PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Junior Rai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and rodrigo cunha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rai
vs
cunha

170 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Junior Rai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, rodrigo cunha!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Frank Dennis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Junior Rai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from cunha.
cunha fails to land the takedown.
cunha shoots in looking for a takedown. Rai tries to sprawl out of it but cunha keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rai manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Junior Rai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of rodrigo cunha.
Rai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice takedown defense from Rai. No joy for cunha on that attempt.
No luck for cunha with that takedown attempt.
Rai throws a right and a left that cunha avoids nicely.
Rai throws a series of punches but cunha moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from cunha.
Nice takedown defense from Rai. No joy for cunha on that attempt.
cunha looks gassed!
cunha shoots for a double leg takedown but Rai sprawls well. He's pushed cunha's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rai lands a nice shot that snaps cunha's head back.
cunha on the wrong end of a nice hook.

It looks like rodrigo cunha has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for cunha with that takedown attempt.
Rai misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rai misses with a series of wild punches.
Rai fails to land with a series of punches.
cunha shoots in looking for a takedown. Rai tries to sprawl out of it but cunha keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rai manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rai throws a series of punches but cunha avoids them all with ease.
Rai rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but cunha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rai lands with a nice body punch.
Rai lands a two punch combo.
Rai rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but cunha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rai throws a nice looking combination but cunha bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
cunha looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rai is fending him off so far but cunha persists. Nope, Rai circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rai will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

cunha looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Rai!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
cunha working the ground and pound effectively.
cunha lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Rai wants to control but cunha is having none of it.
cunha landing strikes, looking to finish!
cunha is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rai can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
cunha punishing his opponent with strikes.
cunha lands a nice shot to the head.
cunha scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rai?
Rai is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
cunha lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Rai is in all sorts of trouble here.
Rai is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Rai is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
cunha raining down shots from the mount!
cunha scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Rai is in all sorts of trouble here.
A nice elbow there by cunha.
cunha breaks from Rai's wrist control and lands an elbow.
cunha punishing his opponent with strikes.
cunha pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
cunha cracks Rai with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
cunha punishing his opponent with strikes.
cunha scoring with strikes but Rai is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
cunha breaks from Rai's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Rai really wants to buck cunha off and get back to his feet.
cunha scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Rai?
Rai in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Rai throwing hammer fists to the chest of cunha. What's that going to do exactly?
cunha landing shots from mount.
cunha landing strikes from the mount and Rai is in trouble!
Rai tries to get back to half guard but can't.
cunha lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
cunha punishing his opponent with strikes.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rai squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
cunha lands a nice shot to the head.
Rai regains half guard.
Rai has hold of cunha's hands but cunha slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Rai is looking to control cunha's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rai avoid being mounted?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Rai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on rodrigo cunha's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rai throws a shot from downtown. cunha moves away and avoids it.
cunha dodges the punch combination from Rai.
cunha slips a jab and a cross from Rai.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from cunha.
cunha fails with the takedown.
Rai misses with a series of wild punches.
Rai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rai throws a right and a left that both miss.
No joy there for Rai, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
cunha shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rai as he avoids it easily.
Junior Rai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of rodrigo cunha.

cunha scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rai gets full guard.
Rai is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst cunha is controlling him.
cunha lands a couple of elbows.
cunha in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rai keeping full guard, as cunha tries to pass.
Rai is trying to keep cunha in close.
cunha in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rai is looking to stand up but cunha isn't so interested in that idea.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
cunha throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rai's waist but Rai gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing cunha off to one side.
Rai misses with a few strikes there.
cunha tries for a takedown but Rai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
cunha fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rai misses with a wild combination.
cunha fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
cunha has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rai misses with a body kick.
Rai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
cunha dodges the punch combination from Rai.
cunha fails to land the takedown.

cunha feints and as Rai raises his hands in defense, cunha changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Rai is looking for a triangle but cunha pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rai is looking to stand up but cunha isn't so interested in that idea.
cunha makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Rai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rai keeping full guard, as cunha tries to pass.

Rai looking for a guillotine here but cunha defends easily.

Rai has his foot on cunha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. cunha works his way back into a safe position though.
cunha is pushing down on Rai's leg trying to pass to half guard. Rai is fighting to maintain full guard but cunha has managed to sneak the leg through.
Rai won't allow cunha to pass to mount.
cunha really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rai. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
cunha prevents Rai from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
cunha is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Rai wants to get back to his feet.
cunha lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rai keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Rai kicks cunha off and gets back to his feet.
Rai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
cunha fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rai throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rai tries to bum rush cunha with a series of wild strikes but cunha uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

cunha fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Rai sprawls well initially but cunha persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
cunha working Rai over with strikes.
Rai wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but rodrigo cunha will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on rodrigo cunha's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

cunha fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rai scores with a one two! cunha had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
cunha misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Junior Rai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rai lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rai.
Nice uppercut lands for Rai. That snapped cunha's head back.

cunha drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rai bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in cunha's guard.
rodrigo cunha has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rai thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
cunha wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
cunha throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rai wanted to stand there but cunha had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
cunha trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Rai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rai stuffs the takedown.
Junior Rai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of rodrigo cunha.
No joy there for Rai, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Junior Rai is winning the standup battle so far.
Rai misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rai misses with a double jab.
cunha misses with a takedown attempt - Rai sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
cunha will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
cunha slips a jab and a cross from Rai.
Rai throws a combination but it was largely blocked by cunha.
Rai looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rai swinging wilding here.
cunha fails to land the takedown.
Rai looks to land a combination but cunha avoids it well.
cunha blocks a jab.

cunha shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than cunha was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rai is trying desperately to improve position.
Rai regains half guard.
cunha drops an elbow to the side of Rai's head.
cunha drops an elbow to the side of Rai's head.
Rai is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
cunha lands strikes from half guard.
cunha missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
cunha thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
cunha not landing any meaningful shots this time.
cunha winds up and cracks Rai with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rai rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but cunha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
cunha misses with a takedown attempt - Rai sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
cunha closes the distance and clinches up with Rai, looking for a takedown. cunha pushes Rai against the cage but Rai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rai scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
cunha will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
cunha closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rai circles away.
Rai scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
cunha avoids a punch combination nicely.
cunha tries for a takedown but Rai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rai throws a right hand that cunha ducks under and follows up with a left that cunha also avoids with ease.
cunha tries for a takedown but Rai sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
cunha shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rai pinned against the cage. Rai gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
cunha showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rai.
cunha fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rai throws a nice looking combination but cunha bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rai misses with a jab, cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Junior Rai showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rai 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Junior Rai!