PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zaid Al Balushi (ranked 959 p4p, 848 weight class) and Sean Dickinson (ranked 131 p4p, 118 weight class). Dickinson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Resurrection - Chris Travis kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Al Balushi
vs
Dickinson

180 cm
30
155
9 - 3 - 0

189 cm
28
166
14 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
Urban Fighter

Brachial Nutrition 100$ 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Zaid Al Balushi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sean Dickinson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Dean, Steve Erwin and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Balushi checks a low kick from Dickinson.
Al Balushi tries to clinch there but Dickinson circles away.
Al Balushi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Al Balushi misses with a low kick.
Al Balushi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Dickinson has time to react.
Jab, jab by Dickinson - just one landing.
A chopping leg kick lands by Dickinson.
A low kick lands for Dickinson.
Dickinson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Dickinson throws a shot from downtown. Al Balushi moves away and avoids it.
Al Balushi takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Dickinson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Al Balushi darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big left from Al Balushi misses.
Dickinson takes a swing at Al Balushi's ribcage but misses.
Dickinson slips a straight right by Al Balushi.
Dickinson looks to land a left hand but Al Balushi moved out of range nicely.
Al Balushi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Dickinson's sensitive parts.
Nice body kick there by Al Balushi.
Dickinson misses with a low kick.
Dickinson misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Dickinson.
Al Balushi lands a jab.
Al Balushi looks for the body kick but Dickinson saw that one coming.
Al Balushi throws a poor cross that misses
and Dickinson counters with a straight right hand.
Dickinson walks forward, straight into a front kick from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
A jab from Al Balushi misses.
Dickinson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Dickinson throws a shot from downtown. Al Balushi moves away and avoids it.
Dickinson throws a big shot that misses.
Al Balushi looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Al Balushi connects with a leg kick.
Dickinson slips under a jab from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi throws an off balance right hand
and Dickinson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A big left from Al Balushi misses.
Sloppy strikes from Dickinson. Those never looked like landing.
Al Balushi throws a low kick but Dickinson moves out of range easily.
Dickinson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Al Balushi connects with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Al Balushi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Al Balushi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dickinson manages to avoid it.
Dickinson lands with an uppercut that bounces Al Balushi off the cage and back into range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Al Balushi misses.
Dickinson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Al Balushi.
A swing and a miss from Dickinson.
Al Balushi misses with a straight right.
Al Balushi throws a push kick but Dickinson slaps the foot to one side.
A thudding body kick lands there by Al Balushi!
Al Balushi punishes Dickinson's body with a nice straight punch.
Dickinson checks a low kick from Al Balushi.
Dickinson throws a right hand that misses
and Al Balushi counters with a stiff right hand.
Al Balushi fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Dickinson blocks a leg kick.
Dickinson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dickinson moves out of range as Al Balushi throws a body kick.
Al Balushi lands a really nice looking cross but Dickinson seems unphased.
Good leg kick by Al Balushi.
A slow jab from Dickinson misses its intended target.
Al Balushi lands an overhand right.
Dickinson misses with a body shot.
Dickinson defending well as Al Balushi loads up on a big left hand.
Dickinson tries a quick counter leg kick but Al Balushi is wise to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dickinson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dickinson is looking to score with low kicks.
Al Balushi swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Al Balushi throws a shot from downtown. Dickinson moves away and avoids it.
Al Balushi tries to score with a low kick but Dickinson moves his leg out of the way.
Al Balushi keeps Dickinson at a distance using the push kick.
Dickinson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dickinson is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Al Balushi with a body shot.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick but Dickinson sees it coming and moves out of range.
Zaid Al Balushi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Al Balushi misses with a low kick.
Al Balushi tries to clinch there but Dickinson circles away.
Dickinson moves out of range as Al Balushi throws a body kick.
Al Balushi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dickinson manages to avoid it.
Dickinson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Al Balushi moves out of range as Dickinson strikes.
Dickinson is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Al Balushi had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Dickinson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Al Balushi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Al Balushi lands a really nice looking cross but Dickinson seems unphased.
Dickinson misses with an uppercut. Al Balushi saw that one coming.
Al Balushi fires out a quick counter leg kick but Dickinson just manages to avoid it.
Dickinson throws a low kick, looking for Al Balushi's leg but Al Balushi calmly moves out of range.
Al Balushi misses the shot to the body.
Al Balushi backing away here, and Dickinson unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Good leg kick by Al Balushi.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Dickinson misses its intended target.
Al Balushi wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Al Balushi takes one to the chin there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dickinson swats away the attempt to clinch by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi is looking to score with low kicks.
