PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Rawls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lazer Phazer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rawls
vs
Phazer

178 cm
18
208 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
205 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Nordic Battle Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Rawls!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lazer Phazer!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Phazer gets caught flat footed, as Rawls shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Phazer trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Rawls preventing the sweep.
Rawls wants to control from the top but Phazer keeps moving.
Rawls stopping the sweep attempt from Phazer.
Rawls passes Phazer's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Phazer tries to get to full guard but Rawls has control of the leg.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Phazer can do anything to dispel that myth.
Phazer is refusing to be controlled, as Rawls sits in half guard.
Phazer is trying to escape back to his feet but Rawls uses the scramble to pass into side control.

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 working away.
Phazer is pushing Rawls's head away, looking to escape. Rawls manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rawls goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Phazer has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rawls but great work by Phazer.
Rawls is trying to get back to half guard.
Rawls takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rawls wants to control but Phazer postures up.
Rawls is looking for a sweep.
Phazer working the ground and pound from side control.
Rawls is trying to get back to half guard.

Phazer decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rawls to his feet.
Rawls is breathing heavily.
Phazer lands a head kick!

It looks like John Rawls has been cut.
Rawls moves out of range of the leg kick from Phazer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Phazer.
Rawls changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Phazer tries to avoid it but Rawls manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Phazer to the ground. Phazer escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A head kick misses from Phazer.
Rawls showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Phazer.
Phazer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
An inside leg kick from Phazer misses.
Rawls takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Phazer shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rawls's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Phazer works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rawls trying to control from the bottom.
Rawls slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Rawls throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Rawls is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phazer trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Rawls might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rawls manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Phazer manages to get himself to full guard.
Rawls trying to control the position from guard on top but Phazer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Phazer 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rawls stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Phazer swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Phazer looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rawls trying to control but Phazer is working from the bottom.
Phazer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phazer bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rawls's guard.
Phazer trying to control but Rawls is working from the bottom.
Phazer in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Phazer working some strikes from top position.
Phazer throwing strikes from guard but Rawls blocks nicely.
Phazer postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

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

Phazer instigates a clinch.
Rawls tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Rawls. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rawls ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rawls no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rawls preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Phazer looking to pass the guard.

Rawls looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Phazer postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lazer Phazer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Rawls's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rawls tries for a takedown but Phazer circles away easily

and Phazer counters with a takedown into side control.
Phazer lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Phazer throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Phazer controls the position from side control.
Phazer scoring with punches and elbows.
Rawls holds on to Phazer's head and controls the position momentarily.

Phazer is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rawls is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Phazer lands a few punches from side control.
Rawls tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Phazer scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Rawls to see if he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rawls manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Rawls is defending against the submission attempts here by Phazer.
Phazer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rawls's head.
Rawls manages to get to full guard.
Phazer postures up in Rawls's guard and throws a big left but Rawls blocks it.
Phazer thows a big elbow that misses.
Phazer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rawls working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Phazer.
Phazer chips away with some ground and pound.
Phazer working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phazer is working Rawls over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Phazer keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rawls's head.

Phazer decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Rawls, up you get!

Phazer changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rawls looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Phazer scoring with punches and elbows.
You can see the frustration on Rawls's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rawls manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Rawls looking for submissions off his back.
Rawls trying to control here.
Rawls is looking to improve his position.
Lazer Phazer has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rawls is trying to maintain the position but Phazer is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phazer thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Rawls to regain full guard.
Phazer tries to free his leg and advance position but Rawls is retaining full guard.

Rawls has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Phazer can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Rawls looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rawls is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rawls has momentary wrist control but Phazer slips an elbow through the middle.

Rawls is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Phazer distracts Rawls with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Rawls is looking for a triangle but Phazer pushes his legs off easily.
Phazer throwing strikes from guard but Rawls blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phazer trying to control the position from guard on top but Rawls is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Rawls is looking to sinch up a triangle. Phazer throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Rawls's body to avoid the submission. Rawls has instead reached around Phazer's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Rawls arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:38 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). John Rawls!
John Rawls retains his light heavyweight title!