PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kathos Krathulian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diablo Rage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Krathulian
vs
Rage

180 cm
21
182 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
24
188 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kathos Krathulian!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Diablo Rage!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Krathulian scores with a takedown into Rage's guard.
Rage working a defensive guard here.

Krathulian stands and steps away. Rage gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rage looks to land a combination but Krathulian avoids it well.
Rage with a lazy takedown attempt

and Krathulian counters with a shoot takedown. Rage fights it but they end up in guard.
Rage looking to hit a scissor sweep but Krathulian is one step ahead there.
Rage is trying to control the position but Krathulian postures up.
Rage looking for a sweep. Not yet Rage, not yet.
Krathulian stays in close to Rage's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Krathulian is looking to work some ground and pound but Rage has wrist control.
Krathulian is looking to work some ground and pound but Rage has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage wants to get back to his feet but Krathulian is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Krathulian with a flurry of punches that miss.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Krathulian looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rage!
Krathulian avoids the attempt from Rage to control.
Krathulian throwing strikes here but Rage is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Krathulian cracks Rage with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Krathulian trying to control but Rage is having none of it.
Krathulian avoids the attempt from Rage to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Krathulian trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Krathulian throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rage because Krathulian loaded up on that one.
Rage wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Krathulian.
Rage is looking to get to half guard.
Krathulian throws some wild stikes that Rage manages to avoid easily.
Krathulian blocks Rage's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rage is looking to improve his position but Krathulian isn't that keen on the idea.
Krathulian 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.
Rage is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rage tries to lock up and control but Krathulian gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Krathulian has control of Rage's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rage regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rage is looking to get to half guard.
Krathulian throwing strikes here but Rage is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Krathulian looking to ground and pound but Rage is blocking nicely.
Rage slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Krathulian missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rage blocking the ground and pound attempt from Krathulian.
Krathulian sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rage defending well though.

That's four 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.
Rage trying to control but Krathulian postures up.
Rage is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Krathulian is staying active.
Krathulian thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Krathulian misses with a head shot. Rage uses the momentum to regain guard.

Rage has his foot on Krathulian's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Krathulian works his way back into a safe position though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Rage gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Krathulian to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Krathulian in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rage looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kathos Krathulian dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Krathulian tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rage paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rage tries for a takedown but Krathulian circles away easily

and Krathulian counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Krathulian in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Krathulian throwing strikes but missing.
Rage keeping full guard, as Krathulian tries to pass.
Krathulian won't allow Rage to sweep him here.

Krathulian is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Rage wants to stand but Krathulian is controlling the position.
Rage wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Krathulian wants to control from the top but Rage keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rage misses with a takedown

and Krathulian counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rage's guard now.
Krathulian postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Rage is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Krathulian is aware though and is defending well.
Krathulian trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rage manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Rage avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rage won't allow Krathulian to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rage trying to control but Krathulian is working from the bottom.
Krathulian bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rage's guard.
Rage wants to hit a switch here but Krathulian passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Rage there!
Krathulian lands a big shot there that rocks Rage but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Krathulian with the ground and pound from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krathulian looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rage is bucking up trying to escape but Krathulian cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Krathulian connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Krathulian tries to control but Rage wriggling away.
Rage taking shots to the head.
Krathulian dominating with strikes here.
Krathulian throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
A nice elbow there by Krathulian.
Krathulian avoids the attempt from Rage to control.
Krathulian throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Krathulian throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rage really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rage wants to control but Krathulian is having none of it.
Krathulian throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rage because Krathulian loaded up on that one.
Krathulian throws some wild stikes that Rage manages to avoid easily.
Krathulian won't let Rage get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Krathulian avoids the attempt from Rage to control.
A nice elbow there by Krathulian.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kathos Krathulian dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rage with a lazy takedown attempt

and Krathulian counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rage won't be happy with that.
Krathulian creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Rage sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Rage manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Krathulian is staying active underneath Rage, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rage is thwarting Krathulian's attempts to control the position.
Rage tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Krathulian.
Rage wants to lay and pray for a moment but Krathulian keeps working.
Krathulian is trying is best to control the position here.
Krathulian trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rage is keen to just control but Krathulian is a slippery customer.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rage throws a head kick but Krathulian moves out of range.
Krathulian fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rage tries for a takedown but Krathulian circles away easily

and Krathulian counters with a single leg into guard. Rage didn't expect that.
Rage takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Krathulian throws a big right hand that misses.
Rage trying to keep a closed guard but Krathulian is proving a slippery customer.
Krathulian working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Krathulian missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Rage manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rage shoots and misses

and Krathulian counters with a takedown into side control.
Kathos Krathulian has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Diablo Rage.
Rage parries the strikes from Krathulian easily there. Krathulian is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Rage to escape.
Rage wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Krathulian working the head with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Krathulian working the head with strikes.
Krathulian scoring with punches from side control.
Rage is looking for a sweep.
Krathulian wants to control but Rage is keeping him busy.
Rage manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Krathulian wants to control but Rage is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Krathulian is pressing down on Rage's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Krathulian seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Krathulian trying to control the position.
Krathulian looking for a sweep. Not yet Krathulian, not yet.
Krathulian avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rage wants to stand but Krathulian is controlling his posture from full guard.
Krathulian working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rage stopping the sweep attempt from Krathulian.
Kathos Krathulian overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rage lands a nice shot to the body.
Rage with a poor takedown

and Krathulian counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Krathulian stalling away here and it's allowed Rage to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Krathulian accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Diablo Rage has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kathos Krathulian is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Krathulian drops back looking for a leg! Rage is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rage manages to kick Krathulian off! Krathulian jumps back into Rage's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kathos Krathulian showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Krathulian, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kathos Krathulian!