Dickinson throws a push kick but Al Balushi slaps the foot to one side.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Dickinson.
Dickinson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dickinson takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Al Balushi punishes Dickinson's body with a nice straight punch.
Al Balushi moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Dickinson connects with a crisp jab.
Dickinson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi takes a swing at Dickinson's ribcage but misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Al Balushi is looking to chop away at Dickinson's legs.
Al Balushi blocks a jab.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Al Balushi - that will leave a mark!
Dickinson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Al Balushi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Al Balushi bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zaid Al Balushi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Al Balushi getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Dickinson on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Al Balushi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Dickinson slips under a jab.
Al Balushi connects with a body shot.
Al Balushi goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Al Balushi throws a shot from downtown. Dickinson moves away and avoids it.
Dickinson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Al Balushi swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Al Balushi buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Dickinson throws a low kick, looking for Al Balushi's leg but Al Balushi calmly moves out of range.
Dickinson slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Al Balushi with the inside leg kick.
Dickinson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi cracks Dickinson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Al Balushi misses with a shot to the body
and Al Balushi takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Al Balushi throws a front kick aimed at Dickinson's knee but Dickinson avoids it well.
Al Balushi avoids the body shot from Dickinson.
Al Balushi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dickinson throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dickinson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Al Balushi.
A low kick from Al Balushi misses
and Dickinson counters with a nice uppercut.
Al Balushi ducks under a wild hook from Dickinson.
Dickinson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Dickinson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Al Balushi looks to land a left hand but Dickinson moved out of range nicely.
A nice inside leg kick there by Dickinson. That's going to slow Al Balushi down.
Al Balushi fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Dickinson on the side of the head.
Al Balushi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Al Balushi blocks a jab.
A little feinted left hand from Al Balushi on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Good work by Al Balushi as he checks the leg kick.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Dickinson might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Al Balushi has got the better of the exchanges.
Dickinson throws an overhand right that lands on Al Balushi's shoulder, as Al Balushi tries to avoid the shot.
Dickinson moves out of range of the body kick from Al Balushi.
Dickinson swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Al Balushi scores with a jab. Dickinson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Al Balushi lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Dickinson has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Dickinson and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Dickinson thows a body kick. Al Balushi tries to catch it but that hurt him.
An inside leg kick lands from Al Balushi.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters circle momentarily. Al Balushi darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Jab, jab by Dickinson - just one landing.
Dickinson's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dickinson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dickinson walks into a straight right hand from Al Balushi.
Dickinson misses with a left hand
and Al Balushi counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Al Balushi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Dickinson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Al Balushi content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short right from Al Balushi.
Dickinson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Dickinson pushes Al Balushi back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Al Balushi throws an elbow but misses.
Dickinson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Al Balushi cracks Dickinson with a nice body shot.
Al Balushi lands with a left to the head.
Dickinson has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Al Balushi.
Al Balushi blocks a body shot from Dickinson.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Al Balushi.
Al Balushi tries a knee to the head but Dickinson blocks it.
A right handed body shot lands from Dickinson.
Dickinson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Al Balushi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dickinson misses with a body punch.
Dickinson tries a body shot but Al Balushi blocks it.
Dickinson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Dickinson can't find room to land a body shot as Al Balushi controls the action.
Dickinson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dickinson tries to throw a body punch but Al Balushi avoids it by throwing Dickinson back against the cage.
Al Balushi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Al Balushi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Dickinson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dickinson tries a body shot but Al Balushi blocks it.
Al Balushi prevents a body shot from Dickinson.
Dickinson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dickinson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dickinson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dickinson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Al Balushi is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Al Balushi misses with an elbow over the top.

