PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Bolleke (ranked 822 p4p, 115 weight class) and Longburn Rayson (ranked 2574 p4p, 297 weight class). Rayson is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Judas Priest - No Surrender. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Longburn Rayson was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Bolleke
vs
Rayson

195 cm
26
191 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

191 cm
28
203 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
UnderGround Supplements

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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Bolleke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Longburn Rayson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolleke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rayson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rayson. Bolleke does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bolleke appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rayson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bolleke.
Bolleke looks to score with a jab to the body but Rayson is just out of range.
Rayson only half commits to the counter leg kick.

Bolleke rushes Rayson and presses him up against the ropes.
Rayson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Bolleke working aggressively here.
Rayson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bolleke scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Rayson missing with knees to the body.
Bolleke misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolleke tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rayson's elbow.
Rayson lands an uppercut.
Bolleke drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rayson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rayson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bolleke has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rayson uses from the top position.

Bolleke has his foot on Rayson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rayson works his way back into a safe position though.
Bolleke wants to sweep here but Rayson controlling him for the moment.
Rayson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bolleke is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rayson wants to control from the top but Bolleke keeps moving.
Rayson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rayson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bolleke is keeping the position for now.
Bolleke avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rayson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rayson trying to control but Bolleke is working from the bottom.
Rayson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bolleke manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rayson manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rayson looking for a sweep. Not yet Rayson, not yet.
Bolleke controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bolleke passes Rayson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Bolleke working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Bolleke lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Bolleke lands strikes from half guard.
Bolleke moves nicely into side control.

Bolleke wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rayson, who protects the arm well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Rayson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Bolleke dominated that round.
That's time! Bolleke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bolleke fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rayson manages to avoid it.
A jab from Bolleke does it's job there.
Bolleke lands a nice hook to Rayson's body. Rayson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rayson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rayson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bolleke was well out of range. Poor timing from Rayson.
Bolleke is looking to clinch.
Rayson misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Bolleke misses.
Bolleke lands the left hand.
Rayson blocks a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolleke lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Rayson is rocked!
Rayson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bolleke.
Bolleke avoids the body shot from Rayson.
Bolleke chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rayson can pounce on him.
Rayson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolleke jabs at Rayson's body.
Thomas Bolleke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rayson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bolleke.
Bolleke throws an off balance right hand
and Rayson counters with a head kick.
A solid body kick from Rayson.
A bone on bone clash there as Bolleke blocks the leg kick.
Rayson tries a head kick but it misses.
Bolleke misses with a wild body shot.
Bolleke scores with a hook.
Bolleke uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rayson.

Bolleke darts in and clinches Rayson up against the ropes.
Bolleke on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rayson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rayson is defending well against a takedown attempt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rayson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bolleke is leaning against Rayson and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rayson prevents the takedown attempt.
Rayson lands a hook that snaps the head of Bolleke backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke misses with a body punch.
A short right from Bolleke.
A hook to the body from Bolleke.
Bolleke lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rayson tries to throw a body punch but Bolleke avoids it by throwing Rayson back against the ropes.
Rayson misses with some punches.

Bolleke has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Rayson regains guard immediately.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Bolleke stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rayson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bolleke sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rayson's guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rayson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bolleke is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rayson can do to turn this around?

Bolleke thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bolleke pushes down on Rayson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Bolleke content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Bolleke dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rayson walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Longburn Rayson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bolleke ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bolleke looks to land a right hand but Rayson moved out of range.
Bolleke wants to clinch up but Rayson keeps it at a distance.
Bolleke throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rayson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rayson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Bolleke misses with a right hand
letting Rayson counter with a right hand.
Rayson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolleke looks to throw the jab but Rayson is out of range.
Rayson appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Rayson misses with a body shot.
Rayson takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Thomas Bolleke is winning the standup battle so far.
Rayson wants to clinch up but Bolleke keeps it at a distance.
Bolleke lands with a straight right. Rayson didn't see that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rayson scores with a nice strike.
Bolleke swings for the body but Rayson moves out of range.
Bolleke defending well as Rayson loads up on a big left hand.
Bolleke misses with a hook to the body
and Rayson counters with an outside leg kick.
Bolleke connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Bolleke lands with a shot to the body.
Bolleke throws a hook to the side of Rayson's head but Rayson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A little jabbing left from Rayson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bolleke tries to move into range but Rayson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A head kick by Rayson misses

and Bolleke counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bolleke stands up over Rayson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rayson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Bolleke passes Rayson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Well, if Bolleke 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.
Bolleke is looking to take a break and control but Rayson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Bolleke there.
Rayson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Bolleke is nestled in close to Rayson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Rayson is still in real trouble! Can Bolleke finish him?
Bolleke winds up and cracks Rayson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bolleke working Rayson over with strikes.

Rayson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bolleke pulls his head out easily.
Bolleke trying to control from half guard but Rayson is working away.
Bolleke moves into full mount! Rayson won't be happy about that!
Bolleke trying to control but Rayson is having none of it.
Thomas Bolleke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bolleke lands a big shot to the head and Rayson winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Thomas Bolleke!
A relieved looking Thomas Bolleke thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.