PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roman Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt Kumble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ray comes to the cage accompanied by Feel me or kill me. Roman Ray has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Ray
vs
Kumble

191 cm
23
215 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

189 cm
19
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Roman Ray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kurt Kumble!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ray shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kumble but Kumble pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Roman Ray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ray decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Ray controlling the pace.
Ray prevents Kumble from improving his position.
Well, if Ray 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kumble can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ray works his way into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kumble is looking to get to half guard.
Ray content just to control the position here.
Ray's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Kumble is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kumble working to try and regain half guard.
Ray sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kumble really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Ray sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kumble is desperately trying to improve his position but Ray has a good base and remains in mount.
Ray tries to control but Kumble wriggling away.
Ray controlling the position easily from mount.
Kumble is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ray sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ray has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Roman Ray just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Ray is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kumble sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Kumble shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ray controlling the position for now.
Kumble sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ray defending well though.
Kumble is thwarting Ray's attempts to control the position.
Kumble seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ray does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kumble not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ray trying to hold on to Kumble's head to control him but Kumble postures up.
Ray controlling the position well.
Kumble perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kumble wants to take a breather but Ray is having none of it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ray fails with the takedown

and Kumble counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ray's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Ray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ray pulls Kumble in close to his closed guard and prevents Kumble from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kumble trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ray pulls Kumble in to control the position.
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 Roman Ray will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ray throws a head kick but Kumble moves out of range.
Ray fails with the takedown

and Kumble counters with a single leg into guard. Ray didn't expect that.
Ray is trying to control the position but Kumble postures up.
Ray manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kumble is working to get back to half guard.
Ray sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Kumble is trying to escape the mount.
Ray takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kumble wants to control but Ray is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kumble can't escape the position.
Ray can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kumble is looking to escape.
Kumble tries to hold on but Ray pushes him away.
Kumble tries to reverse the position but Ray maintains control.
Ray tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

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.
Kumble is squirming around, avoiding Ray's attempts to control the action.
Kurt Kumble has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kumble is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ray content just to control the position here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Roman Ray just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Ray has his takedown stuffed

and Kumble counters with a takedown into side control.
Kumble tries to stand but Ray is controlling his head.

Kumble working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ray wants to control but Kumble postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumble creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
You can see the frustration on Ray's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kumble thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ray if he has to take too many more of those.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kumble tries a head kick but it misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Ray checks a leg kick.
Kumble scores with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Kumble bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ray regains half guard.
Kumble is pressing down on Ray's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ray is holding on for now.
Kumble wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ray keeps working.
Ray trying to control here.
Nice strikes from Kumble there.
Ray is refusing to be controlled, as Kumble sits in half guard.
Kumble looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ray with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ray is not content to let Kumble control the position.
Kumble wants to stand up but Ray has a hold of him and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt Kumble showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Ray has his takedown stuffed

and Kumble counters with a single leg into guard. Ray didn't expect that.
Ray pulls Kumble in close to prevent any damage.
Kumble wants to control from the top but Ray keeps moving.
Kumble stopping the sweep attempt from Ray.
Ray is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Kumble trying to control but Ray is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray is pulling down on Kumble's head. It's preventing any offense from Kumble, at least for the moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kumble shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ray as he jumps to the side.
Ray fails with the takedown

and Kumble counters with a shoot takedown. Ray fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ray is trying to control the position but Kumble postures up.
Kumble trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ray's guard.
Ray controlling Kumble's posture.
Kumble working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kumble trying to control but Ray is working from the bottom.
Ray not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kumble trying to control but Ray is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ray misses with a takedown

and Kumble counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Ray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kumble wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ray keeps working.
Kumble might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ray kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kumble sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ray defending well though.
Ray is trying to control but can't.
Kumble is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kumble wants to pass the guard but Ray is defending well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ray tries for a takedown but Kumble circles away easily

and Kumble counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Kumble tries to pass to full mount but Ray defends it.
Ray keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ray keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Kumble wants to control but Ray is keeping him busy.
Kumble lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ray is concentrating on defense, preventing Kumble from advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kumble trying to control the action but Ray is working from the bottom.
Kumble looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Kumble trying to control from half guard but Ray is working away.
Ray wants to control but Kumble is keeping busy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ray tries for a takedown but Kumble circles away easily

and Kumble counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ray!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kumble wants to control the pace but Ray is squirming around nicely.
The referee warns Ray that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt Kumble comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kumble 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt Kumble!