PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio ferreira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Rawls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

ferreira
vs
Rawls

196 cm
20
259 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
23
222 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonio ferreira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rawls!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rawls gets caught flat footed, as ferreira shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Rawls is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
ferreira stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rawls swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rawls is adopting a defensive guard.

Rawls escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. ferreira gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two 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.
ferreira stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rawls swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rawls has control of ferreira's left arm, preventing ferreira from doing any damage.
ferreira wants to pass the guard but Rawls is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawls is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
ferreira pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rawls is keeping the position for now.

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 is adopting a defensive guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Rawls will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rawls feints and as ferreira raises his hands in defense, Rawls changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rawls is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
ferreira will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Rawls.
Rawls is trying hard to land a takedown here. ferreira sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
ferreira with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rawls counters with a shoot takedown. ferreira fights it but they end up in guard.
ferreira looking to control.
ferreira keeping full guard, as Rawls tries to pass.
Rawls is stalling in the full guard.
ferreira not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
ferreira is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rawls sitting in guard, not really doing much.
ferreira is trying to keep Rawls in close.
Rawls stays in close to ferreira's body and controls the position.
Rawls slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two 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.
Rawls remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Rawls.
Rawls misses with a takedown attempt - ferreira sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
ferreira shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Rawls counters with a takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here.
ferreira is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here as Rawls stalls from top position.
ferreira tries to control but Rawls manages to take his back.
Rawls controls the position.
ferreira looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

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.
Rawls biding his time, controlling ferreira.
Rawls avoiding ferreira 's attempts to control his hands.
ferreira is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
ferreira just trying to survive but Rawls is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
ferreira is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Rawls controls the position.
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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rawls looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for ferreira!
ferreira wants to hold on but Rawls pushes him away.
ferreira is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Rawls controlling the position easily from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, John Rawls just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

ferreira gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
ferreira working a defensive guard but Rawls manages to pass into side control anyway.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ferreira stops Rawls from passing to mount.
ferreira trying to remain calm as Rawls controls from the top position.
ferreira wants to control but Rawls postures up.
Rawls controlling the position.
You can see the frustration on ferreira's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
John Rawls has got the better of the ground game so far.
ferreira is being controlled here.
Rawls moves into full mount!
Rawls takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two 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.
ferreira is looking to get to half guard.
Rawls takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Despite being in the dominant position, John Rawls just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rawls closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rawls content to control rather than advance.
Let's hope that Rawls has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
ferreira tries to roll over but Rawls keeps him under control.
Rawls stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Rawls.

Rawls changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. ferreira looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rawls has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Rawls looking to control and managing it successfully.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
ferreira tries to control the position but Rawls now has his back.
Antonio ferreira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
ferreira trying to control the action but Rawls just sinks the hooks in.
John Rawls is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
What can ferreira do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Rawls sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! ferreira taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). John Rawls!