PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cletus Kasady (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Flare (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flare comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Also Sprach Zarathustra kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! This should be a great matchup!

Kasady
vs
Flare

188 cm
28
180 lbs
15 - 6 - 1

173 cm
31
180 lbs
20 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 15 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Cletus Kasady!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rick Flare!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Kasady.
Flare blocks a head kick by Kasady.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Flare.
Cletus Kasady seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kasady throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Flare's head.
Kasady throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Flare throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kasady's waist but Kasady gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Flare off to one side.
Nice shot lands for Kasady.
Flare stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kasady.
Kasady throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Kasady motions for Flare to come forward. Kasady throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Kasady connects with a leg kick. Flare looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Flare dodges the punch combination from Kasady.
Kasady tries a head kick but it misses.
Kasady throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Kasady throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Flare shoots for a takedown but Kasady saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cletus Kasady has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Flare.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kasady moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kasady with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Flare takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Kasady thows a left - swing and a miss!
Kasady fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Flare.
Kasady tries a head kick but it misses.
Flare fails with the takedown.
Kasady misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kasady throws a nice looking combination but Flare bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Flare on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kasady misses with a low kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Kasady finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Flare checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Kasady tries to bum rush Flare with a series of wild strikes but Flare uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kasady misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flare shoots in looking for a takedown. Kasady tries to sprawl out of it but Flare keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kasady manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kasady throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Flare drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Kasady is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Flare misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Kasady tries to improve position but can't.
Flare working away.
Kasady is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kasady managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Flare.
Flare lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Flare has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kasady pushes Flare away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Flare gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasady tries to bench press Flare off him but Flare keeps the position.
Kasady pushes Flare away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Flare gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Flare tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Flare tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Flare has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kasady prevents Flare from improving position.
Kasady is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kasady tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Flare wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Flare lands an elbow.
Kasady wants to get back to his feet but Flare drags him back down.
Kasady is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flare lands a few punches from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flare is working Kasady over with some ground and pound from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flare in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Kasady is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Flare lands a nice forearm strike.

Kasady is rocked!
Kasady is trying to get back to his feet.
Oh Kasady is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Flare tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Kasady seems to have got his legs back now.
Kasady is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Flare wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kasady, who protects the arm well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kasady takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
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 Cletus Kasady will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kasady misses with a straight left.
Kasady fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Flare walks into a straight right hand from Kasady.
A head kick misses from Kasady.
Flare works Kasady's body with a nice hook.
Kasady looks to land a combination but Flare avoids it well.
Kasady misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Flare checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kasady will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Flare blocks a head kick by Kasady.
Flare has a takedown stuffed.
A low kick from Kasady misses

and Flare counters with a single leg into guard. Kasady didn't expect that.
Flare makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Flare trying to control but Kasady is working from the bottom.
Flare postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kasady has his feet on Flare's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kasady throws a leg kick
and Flare counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Flare ducks right into an uppercut from Kasady.

Flare shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kasady is trying to defend but Flare finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kasady won't allow Flare to pass to mount.
Kasady moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Flare won't allow Kasady to sweep him here.
Kasady looking to control.
Flare pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kasady is keeping the position for now.
Flare working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Flare with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kasady wants to stand up but Flare is controlling him.
Flare stands up over Kasady, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kasady is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Flare dives into side control.
Kasady taking punishment in the form of punches.
Flare cracks Kasady with a big right hand but Kasady just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Flare trying to control the action but Kasady is working from the bottom.

Flare tries for a kimura but Kasady is defending well.

Flare is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kasady has escaped the position, nice work there.
Kasady is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Flare's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Flare not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasady looks like he's trying to stand up.

Flare seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Kasady is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Rick Flare!
After the fight, Rick Flare was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.