PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Danny Green (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tipene Rawhiti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Green
vs
Rawhiti

178 cm
29
200 lbs
3 - 11 - 1

186 cm
25
266 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Danny Green!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tipene Rawhiti!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Paul Gruel and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rawhiti drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Green not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Rawhiti pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Green is keeping the position for now.
Green trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Green throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Green bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rawhiti's guard.

Rawhiti pulls Green in close to prevent any damage.
Rawhiti manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Green manages to get himself to full guard.

Green is trying to keep Rawhiti in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Green striking off his back but it's not causing Rawhiti any problems.
Rawhiti postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Rawhiti looking to pass the guard.
Green can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Rawhiti controls the pace.
Green thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Green is trying to control the position but Rawhiti postures up.
Green trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Green wants to sweep but no luck.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rawhiti is working Green over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Rawhiti postures up.
Rawhiti content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Green lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Green trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rawhiti's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Green wants to clinch up but Rawhiti keeps it at a distance.
Green tries to clinch but Rawhiti moves out of range.
Green sets himself, and Rawhiti steps forward looking for the clinch! Green avoids it this time.
Green tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rawhiti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rawhiti throws a big counter head kick but Green avoids it with no problem.
Green looks to clinch

and Rawhiti counters with a nice double leg into side control. Green won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rawhiti decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Green is looking to clinch but Rawhiti is avoiding it.
Green tries to clinch but Rawhiti moves out of range.
Green is looking to clinch.

Rawhiti gets the takedown into side control.
Green struggling a bit here.
Rawhiti controls the position from side control.

Rawhiti stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Green blocks the body kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Green looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Green tries to close the distance and clinch but Rawhiti swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Despite the aggression on Rawhiti's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Rawhiti has managed to clinch.

Rawhiti breaks from the clinch.
Rawhiti avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Green tries to sprawl but Rawhiti drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Rawhiti sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Green is trying to control but Rawhiti passes into side control!
Green misses with a strike from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Green wants to control but Rawhiti postures up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rawhiti just content to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tipene Rawhiti dominated that round.
That's time! Green's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Green tries to close the distance and clinch but Rawhiti swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rawhiti wants to counter the offense by Green and move into the clinch position.
Rawhiti circles away from the clinch attempt.
Green wants to clinch.
Rawhiti flicks out a counter leg kick but Green steps away.
Green tries to clinch but Rawhiti moves out of range.

Rawhiti closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rawhiti is controlling the pace.
Green punching from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rawhiti trying to mount his opponent but Green defends it.
Green 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.
Green flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Green punching from the bottom.
Green flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Green wants to control but Rawhiti is keeping busy.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rawhiti is taking a breather. Green 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.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Green tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rawhiti lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Green is looking to clinch but Rawhiti is avoiding it.
Green fails with an attempt to clinch.
Green tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rawhiti swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Green tries to close the distance and clinch but Rawhiti swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Green darts in trying to clinch

and Rawhiti counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Green trying to control but Rawhiti postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Green flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Green throws a strike from the bottom but Rawhiti passes into side control!
Rawhiti takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Green to pass into mount.
Rawhiti looking to finish Green with some ground and pound. This is bad for Green!
Green is looking to improve his position but Rawhiti isn't that keen on the idea.
Rawhiti landing punches.
Green throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rawhiti. What's that going to do exactly?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Green throwing hammer fists to the chest of Rawhiti. What's that going to do exactly?
Rawhiti lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti avoids the attempt from Green to control.
Green is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rawhiti sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Green doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Rawhiti controlling the pace for now.
Green flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Green tries to hold on but Rawhiti postures up.
Green tries to reverse the position but Rawhiti maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti blocks Green's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rawhiti blocks Green's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Green is looking to get to half guard.
Green is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.

Rawhiti looking for a guillotine from mount but Green is having none of it.
Green tries to hold on but Rawhiti postures up.
Green flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Green flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Green keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rawhiti takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tipene Rawhiti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Green closes the distance but Rawhiti moves to the side

and Rawhiti decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Green's guard.
Rawhiti tries to stand but Green is controlling from the bottom.
Rawhiti with a nice head shot there.
Rawhiti would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rawhiti seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Green throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Green not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Rawhiti is looking to stand up but Green won't let him.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rawhiti shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rawhiti moves nicely into side control.
Green throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Green is trying to strike from the bottom but Rawhiti has passed into full mount.
Tipene Rawhiti has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rawhiti takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Rawhiti working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawhiti unloading with bombs!
Rawhiti lands a big elbow.

Green is rocked!
Rawhiti is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Green can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Oh Green is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Green wants to control but Rawhiti is having none of it.
Rawhiti controlling the position easily from mount.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rawhiti stands up from mount. Strange move.
Green wants to clinch

and Rawhiti counters with a shoot takedown. Green fights it but they end up in guard.
Rawhiti engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Green seems to have got his legs back now.
Green pulls Rawhiti in to control the position.
Rawhiti has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Green bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rawhiti's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Green wants to stand and escape but instead Rawhiti has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Rawhiti stays in close to Green's body and controls the position.
Green is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rawhiti is stalling in the full guard.
Rawhiti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Green swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rawhiti postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Green being controlled here, momentarily.
Rawhiti keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Green's head.
Rawhiti sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Green is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rawhiti slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rawhiti decides to stand back up. Rawhiti steps back and let's Green get back to his feet.
Green is looking to clinch but Rawhiti is avoiding it.
Danny Green has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tipene Rawhiti is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Green wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tipene Rawhiti comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Rawhiti 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tipene Rawhiti!