PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gaius Augustus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rawls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Augustus
vs
Rawls

185 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

178 cm
18
212 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gaius Augustus!
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, John Rawls!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rawls blocks a leg kick.
Augustus throws a hook to the side of Rawls's head but Rawls sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Rawls looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Augustus!

Rawls moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Augustus has worked his arm free - good work by Augustus!

Rawls wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Augustus, who protects the arm well.
Rawls tries to advance to mount but can't.

Rawls goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Augustus has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rawls but great work by Augustus.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls tries to buck Augustus off but Augustus is having none of it.
Augustus is breathing heavily.

Augustus stands up and beckons Rawls to his feet.
Rawls ducks under a wild hook from Augustus.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Rawls looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Augustus!

Rawls with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rawls tries to control but Augustus wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rawls is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Augustus can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Rawls trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Rawls is working for a guillotine from mount but Augustus frees his head quite easily.

Rawls goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Augustus is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rawls looking for a guillotine here but Augustus defends easily.

Rawls working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Augustus has passed into half guard!

Augustus escapes and gets back to his feet.
Rawls avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rawls fails with a takedown attempt.
Augustus lunges at Rawls with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Rawls's hand.
Augustus throws a leg kick which misses Rawls's front leg but catches the back leg as Rawls tries to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Rawls.
Rawls wants to control but Augustus is keeping him busy.

Rawls working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Rawls tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Rawls has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rawls advances nicely into full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rawls dominated that round.
That's time! Augustus's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rawls 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.
Augustus keeping full guard, as Rawls tries to pass.

Rawls postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Augustus is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Rawls, into his guard.
Augustus tries to stand but Rawls is controlling from the bottom.

Augustus decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rawls, up you get!
Rawls blocks a jab.
Augustus throws a shot from downtown. Rawls moves away and avoids it.

Rawls shoots in and bounces Augustus off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rawls stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Augustus swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls won't allow Augustus to get back to his feet.
Rawls not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Augustus is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rawls trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Augustus manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Rawls looking to hit a scissor sweep but Augustus is one step ahead there.

Augustus stands and steps away. Rawls gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Rawls scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Augustus being controlled for a moment.

Rawls swings around for an armbar but Augustus sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rawls's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rawls is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rawls bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Augustus's guard.
Rawls passes Augustus's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Augustus won't allow Rawls to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Augustus tries to kick Rawls off but Rawls keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Rawls tries to pass to full mount but Augustus defends it.

Rawls wants to work for an arm triangle but Augustus is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Rawls seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Augustus does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Augustus is trying to stand up here but Rawls is controlling him well.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Augustus. No joy for Rawls on that attempt.

Rawls decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Rawls looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rawls seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Augustus has recovered full guard.
Rawls wants to pass the guard but Augustus is keeping the position.
Augustus keeping moving, preventing Rawls from controlling successfully.

Rawls drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Augustus dives on top into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Rawls showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Augustus throws a shot to the body.

Rawls gets the takedown into side control.

Rawls goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Augustus has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rawls but great work by Augustus.
Rawls is trying to get back to half guard.
Rawls is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Rawls moves into full guard.

Rawls had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Augustus is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Rawls Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Augustus's back instead.

Rawls looking for the RNC.

Rawls is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Augustus has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Rawls working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Augustus is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Rawls has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Augustus taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). John Rawls!