PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Rave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Rave's choice of entrance music: What Happened?. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Garcia
vs
Rave

184 cm
30
198 lbs
12 - 1 - 0

185 cm
33
193 lbs
23 - 16 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Steel Penn's All 160
Affordable Quality

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chris Garcia!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Craig Rave!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Rave looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Rave has closed the distance and engaged Garcia in a clinch.
Rave misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Garcia.
Garcia wants to get back to striking at distance but Rave won't allow it.
Garcia lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rave backwards.
Garcia lands an uppercut.
Garcia goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rave goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rave tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Garcia avoids it.
Rave is stalling here.
Garcia doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rave digs a right hand into Garcia's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Garcia's gas tank.
Rave lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rave trying to land knees to the body.
Rave prevents a body shot from Garcia.
Rave is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Garcia is defending well for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rave blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rave blocks an uppercut.
Rave is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Garcia is defending well for now.
We've been informed that Rave has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Garcia misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rave struggles to land a body shot inside as Garcia controls his hands.
Garcia lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rave backwards.
Rave stalling.
Rave creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Garcia's defenses.
Garcia being controlled against the cage.
Nice body punch from Garcia - that landed with a thud.
Rave misses with an elbow strike.
Rave can't find room to land a body shot as Garcia controls the action.
Rave using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Garcia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Garcia can't find room to land a body shot as Rave controls the action.
Rave is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rave tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garcia's elbow.
Rave goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Garcia lands a body shot in the clinch.
Rave goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short body shot lands from Rave as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia blocks a body shot from Rave.
Rave tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Garcia avoids it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Garcia working aggressively here.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rave takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rave digs a right hand into Garcia's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Garcia's gas tank.
Rave blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Garcia can't find room to land a body shot as Rave controls the action.
Rave tries to work over Garcia's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rave misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garcia lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Rave blocks a body shot from Garcia.
Garcia misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rave blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rave lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rave misses with an elbow strike.
Garcia lands with a light punch inside.
Rave is looking to control Garcia's arms but Garcia gets an underhook and turns him. Now Rave has his back to the cage.
Garcia lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rave just leaning against Garcia, taking a breather.
Garcia tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rave misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garcia misses with the head strike.
Rave lands a left hand.
Garcia lands a right hand.

Garcia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rave wants to clinch but Garcia slips to the side

and Garcia counters with a shoot takedown. Rave fights it but they end up in guard.

Rave is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Rave is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rave is still in real trouble! Can Garcia finish him?
Rave keeping full guard, as Garcia tries to pass.
Rave seems to have recovered his senses.
Rave looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garcia is one step ahead there.
Garcia stops Rave from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia tries to free his leg and advance position but Rave is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rave controls Garcia momentarily but Garcia frees himself.
Garcia stays in close to Rave's body and controls the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Garcia'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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rave tries to clinch but Garcia moves out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Garcia throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Rave moves into range and clinches up with Garcia.
Garcia misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Rave is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Rave trying to land knees to the body.
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 Chris Garcia will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Rave takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A bone on bone clash there as Rave blocks the leg kick.
Good leg kick by Garcia there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Garcia throws a leg kick but Rave checks it.
Rave tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rave tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Garcia counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Rave!
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!

Garcia goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rave has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Garcia but great work by Rave.
Rave tries to get to his feet but Garcia is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Rave in his guard.
Rave wanted to stand there but Garcia had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rave 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.
Rave wants to stand but Garcia is controlling his posture from full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Garcia keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands a lovely overhand right.
Rave throws a body kick that misses.
Rave blocks a head kick by Garcia.
Crunch! Garcia slams his shin into Rave's torso.
Garcia misses with the combination.
Garcia throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rave stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Rave tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Garcia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rave avoids a punch combination nicely.

Rave moves into the clinch successfully.
Garcia has a couple of punches blocked by Rave.
Nice body punch from Garcia.
Rave tries to throw a body punch but Garcia avoids it by throwing Rave back against the cage.
Rave looking to throw knees to the head but Garcia is blocking nicely.
Rave tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Garcia avoiding damage as Rave throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands a shot to the body.
Rave is breathing heavily.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rave just misses with a elbow thrown towards Garcia's brow.
Rave goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Garcia misses with a hook from the clinch.
Garcia tries to throw a body punch but Rave avoids it by throwing Garcia back against the cage.
Garcia lands with a left to the head.
Garcia working aggressively here.
A body shot lands from Rave.
A short right from Garcia on the inside.
Rave blocking some punches.
Rave pushes Garcia back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rave can't find room to land a body shot as Garcia controls the action.
Garcia struggles to land a body shot inside as Rave controls his hands.
Rave can't find room to land a body shot as Garcia controls the action.
Garcia is working Rave over against the cage.
Garcia tries to throw a body punch but Rave avoids it by throwing Garcia back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Garcia managing to block the knees to the body from Rave.
Rave blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Garcia.
A shot in the inside from Garcia.
Rave tries to land knees in the clinch but Garcia avoids the damage to the body.
Garcia tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rave's elbow.
Rave utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Rave presses Garcia against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Garcia misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rave lands a body shot.
Rave blocks a body shot from Garcia.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Garcia.
Rave lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Garcia throws a head punch that misses.
Garcia misses with a hook to the ribs.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rave scores with a shot to the side of Garcia's head.

Garcia manages to break the clinch.
Rave tries to clinch but Garcia moves out of range.
Rave feints and then cracks Garcia's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Garcia down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Garcia dominated that second round.
That's time! Garcia's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Garcia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rave dodges the punch combination from Garcia.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Garcia - that will leave a mark!
Rave wants to clinch.
Garcia lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Garcia.
Garcia misses with a series of wild punches.
Rave tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rave looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rave fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rave tries to clinch

and Garcia counters with a single leg into guard. Rave didn't expect that.
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!
Garcia is looking to pass into half guard but Rave pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Rave is in guard.
Rave stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Garcia swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rave is looking to work some ground and pound but Garcia has wrist control.
Garcia has a closed guard, preventing Rave from standing up.
Rave wants to stand and escape but instead Garcia has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia stays in close to Rave's body and controls the position.
Garcia looking to sit in guard and control but Rave gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rave trying to control the position from guard on top but Garcia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rave is looking to stand up but Garcia won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rave wants to control from the top but Garcia keeps moving.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Craig Rave hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Garcia connects with a solid leg kick.
Rave tries to close the distance and clinch up but Garcia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rave doesn't manage to clinch there - Garcia circles away.
Garcia wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Rave is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rave fails with an attempt to clinch.
Garcia is looking to chop away at Rave's legs.
Rave tries to clinch but Garcia is having none of it.
Both fighters circling a little - Garcia finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rave takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Garcia misses with a head kick.
Garcia takes a swing at Rave's ribcage but misses.
Rave tries to clinch

and Garcia counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rave won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rave tries to bench press Garcia off him but Garcia keeps the position.
Rave tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

Rave won't enjoy being in this position. Garcia looking for the choke. Oh... he's slipped the arm under the neck - Rave is tapping - it's over boys! Garcia picks up the submission victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Chris Garcia!
Chris Garcia retains his middleweight title!
Chris Garcia bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.