PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Rawse (ranked 5792 p4p, 2810 weight class) and Mandlenkosi Thulani (ranked 176 p4p, 111 weight class). Mandlenkosi Thulani is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Rawse
vs
Thulani

193 cm
38
269
20 - 25 - 1

206 cm
25
282
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 25 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricky Rawse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mandlenkosi Thulani!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Alan Glass and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rawse shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Thulani pinned against the cage. Thulani gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Thulani gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short left from Thulani.
Rawse tries to circle away but Thulani has him pinned against the cage.
Thulani's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rawse goes for a takedown attempt but Thulani pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rawse scores with a nice right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thulani tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rawse paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rawse changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Thulani wants to clinch.

Thulani fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rawse, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawse lands a nice uppercut.
Rawse fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've been informed that Thulani has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Rawse drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Rawse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thulani swings wildly with an uppercut but Rawse uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thulani lands with a short shot to the head.
Rawse blocks an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thulani.
Thulani throws a punch but it's blocked by Rawse.

Rawse pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rawse keeps the fight on the outside.
Rawse looks for a takedown but Thulani sprawls well.
Thulani tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rawse paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Thulani doesn't manage to clinch there - Rawse circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thulani looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thulani dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rawse moves forwards but Thulani connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Rawse misses the shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Thulani waves his right hand out in front of him, looking to distract Rawse. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Rawse to the canvas! Can he finish him!?

Rawse is rocked!

It looks like Ricky Rawse has been cut.
Thulani trying to control the position from guard on top but Rawse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Oh Rawse is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rawse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rawse seems to have got his legs back now.
Rawse is pulling down on Thulani's head. It's preventing any offense from Thulani, at least for the moment.
Rawse 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.
Rawse is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawse has control of Thulani's left arm, preventing Thulani from doing any damage.
Rawse looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thulani is one step ahead there.
Rawse might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Thulani in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rawse pulls Thulani in to control the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Thulani working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Thulani fails in his attempt to clinch.
Thulani is looking to clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Rawse pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Thulani back to the cage. Rawse follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
A combination from Rawse does no damage.
Rawse stalks Thulani and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Thulani's face. Thulani staggers backwards, shaken.
Rawse throws a hook but Thulani blocks it.
Rawse connects with a looping right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thulani fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rawse lands the left hand.
Mandlenkosi Thulani is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Thulani moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thulani swings wildly with an uppercut but Rawse uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thulani.
Rawse has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Thulani after a bit of a struggle.
Rawse blocks an uppercut.
Thulani misses with a punch on the inside.
Rawse lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rawse wants to break the clinch but can't.

Rawse breaks the clinch.
Rawse misses with a wild body shot.
Thulani ducks under a wild hook from Rawse.
Nice defenses there by Thulani.
Thulani connects with a single shot there.
Thulani closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rawse counters with a one-two to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mandlenkosi Thulani will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ricky Rawse's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Rawse swats away the attempt to clinch by Thulani.
Rawse throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rawse swats away the attempt to clinch by Thulani.

Thulani cracks Rawse with a big right hand and Rawse goes down!

Rawse is rocked!
Thulani throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rawse works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Oh Rawse is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rawse pulls Thulani in close to prevent any damage.
Rawse looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thulani is one step ahead there.
Rawse seems to have got his legs back now.
Rawse looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Thulani loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thulani stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rawse swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Thulani is looking to work some ground and pound but Rawse has wrist control.
Thulani being controlled here momentarily.
Thulani's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Thulani trying to control but Rawse is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Rawse drives through with a takedown into Thulani's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Rawse landing some decent shots from guard.
Thulani tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thulani keeping full guard, as Rawse tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawse trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Rawse with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rawse throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thulani works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thulani utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rawse postures up and lands a big shot to Thulani's brow.
Thulani is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rawse with a nice head shot there.
Thulani wants to sweep but no luck.
Rawse with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rawse throws a big right hand that misses.
Thulani wants to get back to his feet but Rawse is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rawse working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Thulani's head.
Thulani preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thulani wants to sweep here but Rawse controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawse is looking to work some ground and pound but Thulani has wrist control.
Thulani working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rawse.
Rawse has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Thulani trying to control the position.
Rawse throwing strikes but missing.
Rawse stopping the sweep attempt from Thulani.
Rawse throws a strike but Thulani rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rawse looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Thulani trying to control the position from guard on top but Rawse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thulani with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thulani stopping the sweep attempt from Rawse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawse is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rawse looking for a sweep. Not yet Rawse, not yet.
Rawse keeping moving, preventing Thulani from controlling successfully.
Thulani trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Thulani looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Thulani wants to control from the top but Rawse keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mandlenkosi Thulani will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ricky Rawse's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Thulani tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rawse manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nice defenses there by Thulani.

Rawse looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Thulani!

Thulani explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Mandlenkosi Thulani seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rawse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Thulani moves in looking to clinch but Rawse pushes him off.
Rawse misses with a takedown

and Thulani counters with a left hand that sends Rawse to the canvas!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Thulani with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rawse keeping moving, preventing Thulani from controlling successfully.
Thulani throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rawse has Thulani pulled in close to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawse lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Thulani not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Thulani pulls Rawse in to control the position.
Rawse working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rawse throwing strikes from guard but Thulani blocks nicely.
Thulani pulls Rawse in to control the position.
Thulani trying to keep a closed guard but Rawse is proving a slippery customer.
Thulani preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thulani bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rawse's guard.

Thulani trying to control but Rawse is working from the bottom.
Thulani controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mandlenkosi Thulani is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rawse lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Thulani avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Thulani is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rawse postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ricky Rawse overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rawse postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Thulani looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Rawse is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Thulani is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rawse connects with a couple of short punches.
Rawse loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thulani is on top in guard.

Thulani trying to control the position from guard on top but Rawse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rawse manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Thulani manages to get himself to full guard.

Ricky Rawse has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thulani working a defensive guard here.
Thulani utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Thulani not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rawse accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rawse missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rawse is looking to work some ground and pound but Thulani has wrist control.
Rawse works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Thulani has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rawse is working away from the top position though.
Rawse throwing shots but Thulani is blocking nicely.
Rawse missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rawse not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Thulani is trying to maintain the position but Rawse is very close to passing his half guard.
Rawse working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Thulani regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Rawse.
Thulani wants to get back to his feet but Rawse is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rawse's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

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 Ricky Rawse.
I think Thulani 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mandlenkosi Thulani!
Mandlenkosi Thulani seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.