PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Raphael Bowie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bowie comes to the cage accompanied by 300 Violin Orchestra - Jorge Quintero. Raphael Bowie could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Brandon Grant's chin.

Bowie
vs
Grant

195 cm
36
210 lbs
20 - 8 - 0

184 cm
40
195 lbs
23 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raphael Bowie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brandon Grant!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Sam Margolis and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bowie throws a right hand that Grant ducks under and follows up with a left that Grant also avoids with ease.
Grant fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bowie manages to avoid it.
A combination from Bowie does no damage.
Grant throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bowie tries to bum rush Grant with a series of wild strikes but Grant uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A jab from Grant misses.
Bowie looks to land a combination but Grant avoids it well.
Bowie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bowie sets himself, and Grant steps forward looking for the clinch! Bowie avoids it this time.
Bowie misses with a jab, cross combination.

Grant closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bowie quickly recovers to half guard.
Grant is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grant prevents Bowie from improving his position.
Grant not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Grant slips a nice elbow through Bowie's hands, connecting with Bowie's forehead.
Grant thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowie's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant with the ground and pound but Bowie uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Grant trying to control but Bowie is working from the bottom.
Bowie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bowie trying to control the position here.
Bowie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grant.
Bowie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Grant postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bowie is pulling down on Grant's head to control his posture.

Grant has gone for a leg lock! Bowie slips out almost immediately though and dives into Grant's guard.
Grant trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bowie wants to pass the guard but Grant is keeping the position.
Bowie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Grant has hold of Bowie's hands but Bowie slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grant gets back to full guard.

Grant throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Grant controls Bowie momentarily but Bowie frees himself.
Bowie wants to pass the guard but Grant is keeping the position.
Bowie slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Bowie scores with a couple of nice shots.

Bowie 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.
Grant is trying to control but can't.
Grant manages to get to full guard.
Grant controls Bowie momentarily but Bowie frees himself.
Bowie tries to free his leg and advance position but Grant is retaining full guard.

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.
Bowie is working hard here to advance position.
Grant is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Bowie advances to half guard.
Bowie is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Grant!
Bowie wants to take his opponent's back but Grant doesn't allow it.
Bowie prevents Grant from getting the reversal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bowie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Grant tries to strike from the bottom but he's left himself exposed and Bowie has taken his back.
Bowie is hanging on to Grant's back as he tries to escape.
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 Raphael Bowie will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bowie looks to land a combination but Grant avoids it well.
Grant misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Bowie shoots in and bounces Grant off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bowie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Grant prevents Bowie from moving into mount.
Grant throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Grant gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Bowie avoids the attempt from Grant to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bowie moves to take his opponent's back.
Grant is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grant defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bowie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Grant defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Grant is really stuck here.

Bowie is persistently looking for the submission but Grant is defending it well.
Grant trying to control the position but Bowie manages to sink in the hooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bowie is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Bowie throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Grant!
Grant breaks Bowie's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Bowie has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Grant wants to pass the guard but Bowie is keeping the position.
Bowie seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Raphael Bowie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Grant missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant passes Bowie's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Grant throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Grant is looking to advance position but Bowie won't allow it.

Bowie is defending against the submission attempts here by Grant.
Grant thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowie's head.

Grant is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bowie doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Grant.

Bowie is defending against the submission attempts here by Grant.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Grant throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Grant thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bowie's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Grant is nestled in close to Bowie, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Grant throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Bowie wants to improve his position but Grant is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raphael Bowie dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bowie throws a head kick but Grant moves out of range.
Grant throws out a counter right but Bowie avoids it with no problem.
Grant misses with a body shot.
Bowie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Bowie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Grant actively working from the bottom here.
Grant is not content to let Bowie control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grant is looking to improve his position.

Grant looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Grant makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Grant.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bowie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Grant has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Bowie has managed to get both his arms back between Grant's legs - danger averted.
Bowie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grant swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

Bowie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Grant can't keep his opponent in guard - Bowie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Bowie wants to pass the guard but Grant is defending well.

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.

Bowie moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Grant.
Grant is looking for a sweep.
Bowie scoring with punches from side control.
Grant is looking for a sweep.
Bowie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grant keeps working.
Bowie grinds an elbow into Grant's temple.
Bowie working away.

Bowie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Grant tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Bowie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Grant is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Bowie passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Grant!
Grant is squirming around, avoiding Bowie's attempts to control the action.
Grant tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Bowie throws some shoulder strikes here and then postures up. Oh, he's gone for an armbar! Grant has his hands clasped together but Bowie breaks the hold and Grant is forced to tap! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over! That was lightning fast by Bowie!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Raphael Bowie!
During a confident post fight interview, Raphael Bowie thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.