kick by Raske there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sideman. Raske does a little dance to reset his feet.
Raske throws a leg kick but Sideman moved away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Thomas Raske will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Thomas Raske's cut.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Raske swings for the body but Sideman moves out of range.
Raske lands a leg kick that knocks Sideman off balance momentarily.
Nice defenses there by Raske.
Sideman defending well as Raske loads up on a big left hand.
Sideman looks to score with a jab to the body but Raske is just out of range.
Sideman throws a jab but it's blocked by Raske.
Sideman checks a low kick from Raske.
Raske scores with a kick to the body.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Raske.
Raske is looking to slow Sideman down with leg kicks.
Sideman just misses with a punch to the body.
Sideman on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Raske. Raske obviously looking to wear him down.
Raske looking to land some kicks to the body here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raske keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Sideman.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Raske.
Raske thows a body kick. Sideman tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Raske throws a sloppy head kick and Sideman moves out of range easily.
Sideman throws a hook to the side of Raske's head but Raske sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Sideman misses.
Raske takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Raske is looking to score with low kicks.
Sideman misses with a double jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sideman. Raske does a little dance to reset his feet.
Raske misses with a wild body shot.
The fighters circling - Sideman throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Raske is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Raske tried to score with a low kick but Sideman checks it.
Sideman avoids the body shot from Raske.
Sideman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Raske paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sideman tries to clinch there but Raske circles away.
Raske doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Raske scores with a punch to the head.
Sideman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Raske paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good shot there by Raske.
Sideman will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Sideman fails to land with a series of punches.
Sideman misses with a looping left.
Donk. Raske catches Sideman right on the button with a cross.
Raske takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sideman checks a leg kick.
Good work by Sideman as he checks the leg kick.
Raske looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Raske is looking to score with low kicks.
Sideman takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Raske displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sideman throws out the jab.
Sideman throws out a loose jab but Raske uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raske fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sideman manages to avoid it.
Sideman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sideman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sideman throws a big shot that misses.
Raske scores with a leg kick.
Sideman scores with a jab to the body.
Raske scores with a sloppy right hand. Sideman should have avoided that one.
That kick from Raske tenderised Sideman's leg. Sideman is trying to keep his angry face on.
Sideman throws a right hand that misses
and Raske counters with an outside leg kick.
Raske connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sideman lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Sideman connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Raske lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Sideman blocks a jab.
Sideman lands a nice hook to Raske's body. Raske takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Sideman throws a shot from downtown. Raske moves away and avoids it.
Raske takes a swing at Sideman's ribcage but misses.
Sideman is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Raske throws a leg kick which misses Sideman's front leg but catches the back leg as Sideman tries to avoid it.
Sideman misses with a looping left.
Sideman throws a predictable looking body shot
and Raske counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Sideman has Raske up against the cage in a clinch.
Sideman's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Raske lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Raske lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
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!
Good body shot from Raske.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raske blocking some punches.
Sideman doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sideman lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Raske doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Raske tries to throw a body punch but Sideman avoids it by throwing Raske back against the cage.
Raske blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Sideman lands with a short shot to the head.
Raske throws a head punch that misses.
Raske misses with a hook to the ribs.

Sideman manages to break the clinch.
Sideman on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Sideman looks to land a left hand but Raske moved out of range nicely.
Raske pushes Sideman away with a front kick.
Raske throws out a powerful jab.
Sideman misses with an uppercut. Raske saw that one coming.
Sideman misses with a right hand
and Raske counters with a thumping low kick.
Sideman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Denny Sideman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raske jabs Sideman right on the nose. Sideman blinks but takes it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Raske comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Raske 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Raske!
After winning the bout, Thomas Raske thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.