PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Lewis (ranked 2782 p4p, 327 weight class) and Marko Rakic (ranked 3723 p4p, 396 weight class). Lewis comes to the cage accompanied by DMX - Slippin. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Lewis
vs
Rakic

178 cm
27
192 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

184 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kyle Lewis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Marko Rakic!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lewis closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rakic to the mat! Rakic manages to get full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rakic can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lewis prevents Rakic from getting back to his feet.
Lewis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rakic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lewis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rakic pulls Lewis in to control the position.
Lewis trying to control the position from guard on top but Rakic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lewis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Lewis controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rakic manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lewis manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakic throws a big right hand that misses.
Rakic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lewis wants to sweep but no luck.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rakic throws a big right hand that misses.
Lewis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rakic lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rakic trying to control but Lewis is working from the bottom.
Rakic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lewis keeping moving, preventing Rakic from controlling successfully.
Rakic throws a big elbow that misses.
Rakic is looking to stand up but Lewis won't let him.
Rakic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rakic landing some decent shots from guard.
Lewis seems keen to control Rakic's posture.
Rakic is working Lewis over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lewis keeping moving, preventing Rakic from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lewis is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lewis is controlling him.
Lewis makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Lewis looking to pass the guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lewis accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lewis has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rakic keeping full guard, as Lewis tries to pass.
Rakic trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lewis throws an elbow that misses. Rakic uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lewis's guard. Nice move by Rakic!

In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Rakic working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rakic throws an elbow that misses. Lewis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rakic's guard. Nice move by Lewis!

Lewis showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Lewis wants to pass the guard but Rakic is keeping the position.
Lewis preventing the sweep.
Lewis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rakic lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Lewis is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marko Rakic 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.

Lewis throws a looping overhand right but Rakic ducks down to avoid it.
Rakic blocks a jab.
The fighters circling - Lewis throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lewis looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Lewis misses with a looping left.

Rakic feints and as Lewis raises his hands in defense, Rakic changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Lewis has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rakic off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rakic stuffs the takedown.
Rakic lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rakic with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Lewis to score with a decent uppercut.

It looks like Marko Rakic has been cut.
Rakic slips a jab and a cross from Lewis.

Lewis shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rakic's guard.

Rakic has his feet on Lewis's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Lewis shoots in for a double leg but Rakic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Rakic throws a right hand that Lewis ducks under and follows up with a left that Lewis also avoids with ease.
Lewis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Lewis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rakic misses with a double jab.
Kyle Lewis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lewis shoots for a double leg takedown but Rakic sprawls well. He's pushed Lewis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lewis throws a right hand that misses
and Rakic counters with a stiff right hand.
Lewis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rakic but Rakic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rakic throws a right hand that Lewis ducks under and follows up with a left that Lewis also avoids with ease.
Horrible takedown attempt by Lewis or perhaps it was just good defense by Rakic, which made it look bad.
Nice sprawl there from Rakic as Lewis shoots in.
Rakic ducks under a wild hook from Lewis.
Lewis misses with a hook. Rakic ducked under it nicely.
Rakic throws a counter combo.
Lewis misses with an uppercut.

Rakic has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rakic lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rakic lands a shoulder strike.

Rakic is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Lewis can't fight it off and eventually Rakic manages to take the fight to the floor. Lewis looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rakic is looking to work some ground and pound but Lewis has wrist control.
Lewis trying to control the position.
Rakic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lewis works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rakic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rakic wants to control from the top but Lewis keeps moving.
Rakic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rakic lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Lewis is looking to stand up but Rakic isn't so interested in that idea.
Rakic sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rakic throws a big elbow that misses.
Rakic is looking to work some ground and pound but Lewis has wrist control.
Lewis trying to keep a closed guard but Rakic is proving a slippery customer.
Rakic throws a big elbow that misses.
Rakic is looking to stand up but Lewis won't let him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Nice uppercut lands for Lewis. That snapped Rakic's head back.
Lewis connects with a looping right hand.
Lewis misses with a hook.
Rakic ducks under a wild hook from Lewis.
Lewis looks to land a right hand but Rakic moved out of range.
Lewis misses with a few strikes there.
Lewis throws a lazy uppercut
and Rakic counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rakic goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Lewis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rakic but Rakic pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rakic throws a right hand that Lewis ducks under and follows up with a left that Lewis also avoids with ease.
Lewis has his takedown stuffed
and Rakic counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rakic looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Rakic slips under a jab.
Rakic changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marko Rakic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marko Rakic's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Rakic rushes Lewis and starts throwing punches like they are going out of style! Lewis is up against the cage and has nowhere to go. Rakic piles on the pressure and Lewis crumples to the floor! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marko Rakic!