PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Constrictor Boa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liha Rekka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Boa
vs
Rekka

190 cm
23
205 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

202 cm
26
220 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Very quick

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Constrictor Boa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Liha Rekka!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rekka misses the shot to the body.
Boa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Boa fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Rekka to the ground. Boa is now in Rekka's guard.
Boa chips away with some ground and pound.
Rekka preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rekka working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Boa.
Boa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rekka wants to sweep here but Boa controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Boa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Boa wants to control from the top but Rekka keeps moving.
Rekka manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Boa is looking to get to half guard.
Rekka avoids the attempt from Boa to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boa sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Boa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rekka trying to control the action but Boa is working from the bottom.

Boa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Boa works his way to full guard. Good work.

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

Boa isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Rekka stacks Boa 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 Rekka!
Boa is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boa is working hard here to advance position.
Boa struggling a bit here.
Boa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rekka wants to control but Boa is keeping him busy.
Rekka staying calm.
Rekka is looking to take a break and control but Boa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rekka working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boa is trying to improve his position.
A lull in the action here as Rekka stalls from top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Liha Rekka was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Boa blocks a jab.

Boa closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rekka to the mat! Rekka manages to get full guard.
Boa stands up over Rekka, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rekka wants to stand but Boa is controlling the position.
Boa postures up in Rekka's guard and throws a big left but Rekka blocks it.
Rekka is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Boa is controlling him.
Boa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Boa advances to half guard.
Rekka is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rekka looks like he's trying to stand up.
Boa working the head and body with strikes.
Boa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Boa is working for a submission of some sort.

Boa is looking for a kimura but Rekka is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Boa to get the leverage.

Rekka manages to escape and get back to his feet!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Boa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rekka tries to avoid it but Boa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rekka to the ground. Rekka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rekka scoring well with a low kick there.

Rekka rushes Boa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Constrictor Boa dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Rekka connects with an inside leg kick.
Rekka wants to clinch up but Boa keeps it at a distance.
Boa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rekka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Boa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rekka but Rekka pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Boa chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rekka can pounce on him.
A thudding body kick lands there by Rekka!
Constrictor Boa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rekka thuds his right hand into Boa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Boa checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rekka misses with a low kick.

Boa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rekka is trying to stand up here but Boa is controlling him well.
Boa is thwarting Rekka's attempts to control the position.
Constrictor Boa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Boa is controlling the pace.

Boa is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rekka is just riding it out for now. Boa eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boa misses with a head shot. Rekka uses the momentum to regain guard.
We've been hearing that Boa has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Boa advances to half guard.
Boa slips a nice elbow through Rekka's hands, connecting with Rekka's forehead.
The fighters are battling for position here. Rekka manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Boa with a flurry of punches that miss.

Boa drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Rekka dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rekka slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Boa is looking for a triangle but Rekka pushes his legs off easily.
Rekka wants to control from the top but Boa keeps moving.

Boa looking for a guillotine here but Rekka defends easily.
Rekka is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rekka postures up in Boa's guard and throws a big left but Boa blocks it.
Rekka wants to stand but Boa is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekka not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Rekka trying to control but Boa is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Liha Rekka hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rekka throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rekka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Boa tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Rekka swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Constrictor Boa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick misses from Rekka.
Rekka swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Boa is trying hard to land a takedown here. Rekka sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Boa avoids the head kick by Rekka.
Boa checks a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Rekka.
Rekka is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekka connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rekka misses with a low kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Boa.
Boa fails with a takedown attempt.

Boa shoots in and bounces Rekka off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rekka is trying to control the position but Boa postures up.
Boa might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rekka wants to stand but Boa is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liha Rekka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Boa shoots in for a double leg but Rekka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Boa takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Boa circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rekka clinches with his opponent.
Rekka trying to land knees to the body.
Rekka scores with a knee to the head.
Rekka pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Boa is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rekka to keep the fight standing.
Rekka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Boa has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rekka is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Rekka slows down the pace here.
Boa blocks an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Constrictor Boa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rekka using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Boa has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rekka tries a knee to the head but Boa blocks it.
Rekka throws a knee to the head but misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Rekka.
Rekka misses with a knee to the head.
Boa jumps guard but Rekka stands there with Boa around his waist. Boa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Boa is trying to pull guard but Rekka turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rekka with a knee to the head.
Rekka missing with knees to the body.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Rekka misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boa is trying to pull guard but Rekka turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Boa as Rekka tries to tie him up.
Rekka lands a knee to the head.
Boa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rekka walks away with a smile on his face. Boa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rekka stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rekka wants it to stay on the feet.
Boa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Boa dodges the punch combination from Rekka.
Rekka turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Boa.
Rekka felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Rekka is trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rekka is trying to control Boa's posture but Boa avoids it.
Boa throws an elbow but Rekka slips to the side and avoids it well.

Boa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rekka has escaped the position, nice work there.
Boa 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.
Rekka is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Boa working the ground and pound but Rekka is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekka is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Boa has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Boa has hold of Rekka's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Rekka tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Boa cranks the arm and Rekka screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Rekka, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Constrictor Boa!
After the fight, Constrictor Boa 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.