PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cedric Caraan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Nader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Caraan comes to the cage accompanied by TubThumping(I get Knockdown). Nader is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: This Means War. On his way into the cage it seems that Cedric Caraan has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Cedric Caraan seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Caraan
vs
Nader

182 cm
33
194 lbs
15 - 16 - 0

185 cm
20
185 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cedric Caraan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Nader!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nader fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Caraan sprawls well initially but Nader persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Nader wants to stand up but Caraan has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Nader seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Caraan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nader prevents Caraan from improving his position.

Caraan looking for submissions off his back.
Nader keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nader thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Caraan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nader pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Caraan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nader pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caraan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nader.

Caraan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Nader in particular looking to stall.

Nader decides to return to a standing position.

Nader instigates a clinch.
Nader leaning his opponent against the cage.
Nader throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nader scores a nice knee to the body.
Nader has Caraan pressed against the cage.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Nader has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caraan jumps guard but Nader turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Nader leaning his opponent against the cage.

Nader is trying to trip Caraan. He has hold of a leg but Caraan is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Nader persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nader missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Nader thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nader works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caraan is not content to let Nader control the position.
Nader might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Caraan haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Nader is looking for a kimura but Caraan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nader to get the leverage.
Nader trying to control the action but Caraan is working from the bottom.

Nader looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Nader seems to be working for a kimura but Caraan defends the submission attempt.
Nader tries to pass to full mount but Caraan defends it.

Nader is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Caraan looking for submissions off his back.

Caraan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nader pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Caraan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nader wants to control from the top but Caraan keeps moving.

Caraan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Nader looking to pass the guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nader sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Caraan can't keep his opponent in guard - Nader advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Nader dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nader clinches with his opponent.
Caraan's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Nader manages to break the clinch.
Nader tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Caraan paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Nader shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Caraan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nader throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Caraan is working an open guard so Nader takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nader tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nader looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Nader darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Nader trying to control the pace.
Nader uses his free foot to push down on Caraan's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Caraan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nader tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Nader can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Caraan is looking to escape.

Nader is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Caraan is surviving well by controlling Nader's body position as best he can.
Poor strikes thrown by Nader there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Nader misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Caraan flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Nader is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Frank Nader seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Caraan gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Caraan keeping full guard, as Nader tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nader pushing down on Caraan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Nader trying to control from half guard but Caraan is working away.
Nader works his way into full mount!
Caraan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Frank Nader has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nader sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Nader wants to control the pace but Caraan is squirming around nicely.
Nader raining down shots from the mount!

Nader is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Caraan can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caraan blocking the ground and pound.
Caraan wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nader.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nader unloads with some shots from mount but Caraan bucks and avoids them well.
Nader looking to control but Caraan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Nader has control of Caraan's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Caraan regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Caraan is squirming around, avoiding Nader's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Caraan manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Nader showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nader wants to clinch up but Caraan keeps it at a distance.

Nader drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Caraan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Caraan keeping moving, preventing Nader from controlling successfully.
Nader not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Nader looking to pass the guard.
Nader forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nader content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Caraan actively working from the bottom here.
Nader is taking a breather. Caraan says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Caraan tries to roll over but Nader keeps him under control.
Nader is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Nader passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Caraan!

Caraan defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Nader.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caraan is squirming around, avoiding Nader's attempts to control the action.
Caraan is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nader throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Caraan wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nader.
Caraan regains half guard.
Caraan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nader.
Nader is looking to advance position but Caraan won't allow it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nader sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Caraan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Caraan actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nader uses his free foot to push down on Caraan's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Caraan.
Nader looking to control but Caraan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Caraan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nader takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Caraan gets back to half guard.

Nader is looking for a kimura but Caraan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Nader to get the leverage.
Nader wants to stand up but Caraan has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Caraan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Nader passes Caraan's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Caraan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nader pulls his head out easily.
Nader thows a huge punch but Caraan dodges it nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nader is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Nader's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Frank Nader is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nader is pressing down on Caraan's thigh, looking to free his foot. Caraan is holding on for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nader trying to control from half guard but Caraan is working away.
Cedric Caraan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nader seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Nader comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nader 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Nader!
A relieved looking Frank Nader thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.