PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ravi Raja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Folami Zuberi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Zuberi is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Mickey Factz - Rocker. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Raja
vs
Zuberi

190 cm
22
221 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
22
240 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Hellbent, Inc.

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ravi Raja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Folami Zuberi!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raja tries to close the distance and clinch but Zuberi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Raja sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Raja tries to clinch there but Zuberi circles away.
Zuberi tries a head kick but it misses.
Raja tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zuberi swivels and escapes.
Raja rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Zuberi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Raja tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zuberi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Zuberi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Raja drops Zuberi with a left and a right! Oh, Zuberi is hurt - Raja dives into side control looking to finish!

It looks like Folami Zuberi has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raja trying to control the action but Zuberi is working from the bottom.
Raja connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Zuberi some visible discomfort.
Zuberi is trying to improve his position.

Raja is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Zuberi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zuberi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zuberi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Raja off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuberi scores with punches to the body.
Raja trying to control the action but Zuberi just sinks the hooks in.
Raja covers up after that shot from Zuberi.
Zuberi is looking to control Raja but Raja is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Raja tries to escape but Zuberi has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Raja is taking damage to the body and head.
Zuberi tries to keep control of the position but Raja is staying busy.
Raja manages to reverse the position and now he's in Zuberi's guard. Nice work there by Raja.
Zuberi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi lands some strikes from the bottom.
Raja trying to control but Zuberi is working from the bottom.
Zuberi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Raja looking to pass the guard.

Zuberi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Raja can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Zuberi looks gassed!
Zuberi keeping moving, preventing Raja from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Raja shoots in for a double leg but Zuberi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Raja gets caught flat footed, as Zuberi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi trying to control but Raja is working from the bottom.
Raja has Zuberi pulled in close to control his posture.
Raja working a defensive guard here.
Raja is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Zuberi is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Zuberi stands up out of Raja's guard for a moment - Raja manages to land a nice upkick.
Raja throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Raja keeping moving, preventing Zuberi from controlling successfully.
Raja wants to sweep here but Zuberi controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Raja cracks Zuberi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raja is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Raja uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Zuberi.
Raja wants to clinch up but Zuberi keeps it at a distance.
Zuberi misses with a series of wild punches.
Zuberi shoots in looking for a takedown. Raja tries to sprawl out of it but Zuberi keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Raja manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Zuberi stuffs the takedown attempt from Raja. Raja gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ravi Raja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raja with a poor takedown
and Zuberi counters with a solid body kick.
Raja wants to clinch

and Zuberi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Zuberi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ravi Raja dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Folami Zuberi's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zuberi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Raja.
Zuberi works over Raja's head and body with a nice combination.

Zuberi rushes Raja and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Raja wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Zuberi has him pressed against the cage.
Raja has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zuberi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Raja tries to score a body lock takedown but Zuberi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Raja has Zuberi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zuberi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ravi Raja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raja has Zuberi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zuberi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Zuberi has hold of one of Raja's legs. Raja is fighting the takedown attempt but Zuberi gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Raja wants to sweep here but Zuberi controlling him for the moment.
Raja keeping moving, preventing Zuberi from controlling successfully.
Zuberi stopping the sweep attempt from Raja.
Raja is working hard here to advance position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zuberi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Raja wants to sweep but no luck.
Raja lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Zuberi!
Zuberi is trying desperately to improve position.
Raja connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
BOOM! Raja connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Zuberi keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zuberi slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raja blocks the strikes from Zuberi.
Raja wants to control but Zuberi is keeping him busy.
Raja is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Zuberi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Raja landing strikes, looking to finish!
Raja scoring with strikes but Zuberi is staying in there.
Raja dominating with strikes here.
Raja dominating with strikes here.
Raja lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Zuberi hang on?
Raja controlling his opponent.
Zuberi is squirming around, avoiding Raja's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi regains half guard.
Zuberi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Raja scores with a couple of nice shots.
Zuberi is looking to improve his position.
Raja moves into full mount! Zuberi won't be happy about that!
Raja cracks Zuberi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
A nice elbow there by Raja.
Raja takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Zuberi is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raja lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Zuberi is trying desperately to improve position.
Zuberi tries to hold on but Raja pushes him away.
Raja scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The referee warns Zuberi that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Raja sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ravi Raja overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Raja tries to control but Zuberi wriggling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Raja lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ravi Raja dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Folami Zuberi's cut.
That's time! Raja's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Zuberi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Raja.
Nice uppercut lands for Raja. That snapped Zuberi's head back.
Ravi Raja is winning the standup battle so far.
Raja with a lazy takedown attempt

and Zuberi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zuberi.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zuberi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Zuberi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Raja is keeping the position for now.
Raja pulls Zuberi in close to prevent any damage.
Raja not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Raja manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Zuberi manages to get himself to full guard.
Raja slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Raja scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raja trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Raja with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Raja working some strikes from top position.
Raja with a nice head shot there.
Raja stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zuberi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Zuberi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Raja kicks off Zuberi and gets to his feet.
Zuberi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Raja pinned against the cage. Raja gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Raja scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raja thuds a left hand into Zuberi's body.
Raja throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Zuberi.
Ravi Raja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raja lands with a nice combination. Zuberi backs away looking to recover.
Raja scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raja shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Zuberi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Raja lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Raja takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Raja lands a nice hook to Zuberi's body. Zuberi takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Raja is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zuberi circles away from the clinch attempt
and Zuberi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Zuberi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Raja avoids a punch combination nicely.
Raja misses with a combination
and Zuberi counters with a nice uppercut.
Raja misses with a few strikes there.
Raja shoots in and drives through. Zuberi sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ravi Raja. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zuberi throws a head kick but Raja moves out of range.
Zuberi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Raja wants to clinch
and Zuberi counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Raja feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Zuberi trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Zuberi is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Raja content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Zuberi tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zuberi can't keep his opponent in guard - Raja advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Raja prevents Zuberi from improving his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Raja wants to lay and pray for a moment but Zuberi keeps working.
Folami Zuberi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raja working over Zuberi with some ground and pound. Zuberi looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ravi Raja showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Raja, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ravi Raja!