PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Raban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Rovigatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that James Raban has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily James Raban seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Raban
vs
Rovigatti

200 cm
25
270 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

187 cm
27
254 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Elite Canadian Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Raban!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tony Rovigatti!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Igor Prikhodko and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rovigatti tries to clinch up.
Rovigatti tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Raban counters with a shoot takedown. Rovigatti fights it but they end up in guard.
Raban has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Rovigatti looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rovigatti is trying to keep Raban in close.

Rovigatti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Raban is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rovigatti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Rovigatti had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Raban defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raban pushing down on Rovigatti's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Rovigatti tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Raban has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Rovigatti working to try and regain half guard.
Rovigatti wants to hold on but Raban pushes him away.
Raban controlling the pace for now.
We've been hearing good reports from Raban's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Rovigatti is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti is still trying to improve position.
Rovigatti is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Raban controlling the pace for now.
Rovigatti is in all sorts of trouble here.
Raban controlling from mount.
Rovigatti is trying to escape the mount.
Raban controlling from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Rovigatti looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Rovigatti actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti trying to control here.
Rovigatti is trying to get back to full guard.
Raban is controlling the pace.
Rovigatti is looking to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Rovigatti actively working from the bottom here.
Raban wants to get back to his feet.
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 James Raban will probably get the nod.
That's time! Raban's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Raban lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Tony Rovigatti has been cut.
Tony Rovigatti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rovigatti pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rovigatti with a poor takedown
and Raban counters with an inside leg kick.
Raban circles away from the clinch attempt

and Raban counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rovigatti's guard now.
Raban controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Rovigatti looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Raban has picked Rovigatti up and slammed him! Rovigatti can't keep hold of the triangle and Raban manages to pass to side control!
Rovigatti tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Raban wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Raban advances nicely into full mount.
Raban tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raban will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

We're going to have a standup here because James Raban wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Raban manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Rovigatti on his heels. He'll look to pass Rovigatti's guard now, I'm sure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raban not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Rovigatti looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Rovigatti isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Raban stacks Rovigatti on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Raban!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Raban has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Raban seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rovigatti for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Raban just wasn't active enough.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rovigatti looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rovigatti wants to clinch but Raban slips to the side
and Raban counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Raban circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rovigatti with a poor takedown
and Raban counters with a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raban circles away from the clinch attempt
and Raban counters with a stiff right hand.
Rovigatti tries to close the distance and clinch but Raban swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rovigatti with a poor takedown
and Raban counters with a nice body kick.
James Raban has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tony Rovigatti.
Rovigatti is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Rovigatti gets caught napping as Raban dives in and scores a takedown. Rovigatti manages to retain guard.
Raban controls from within his opponent's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Rovigatti working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Raban has passed into half guard!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Raban dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tony Rovigatti's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Raban throws a wild body kick that Rovigatti sees coming a mile off.
Rovigatti wants to clinch but Raban slips to the side

and Raban counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Raban takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Rovigatti trying to hold on to Raban's head to control him but Raban postures up.

Rovigatti actively working from the bottom here.
Rovigatti is looking to improve his position.
Raban sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rovigatti trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raban works his foot free and advances to mount.
Raban tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Raban with good strikes from the mount here!
Raban takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rovigatti is working to get back to half guard.
Tony Rovigatti has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti keeps trying to improve his position.
Raban takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rovigatti is working to get back to half guard.
Raban controlling from the full mount.
Rovigatti is desperately trying to improve his position but Raban has a good base and remains in mount.
Raban controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Raban tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Rovigatti tries to lock up and control but Raban gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Raban sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rovigatti is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rovigatti manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Raban perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Raban just wasn't active enough.
Rovigatti swinging wildly here.
Raban goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rovigatti throws a sloppy head kick

and Raban counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rovigatti's guard now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raban sitting in guard here, content to control.

Rovigatti escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raban gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Raban showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Raban has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Raban!
James Raban bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.