PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Alysian Karalis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Trager (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karalis kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Drunkship Of Lanterns by The Mars Volta. Trager has chosen Scarcéus - Não Quero Olhar Pra Trás as his entrance music. Alex Trager is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Karalis
vs
Trager

170 cm
23
175 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

182 cm
23
180 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alysian Karalis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alex Trager!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Eddie Farnsworth and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karalis misses with a hook
and Trager counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Trager misses with a straight right.
Karalis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Trager counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Trager moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Karalis throws a right hand that misses
and Trager counters with a nice body shot.
Karalis misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Trager counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Karalis might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
It looks like Trager might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Karalis tries to get to full guard but Trager has control of the leg.
Trager perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Trager landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trager working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Trager slows the pace down in half guard.
Trager scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Trager has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Trager sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Trager thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Karalis's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trager content to control rather than advance.
Trager wants to pass to mount but Karalis is defending the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Alex Trager wasn't active enough on the ground.
Karalis swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Trager counters with a single leg into guard. Karalis didn't expect that.
Karalis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Trager stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Karalis swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Trager throwing strikes from guard but Karalis blocks nicely.
Trager is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Trager's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Alex Trager hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Trager scores with a punch to the head.
Karalis looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Karalis throws a combination that misses
and Trager counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Karalis throws a sloppy body shot
enabling Trager to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Trager thows a left - swing and a miss!
Karalis finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Karalis takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Karalis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Trager cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Karalis takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Karalis misses with a shot to the body
and Trager counters with a right hand to the body.
Karalis falls off balance throwing a combination
and Trager counters with a one-two to the body.
Trager is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Karalis misses with a hook to the body

and Trager counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Trager stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Karalis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Trager is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Trager slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Trager 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.

Karalis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Trager counter with a right hand.
Karalis misses with a body punch
and Trager counters with a nice body shot.
Karalis throws a left and a right that both miss
and Trager counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Karalis misses with a double jab

and Trager decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Karalis's guard.
Trager pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Karalis is keeping the position for now.
Trager slips nicely into half guard.
Trager looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Trager throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trager moves nicely into side control.
Karalis seems a little lost for a moment, as Trager dominates the positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alex Trager was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Karalis shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Karalis with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Trager to score with a decent uppercut.
A shot to the body from Karalis misses
and Trager counters with a nice body shot.
Karalis misses with a body shot
enabling Trager to counter with a crisp jab.
Karalis falls off balance throwing a combination
and Trager counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karalis misses with a right hand
and Karalis takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Karalis takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice body punch from Karalis.
Karalis is looking to wear down Trager with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Karalis throws a predictable looking body shot
and Trager counters with a right hand to the body.
A shot to the body from Karalis misses

and Trager counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Trager stays in close to Karalis's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Alex Trager was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Trager scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Karalis throws a combination that misses
and Trager makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Trager cracks Karalis with an open hand slap.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Karalis throws a combination that misses
and Trager counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Karalis misses with a lunging right hand
and Trager counters with a stiff right hand.
Karalis throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Trager counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Karalis walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Trager checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Trager takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Karalis pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Karalis tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Trager is able to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Trager showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Trager changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Karalis throws a leg kick but Trager moved away.
Trager jabs at Karalis's body.
Karalis misses with a shot to the body
and Trager counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Karalis misses with a low kick.
Trager scores with a body shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Trager. That snapped Karalis's head back.
Karalis drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Karalis throws a combination that misses
and Trager counters with a nice uppercut.
Trager fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Karalis on the side of the head.
Alex Trager seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Trager lands a lovely overhand right.
Karalis thows a leg kick but Trager checks it
and Trager counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Trager ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Karalis moves away.
Karalis misses with a shot to the body
and Trager counters with a left to the body.
Karalis throws a right hand that misses
and Trager makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Donk. Trager catches Karalis right on the button with a cross.
Karalis works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karalis throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Trager counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Karalis thinking.
Trager connects with a good right hand that stumbles Karalis. Karalis circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Karalis throws a left and a right that both miss
and Trager counters with a three punch combo that has Karalis backing up. Karalis nods at Trager to acknowledge the strikes.
Karalis swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Trager counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Trager is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Karalis keeping moving, preventing Trager from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Trager stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Karalis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Trager throws and elbow that misses. Karalis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Trager's guard. Nice move by Karalis!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Trager trying to control the position here.
Karalis looking to sit in guard and control but Trager gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Karalis can't keep his opponent in guard - Trager advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Alysian Karalis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Trager trying to control the action but Karalis is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Trager is controlling the pace.
Trager stalling away here and it's allowed Karalis to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Trager sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Karalis's guard.
Trager passes the guard and advances to mount!
Alex Trager is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Trager content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Trager comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Trager 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 26:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Trager!