PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Devon Bairstow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Warren Raithert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Warren Raithert has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Devon Bairstow's chin.

Bairstow
vs
Raithert

180 cm
24
153 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

170 cm
27
155 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Devon Bairstow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Warren Raithert!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bairstow rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Raithert counters with a takedown into side control.
Bairstow prevents Raithert from moving into mount.
Bairstow is trying to improve his position.
Bairstow is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Raithert has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Bairstow wants to control but Raithert postures up.
A lull in the action here.
Bairstow is trying to control Raithert's posture but Raithert avoids it.
Raithert trying to control the action but Bairstow is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raithert tries to advance to mount but Bairstow denies him.

Raithert stands up and beckons Bairstow to his feet.
Bairstow tries to clinch

and Raithert counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bairstow is trying to get back to full guard.
Bairstow wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bairstow wants to control but Raithert is keeping busy.
Bairstow tries to kick Raithert off but Raithert keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Raithert is looking to take a break and control but Bairstow is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bairstow connects with a body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Bairstow misses the target.
Raithert misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Raithert keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bairstow misses with a double jab

and Raithert counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raithert.
Bairstow tries to circle away but Raithert has him pinned against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Bairstow can't get the takedown.
Raithert keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bairstow's efforts to push away.
Bairstow is trying to stall.
Raithert tries for a takedown. No joy.

Bairstow breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bairstow misses with a two punch combination.
Bairstow connects with a looping right hand.
Bairstow swings widly with a right hand

and Raithert counters with a single leg into guard. Bairstow didn't expect that.
Raithert wants to pass the guard but Bairstow is keeping the position.
Raithert sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raithert postures up.
Raithert's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Raithert postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raithert being controlled here momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Devon Bairstow wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bairstow throws out a loose jab but Raithert uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Warren Raithert dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bairstow throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Raithert counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Bairstow breaks the clinch.
Bairstow thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bairstow works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Bairstow throws a body punch but Raithert moves out of range.
Bairstow tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Raithert was well out of range. Poor timing from Bairstow.
Bairstow misses with a hook.

Raithert gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bairstow wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bairstow is pressed up against the cage. Raithert has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bairstow down to the mat. Bairstow avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Raithert fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Raithert wants to clinch up but Bairstow keeps it at a distance.
Bairstow throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bairstow fails to land with a series of punches.
Bairstow misses with an uppercut

and Raithert counters with a shoot takedown. Bairstow fights it but they end up in guard.
Bairstow is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Raithert is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raithert's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Raithert won't allow Bairstow to get back to his feet.

Raithert decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bairstow, up you get!
Bairstow misses the jab.
Devon Bairstow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bairstow tries to break free but Raithert pushes him back against the cage.
Raithert gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bairstow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Raithert pulls guard effortlessly.
Raithert tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bairstow trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bairstow trying to control the position from guard on top but Raithert is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bairstow gets to his feet. Raithert looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
A shot to the body from Bairstow misses
and Raithert counters with a straight right hand.

Raithert moves into the clinch successfully.

Raithert pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bairstow feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Raitherts jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Bairstow bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Raithert's head backwards.
Devon Bairstow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bairstow swings widly with a right hand

and Raithert counters with a takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raithert scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Bairstow to see if he's OK.
Bairstow tries to escape but Raithert is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raithert advances to mount.
Raithert controlling the position easily from mount.
Raithert looking to control but Bairstow is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Raithert controlling from the full mount.

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.
Bairstow really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raithert avoids the attempt from Bairstow to control.
Raithert throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Bairstow because Raithert loaded up on that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Warren Raithert 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!

Bairstow tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bairstow thows a body shot but no joy.
Bairstow misses with a right hand

and Raithert holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bairstow has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Bairstow can't get the takedown.
Bairstow wants to break free but Raithert has control.
Raithert is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bairstow pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bairstow is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Raithert goes for a takedown attempt but Bairstow pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Bairstow enables Raithert to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Bairstow manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Bairstow lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Raithert!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bairstow controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raithert is squirming around, avoiding Bairstow's attempts to control the action.
Raithert is trying desperately to improve position.
Raithert blocking the ground and pound.
Bairstow throws some wild stikes that Raithert manages to avoid easily.
Raithert tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bairstow trying to control but Raithert is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bairstow looking to ground and pound but Raithert is blocking nicely.
Bairstow scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Raithert?
Raithert wants to control but Bairstow is having none of it.
Bairstow tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Bairstow trying to control but Raithert is having none of it.
Raithert tries to hold on but Bairstow postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raithert has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Bairstow's lack of action.
Bairstow thows a huge punch but Raithert dodges it nicely.
Raithert flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Bairstow wants to lay and pray for a moment but Raithert keeps working.

Devon Bairstow has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Raithert tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Raithert shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bairstow defends it nicely.
Devon Bairstow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Warren Raithert.
Bairstow lands a nice shot to the body.
Warren Raithert is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bairstow throws a jab but it's blocked by Raithert.
Raithert avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Bairstow 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.
Raithert shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bairstow as he jumps to the side.
Bairstow thuds his right hand into Raithert's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Devon Bairstow has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bairstow misses with a series of wild punches.
Raithert slips under a jab from Bairstow.
Raithert uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bairstow.
Raithert fails with the takedown.
Bairstow throws out a powerful jab.
Bairstow clobbers Raithert with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raithert ducks under a wild hook from Bairstow.
Raithert with a poor takedown
and Bairstow counters with a huge left! Raithert is in big trouble! He's backing up but Bairstow isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Raithert from any more damage. A dominating finish by Bairstow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Devon Bairstow!