Dickinson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Al Balushi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Al Balushi feints and then cracks Dickinson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Dickinson down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dickinson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Dickinson connects with a solid leg kick.
Al Balushi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Dickinson.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Dickinson! But no joy.
Dickinson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A combination from Dickinson does no damage.
Dickinson avoids the body shot from Al Balushi.

Al Balushi clinches up against the cage.
Dickinson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Al Balushi stalling the fight.
Al Balushi lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Al Balushi missing with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Al Balushi.
Dickinson tries to throw a body punch but Al Balushi avoids it by throwing Dickinson back against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Dickinson as the two fighters clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Al Balushi lands a right hand.
Al Balushi lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Sean Dickinson has been cut.
Good body shot from Dickinson.
Dickinson struggles to land a body shot inside as Al Balushi controls his hands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zaid Al Balushi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sean Dickinson's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Al Balushi moves into range and connects with a jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Al Balushi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Dickinson tries to work over Al Balushi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dickinson avoiding damage as Al Balushi throws knees to the body.
Al Balushi creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Dickinson tries to throw a body punch but Al Balushi avoids it by throwing Dickinson back against the cage.
Dickinson tries a body shot but Al Balushi blocks it.
A right hand to the body from Al Balushi.

Dickinson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Al Balushi slips a jab from Dickinson.
Dickinson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dickinson scores with the left hand. Al Balushi knows he should have avoided that one.
Dickinson is looking to score with low kicks.
Dickinson avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Dickinson takes one to the chin there.
Al Balushi dodges the punch combination from Dickinson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Al Balushi.
Dickinson looks to land a left hand but Al Balushi moved out of range nicely.
A shot to the body from Al Balushi misses
and Dickinson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Al Balushi moves away from the strike by Dickinson.
Dickinson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Al Balushi's head.
Al Balushi tries to land a leg kick but Dickinson saw it coming and moves away.
A leg kick checked by Dickinson.
Al Balushi fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Dickinson.
Dickinson throws a hook but Al Balushi avoids it easily.
Dickinson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Al Balushi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Dickinson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Al Balushi throws a leg kick but Dickinson checks it.
Some bone on bone action there as Dickinson checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A little jabbing left from Dickinson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Dickinson looks to land a left hand but Al Balushi moved out of range nicely.
Dickinson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Al Balushis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Al Balushi looks for the body kick but Dickinson saw that one coming.
Sean Dickinson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dickinson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Al Balushi manages to avoid it.
Al Balushi looks to clinch
and Dickinson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Al Balushi slips a straight right by Dickinson.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Al Balushi throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Dickinson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Al Balushi looks to land a body kick but Dickinson moved away.
Dickinson tries a low kick but Al Balushi avoids it.
Al Balushi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Al Balushi throws the left hand but Dickinson avoids the punch easily.
Dickinson tests Al Balushi's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Al Balushi looks to land a right hand but Dickinson moved out of range.
Dickinson throws a looping overhand right but Al Balushi ducks down to avoid it.
Al Balushi feinted there with a counter leg kick.
A low kick from Dickinson is predictable there
and Al Balushi counters with a nice uppercut.
Al Balushi misses with an uppercut.
Al Balushi looks to land a right hand but Dickinson moved out of range.
Dickinson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Dickinson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Dickinson staying out of range there.
Al Balushi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A slow jab from Dickinson misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi misses the shot to the body.
A little jabbing left from Dickinson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Al Balushi connects with a good right hand that stumbles Dickinson. Dickinson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Dickinson slips under a jab.
Dickinson throws a hook but Al Balushi blocks it.
As Dickinson backs away, Al Balushi returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Al Balushi connects with an inside leg kick.
Al Balushi looks to land a right hand but Dickinson moved out of range.
Dickinson looks to throw the jab but Al Balushi is out of range.
Dickinson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Nice uppercut lands for Al Balushi. That snapped Dickinson's head back.
A slow jab from Dickinson misses its intended target.
A nice inside leg kick there by Al Balushi. That's going to slow Dickinson down.
Al Balushi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Dickinson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dickinson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

It looks like Zaid Al Balushi has been cut.
Al Balushi throws the kick towards the body but Dickinson avoids it.
Al Balushi delivers a nice body kick.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Dickinson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Balushi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Dickinson. That did some damage!
Al Balushi slips under a jab from Dickinson.
Al Balushi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Dickinson has time to react.
Dickinson sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Al Balushi, as that shot connected.
Dickinson tests Al Balushi's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Al Balushi is rocked!
Al Balushi is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Oh Al Balushi is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Al Balushi lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Al Balushi seems to have got his legs back now.
Al Balushi with the inside leg kick.
A big left from Dickinson misses.
Al Balushi misses with a straight right.

Al Balushi forces Dickinson back against the cage and clinches.
Al Balushi misses with an elbow over the top.
Al Balushi blocks an uppercut.
Dickinson tries to throw a body punch but Al Balushi avoids it by throwing Dickinson back against the cage.
Dickinson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Zaid Al Balushi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dickinson digs a right hand underneath Al Balushi's ribcage. Al Balushi let out a lung full of air as it connected.

And that's the end of the fight!
Zaid Al Balushi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Al Balushi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zaid Al Balushi!
An out of breath Zaid Al Balushi thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.