PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Simon Kurken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Siduri Rafter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kurken comes to the cage accompanied by Serbian national anthem . Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kurken
vs
Rafter

170 cm
24
152 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

168 cm
28
158 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Berserkers Alchemy & Money Transfer

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 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Simon Kurken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Siduri Rafter!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rafter swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kurken is looking to chop away at Rafter's legs.
Rafter fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Kurken pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kurken ducks under a wild hook from Rafter.
Kurken walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Rafter closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Rafter lands in his opponent's guard.
Kurken keeping full guard, as Rafter tries to pass.
Kurken tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kurken is working hard here to advance position.
Rafter lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Rafter wants to pass the guard but Kurken is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kurken bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rafter's guard.
Kurken trying to control but Rafter is working from the bottom.
Kurken looking to pass the guard.

Kurken has gone for a leg lock! Rafter slips out almost immediately though and dives into Kurken's guard.
Kurken keeping moving, preventing Rafter from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.
Rafter slips nicely into half guard.
Rafter working Kurken over with strikes.
Rafter passes to full mount!
Rafter lands a nice shot to the head.
Rafter lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Kurken is working to get back to half guard.
Rafter blocks Kurken's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rafter lands a heavy elbow.
Rafter has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rafter dominating with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafter scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rafter with the ground and pound from mount.
Rafter can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kurken is looking to escape.
Kurken is working to get back to half guard.
Rafter landing strikes from the mount and Kurken is in trouble!
Rafter looking to control but Kurken is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rafter landing punches.
Rafter scoring with strikes but Kurken is staying in there.
Rafter lands a big elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rafter trying to control but Kurken is having none of it.
Rafter lands with some strikes.
Kurken bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kurken stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rafter swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rafter is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kurken looking to sit in guard and control but Rafter gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kurken steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rafter.
Rafter moves out of range of the leg kick from Kurken.
Rafter lands a nice shot to the body.
Kurken on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Kurken will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rafter paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rafter dips to his left and cracks Kurken with an uppercut!
Rafter waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kurken.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rafter misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Rafter misses the target.

Kurken gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kurken being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafter trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rafter trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Kurken working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rafter doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rafter manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kurken is on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rafter is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Kurken postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rafter is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kurken, into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rafter showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Rafter stands and throws Kurken's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Rafter wants to control but Kurken is keeping him busy.
A lull in the action here as Rafter stalls from top position.
Kurken dodges the ground and pound from Rafter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kurken managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rafter.
Rafter grinds an elbow into Kurken's temple.
Kurken is working to avoid the ground and pound but Rafter connects with a decent elbow.
Kurken takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Rafter lands a decent elbow from side control.
Kurken regains half guard.
Rafter is looking to take a break and control but Kurken is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Kurken is looking for a sweep. Rafter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kurken moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rafter accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kurken wants to sweep here but Rafter controlling him for the moment.
Rafter sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kurken's guard.
Rafter thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kurken is staying active underneath Rafter, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Rafter might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kurken kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Rafter thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kurken is refusing to be controlled, as Rafter sits in half guard.
Kurken blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rafter.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Siduri Rafter showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kurken throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rafter's head.

It looks like Siduri Rafter has been cut.
Kurken keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Rafter. That snapped Kurken's head back.

Rafter closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kurken did well to prevent Rafter getting side control.
Rafter is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Kurken!
Kurken regains half guard.
Rafter missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rafter is pressing down on Kurken's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kurken is holding on for now.
Kurken gets back to full guard.

Kurken is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rafter defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rafter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kurken swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rafter postures up in Kurken's guard and throws a big left but Kurken blocks it.
Kurken keeping moving, preventing Rafter from controlling successfully.
Rafter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kurken swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Kurken has momentary wrist control but Rafter slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two 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.

Kurken working for submissions but it's allowed Rafter to get to half guard.
Kurken is not content to let Rafter control the position.
Rafter controlling the pace.
Rafter takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Rafter wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kurken keeps working.
Kurken works his way to full guard. Good work.
Rafter trying to control the position from guard on top but Kurken is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rafter postures up in Kurken's guard and throws a big left but Kurken blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rafter trying to control but Kurken is working from the bottom.
Kurken looking for a sweep. Not yet Kurken, not yet.
Kurken avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Rafter with a flurry of punches that miss.
Siduri Rafter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kurken utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rafter working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kurken wants to sweep here but Rafter controlling him for the moment.

Kurken looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rafter showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Kurken throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Simon Kurken has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rafter controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Rafter tries to free his leg and advance position but Kurken is retaining full guard.

Kurken is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Rafter defends well.
Rafter is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Siduri Rafter.
Well Rafter 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 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Siduri Rafter!