PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Osman Ralf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Micky Ray (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.

Ralf
vs
Ray

178 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Osman Ralf!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Micky Ray!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ralf walks into a jab.

It looks like Osman Ralf has been cut.
Ray tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ralf swivels and escapes.
Ralf has his takedown stuffed

and Ray holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ralf wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ralf tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ralf with a knee to the head.
Ralf tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ray can't break the clinch.
Ralf fails to pull guard.
Ralf landing knees to the head.
Ray drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ralf gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ralf looking to throw knees to the head but Ray is blocking nicely.
Ralf with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Ralf.
Ralf prevents the takedown attempt.
Osman Ralf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Micky Ray.
Ralf keeps control of Ray as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Ralf wants a takedown but no success here.

Ray successfully pulls guard.
Ray not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ralf trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ray's guard.
Ray wants to sweep here but Ralf controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray is pulling down on Ralf's head to control his posture.
Ralf trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ray escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ralf gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ray is trying to keep Ralf in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Ralf fails with a takedown attempt.
Ralf is breathing heavily.

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.
Ray keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ray lands a jab to the head.
Ralf wants to clinch up but Ray keeps it at a distance.
Ralf shoots and misses

and Ray counters with a shoot takedown. Ralf fights it but they end up in guard.
Ralf being controlled here, momentarily.
Ralf looking to control.

Ray stands and steps away. Ralf gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A punch combination from Ray misses.
Ralf on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ray will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray closes the distance and clinches.
Ray jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ralf walks away with a smile on his face. Ray gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ralf stuffs the takedown.
Ray looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ralf throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Ray counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ralf's knee momentarily.
Ray stalks Ralf and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Ralf's face. Ralf staggers backwards, shaken.

Ralf gets a clinch.
Ralf with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Ray jumps into guard, dragging Ralf to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ray managing to control the position.
Ralf wanted to stand there but Ray had control of the position.

Ray working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ralf doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ralf manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ralf trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ralf in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ray trying to control the position.
Ralf trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ralf stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Ralf closes the distance looking to clinch

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

Micky Ray dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Osman Ralf's cut.
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.

Ray fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ray tries to clinch
and Ralf counters with a slapping leg kick.
Osman Ralf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ralf tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ray swivels and escapes.
Ray fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Ralf checks it well.
Ray shoots in for a double leg but Ralf sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Osman Ralf seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ralf closes the distance and clinches up with Ray, looking for a takedown. Ralf pushes Ray against the cage but Ray circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ray misses with a double jab.
Ralf with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ray circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ralf keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Osman Ralf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Micky Ray.

Ray gets a clinch.
Ralf is pressed up against the cage. Ray has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ralf down to the mat. Ralf avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Ray gets a clinch.
Ray is trying to drag Ralf to the mat but Ralf just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ralf pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ralf has his takedown stuffed
and Ray counters with a head kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Ralf.

Ray fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ralf sprawls well initially but Ray persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ralf is not content to let Ray control the position.
Ralf is trying to stand back up but Ray is controlling him

Ralf manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Ray shoots in but Ralf avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ray tries to clinch but Ralf is having none of it.
Ray on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ralf. Ralf obviously looking to wear him down.
Ralf scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ralf tries to clinch
and Ray counters with a nice uppercut.
Ray on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ralf. Ralf obviously looking to wear him down.
Ralf keeps the fight on the outside.
Ray shoots in but Ralf avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ralf throws a sloppy head kick
and Ray counters with a nice body kick.
Ralf keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ray shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ralf pinned against the cage. Ralf gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ralf looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ray is controlling the pace.
Ray trying to control from half guard but Ralf is working away.
Ralf is looking to escape.
Ray looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

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.

Ralf has one foot on Ray's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Ralf or perhaps it was just good defense by Ray which made him look bad.
Ralf moves in looking to clinch but Ray pushes him off.
Ralf tries to clinch up

and Ray moves into the clinch.

Ray lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Ray not doing much here.
Ralf is trying to maintain the position but Ray is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Micky Ray showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Osman Ralf's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ralf looks to clinch

and Ray counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ray.
Ralf landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Ray blocks an elbow strike from Ralf.

Ralf breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ralf clinches but Ray breaks the clinch

and Ray counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ray.
Ralf tries to pull guard but Ray holds him up against the cage and eventually Ralf drops back down to his feet.
Ray fails to pull guard.
Ray tries to land a knee to the head but Ralf blocks with his arms.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ralf just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ray's brow.
Ray throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Ralf blocks it with crossed arms.
Ralf looking to throw knees to the head but Ray is blocking nicely.
Ralf looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Ray goes for a takedown attempt but Ralf pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ralf tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Ray counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ralf dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ray. That did some damage!
Ralf is looking to clinch.
Ralf lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ray circles away quickly and effectively.
Ray fails to land the takedown.
Osman Ralf has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Micky Ray.
Ralf tries to close the distance and clinch but Ray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ray throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ralf's waist but Ralf gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ray off to one side.
Ralf stuffs the takedown attempt from Ray. Ray gets slowly back to his feet.
Ray circles away from the clinch attempt

and Ray counters by moving into the clinch.
Ralf using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ray has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ray has Ralf pressed against the cage.
Ralf wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ray has him pressed against the cage.

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.
Ralf crunches a lovely knee into Ray's ribcage.

Ray pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ralf feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ray's calf.

Ray darts in and clinches Ralf up against the cage.
Ralf throws a knee to the head but misses.
Ray stalls.
Ray wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Ralf with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Ralf looking to throw knees to the head but Ray is blocking nicely.
Ray wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ralf misses with a knee to the head.
Ray jumps guard but Ralf stands there with Ray around his waist. Ray gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ray looking for a takedown.

Ralf breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ray misses with a takedown attempt

and Ralf counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ralf.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ray works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ralf can't keep his opponent in guard - Ray advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ray stops Ralf from getting back to his feet.
Ray is thwarting Ralf's attempts to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ralf looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ray is looking to advance position but Ralf won't allow it.

Ralf kicks off Ray and gets to his feet.
Ray shoots in but Ralf avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ralf lands a really nice looking cross but Ray seems unphased.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ray swats away the attempt to clinch by Ralf.
Nice takedown defense from Ralf. No joy for Ray on that attempt.
Ralf tries to clinch but Ray moves out of range.
Ralf stuffs the takedown attempt from Ray. Ray gets slowly back to his feet.
Ray shoots for a double leg takedown but Ralf sprawls well. He's pushed Ray's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice takedown defense from Ray. No joy for Ralf on that attempt.
Ralf closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ray circles away.
Ralf goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ray misses with a takedown attempt
and Ralf makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Ray shoots in for a takedown but Ralf shows good takedown defense.
Osman Ralf has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Micky Ray is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A combination from Ralf does no damage.

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 Osman Ralf.
I think Ray has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Micky Ray!