PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Hanlon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Raban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hanlon
vs
Raban

190 cm
24
246 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

200 cm
27
270 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Hanlon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Raban!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Daniel Bishop and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice cross by Hanlon.

It looks like James Raban has been cut.
Hanlon tries to bum rush Raban with a series of wild strikes but Raban uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Crunch! Raban slams his shin into Hanlon's torso.
Raban showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanlon.
Mark Hanlon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hanlon looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hanlon tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hanlon misses with a body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hanlon throws a looping overhand right but Raban ducks down to avoid it.
Raban showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanlon.
Hanlon throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Raban counters with a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hanlon misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanlon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hanlon misses with a few strikes there.
Hanlon misses with a double jab
and Raban counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Mark Hanlon has been cut.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Raban.
Nice body kick there by Raban.
Hanlon misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hanlon throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hanlon lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Raban circles away quickly and effectively.
Hanlon jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raban wants to clinch
and Hanlon counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hanlon falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raban counters with an outside leg kick.
Hanlon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hanlon swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Raban counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raban.
Raban slows down the pace here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Raban lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanlon wants to control but Raban is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Raban thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Raban content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Hanlon is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James Raban was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Hanlon throws a nice looking combination but Raban bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hanlon throws a left and a right that both miss
and Raban counters with a body kick.
Hanlon misses with a hook.
Hanlon throws a lazy head kick

and Raban moves into the clinch.
Raban dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hanlon stalling in the clinch but Raban improves position.
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 Mark Hanlon will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Raban connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hanlon throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Raban counters with a body kick that stops Hanlon in his tracks momentarily.
Some wild striking there from Hanlon.
Raban lands a nice looking body kick.
Hanlon throws a left and a right that both miss
and Raban counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Hanlon misses with a combination

and Raban holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hanlon looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Raban has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Hanlon regains guard immediately.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raban content to stall in guard here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. James Raban hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hanlon throws a right hand that misses
and Raban counters with a head kick.
Hanlon throws out a loose jab but Raban uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raban takes one to the side of the head.
Mark Hanlon is winning the standup battle so far.
Hanlon lands the left hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raban walks into a jab.
Hanlon looks to throw the jab but Raban is out of range.
Hanlon throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raban.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanlon throws a sloppy head kick
and Raban counters with a head kick.
Mark Hanlon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hanlon looks to land a combination but Raban avoids it well.
A head kick by Hanlon misses
and Raban counters with a straight right hand.
Hanlon walks forward, straight into a front kick from Raban.
Hanlon falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raban makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Hanlon really felt that one!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raban showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanlon.
Hanlon misses with a few strikes there.
Raban moves out of range of the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raban scores with a spinning back kick!
Raban showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanlon.
Raban pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hanlon will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Hanlon goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Raban looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Raban walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Raban rushes Hanlon and presses him up against the cage.

Hanlon breaks from the clinch.

Hanlon tries to keep at a distance but Raban has taken the fight into the clinch.

Hanlon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raban throws a front kick that sends Hanlon stumbling back into the cage.
Hanlon is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
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!
Hanlon falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raban counters with a low kick, right behind Hanlon 's knee.
Some wild striking there from Hanlon.
Raban misses with the body kick
and Hanlon counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Raban throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Hanlon connects with a crisp jab.
Hanlon takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Raban will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hanlon cracks Raban with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Hanlon displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Hanlon steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Raban. That one must have hurt.
Hanlon throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raban.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raban slips a jab and a cross from Hanlon.
Raban swings for the body but Hanlon moves out of range.
Hanlon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hanlon misses with a series of wild punches.
Raban ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hanlon throws a right and a left that Raban avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanlon throws a series of punches but Raban moves out of range.
Hanlon falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raban counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A slow jab from Hanlon misses its intended target.
Raban is looking to clinch but Hanlon is avoiding it.

Raban has Hanlon up against the cage in a clinch.
Hanlon tries to circle away but Raban has him pinned against the cage.

Raban works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Raban postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Raban trying to control the position from guard on top but Hanlon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. James Raban hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Hanlon connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hanlon throws a left and a right that both miss

and Raban counters by clinching up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Raban tightens his grip and picks Hanlon up, before dumping him to the ground. Hanlon manages to land in guard.
Hanlon is trying to control the position but Raban postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raban sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James Raban was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Raban tries to land a front kick but Hanlon steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hanlon thows a body shot but no joy.
It looks like Hanlon has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Raban's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Hanlon connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Raban scrambles back to his feet.

That has opened up James Raban's cut even more.
Hanlon throws a sloppy head kick and Raban moves out of range easily.
Hanlon looks to land a combination but Raban avoids it well.
Hanlon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hanlon misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanlon throws a hook but Raban blocks it.
Hanlon loads up on a big right hand but Raban slips the punch.
Raban lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Raban looks to land a body kick but Hanlon moved away.
Raban fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hanlon.
Hanlon misses with a few strikes there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hanlon falls off balance throwing a combination
and Raban counters with a good low kick that Hanlon was not able to check.
Raban tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hanlon was well out of range. Poor timing from Raban.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mark Hanlon.
I think Hanlon has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Hanlon!
An out of breath and clearly excited Mark Hanlon thanked Zentrope Fighting Universe for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).