PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reggie Booker (ranked 5936 p4p, 4908 weight class) and John Rackham (ranked 683 p4p, 592 weight class). John Rackham is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Booker
vs
Rackham

190 cm
18
185
2 - 1 - 0

186 cm
18
195
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reggie Booker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rackham!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Joseph Jones and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rackham fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Booker is out of range.
We've been told by Booker's head coaches at Andy's Sweaty Men that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Rackham lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rackham gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like John Rackham has been cut.
Rackham staying out of range there.
Rackham slips under a jab.
Rackham connects with a leg kick.
Rackham tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Booker defends well and Rackham ends up having to push Booker into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rackham tries to land a front kick but Booker steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Booker gets a clinch.
Rackham is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Booker is keeping busy.
Rackham lands a nice knee to the body.
Booker tries a body shot but Rackham blocks it.
Booker managing to block the knees to the body from Rackham.
Booker misses with a punch to the body.
Rackham is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Booker gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rackham using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Rackham tries a knee to the head but Booker blocks it.
Rackham goes for a takedown in the clinch but Booker prevents it.
Reggie Booker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Rackham.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Booker takes a knee to the side of the body.
Booker lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Rackham backwards.
Rackham prevents a body shot from Booker.
Rackham with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Rackham has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Booker blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rackham tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Rackham tries a knee to the head but Booker blocks it.
Booker misses with a short punch on the inside.
Booker prevents a takedown attempt there.
Booker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rackham tries to score a body lock takedown but Booker shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rackham with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Booker avoiding damage as Rackham throws knees to the body.
Rackham blocks a body shot from Booker.
Booker can't find room to land a body shot as Rackham controls the action.
Booker throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Rackhams head.
Booker throws a punch but it's blocked by Rackham.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Booker.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Booker on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Booker misses with a body punch.
Booker avoiding damage as Rackham throws knees to the body.
Booker misses with a hook from the clinch.

Booker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rackham tries to work over Booker's front leg with a kick but Booker checks it.
A good leg kick by Rackham.

Booker pushes Rackham up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Booker.
Rackham is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Booker is defending well.
Booker lands a nice uppercut.
Booker misses with a hook to the ribs.
Rackham throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Booker blocks it with crossed arms.
Booker tries to throw a body punch but Rackham avoids it by throwing Booker back against the cage.

Booker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rackham uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Booker misses with a jab, cross combination.

Booker drives through and clinches with Rackham against the cage.
Good body shot from Booker.
A right handed body shot lands from Booker.
Booker lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Booker avoiding damage as Rackham throws knees to the body.
Rackham with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Rackham taking a breather.
Booker tries to throw a body punch but Rackham avoids it by throwing Booker back against the cage.
Booker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Booker breaks the clinch.
Rackham looks for the body kick but Booker saw that one coming.

Booker closes the distance and pushes Rackham back into the cage.
Rackham throws a knee to the head but misses.
Rackham tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Booker avoids it.
A short left from Booker.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice left hand lands by Booker.
Rackham with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rackham putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Booker in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Booker as the two fighters clinch.
Rackham looks winded!
Booker digs a right hand into Rackham's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rackham's gas tank.
Rackham prevents a body shot from Booker.
Rackham tries to score a body lock takedown but Booker shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Booker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Booker lands with a right to the head.
Booker pushes Rackham back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Booker throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Booker breaks the clinch.
Rackham avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rackham swings away with a body shot that misses
and Booker counters with a huge uppercut, hook combination that drops Rackham! The ref has seen enough - he's dived in to stop the fight! Brutal strikes by Booker!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Reggie Booker!
Reggie Booker decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.