PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Holt Dennis (ranked 7141 p4p, 3389 weight class) and Dirk Van Beest (ranked 0 p4p, 402 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dennis
vs
Van Beest

175 cm
39
155
11 - 10 - 0

186 cm
29
152
2 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Holt Dennis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Van Beest!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Josh West and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dennis moves away from the strike by Van Beest.
A low kick lands for Van Beest.
Van Beest throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Dennis counter with a right hand.

Dennis darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Van Beest works his way to full guard. Good work.
Van Beest utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dennis throws an elbow that misses. Van Beest uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dennis's guard. Nice move by Van Beest!

Van Beest stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dennis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Van Beest stays in close to Dennis's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dennis keeping full guard, as Van Beest tries to pass.
Van Beest sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Dennis's guard.
Van Beest tries to pass to full mount but Dennis defends it.
Van Beest performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Van Beest passes to side control.
Dennis has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Van Beest stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dennis moves away from the strike by Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Good standup being displayed there by Van Beest as he connects with a hook.
Van Beest is looking to slow Dennis down with leg kicks.
Van Beest throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Van Beest connects with a right hand. Dennis shakes it off.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Beest throws a big shot that misses.
Jab, jab by Van Beest - just one landing.
Van Beest stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Van Beest is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Van Beest throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dennis half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice body kick there by Van Beest.
Van Beest throws a low kick but Dennis moves out of range easily.
Dennis ducks right into an uppercut from Van Beest.
Van Beest throws a leg kick

and Dennis counters with a single leg into guard. Van Beest didn't expect that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dennis postures up and lands a big shot to Van Beest's brow.
Dennis postures up in Van Beest's guard and throws a big left but Van Beest blocks it.
Van Beest trying to keep a closed guard but Dennis is proving a slippery customer.

Van Beest looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dennis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Van Beest looking for a sweep. Not yet Van Beest, not yet.
Van Beest avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dennis throws a strike but Van Beest rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Van Beest is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Van Beest throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Van Beest is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest wants to control from the top but Dennis keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dennis holds on and takes a little breather.
Van Beest wants to stand and escape but instead Dennis has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Dennis is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Van Beest is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Van Beest has escaped and now he's on top!

Van Beest controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Van Beest dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Van Beest misses with a head kick.
Van Beest has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Van Beest with a nice calf kick.
Van Beest misses with a hook.
Van Beest throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jab by Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A shot to the body from Van Beest misses

and Dennis decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Van Beest's guard.
Van Beest has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Van Beest seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Let's hope that Van Beest 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.
Dennis trying to control but Van Beest is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest wants to sweep here but Dennis controlling him for the moment.
Van Beest lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dennis keeping full guard, as Van Beest tries to pass.
Van Beest sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Dennis keeping full guard, as Van Beest tries to pass.
Dennis working a defensive guard here.

Van Beest stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Van Beest stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Van Beest throws a nice inside leg kick.
A head kick by Van Beest misses

so Dennis counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Van Beest looking to control.
Van Beest avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dennis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Van Beest keeping moving, preventing Dennis from controlling successfully.
Dennis loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dennis wants to control from the top but Van Beest keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Van Beest preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Beest keeping moving, preventing Dennis from controlling successfully.
Van Beest is controlling Dennis's posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dennis.
Van Beest lands a nice shot to the body.
Van Beest misses with a body shot.
Van Beest throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Dennis looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest misses with a leg kick

and Dennis counters with a shoot takedown. Van Beest fights it but they end up in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Van Beest is on top in guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dennis 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.
Van Beest is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Beest stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dennis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Van Beest showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dennis takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Van Beest throws a jab but it's blocked by Dennis.
Dennis shoots in for a double leg but Van Beest sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice straight punches there by Van Beest. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Van Beest.
Dennis gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Van Beest.
Van Beest lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Van Beest throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dennis counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Van Beest waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dennis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Beest misses with a shot to the body
and Dennis counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Van Beest catches Dennis with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Van Beest misses with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Van Beest scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Van Beest with a nice calf kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dennis takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Dennis shoots for a double leg takedown but Van Beest sprawls well. He's pushed Dennis's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Van Beest throws a leg kick which misses Dennis's front leg but catches the back leg as Dennis tries to avoid it.
Van Beest throws a right and a left that both miss.
Van Beest throws a body kick that misses

so Dennis counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Holt Dennis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dennis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Van Beest is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Dennis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Van Beest working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dennis.
Van Beest preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Van Beest keeping full guard, as Dennis tries to pass.
Van Beest keeping moving, preventing Dennis from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dennis manages to get himself to full guard.

Van Beest looking to sit in guard and control but Dennis gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dennis trying to control the position from guard on top but Van Beest is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dennis slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Dennis landing a few strikes.
Van Beest tries to improve position but can't.
Dennis controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Beest struggling a bit here.
Van Beest is looking for a sweep.

Dennis is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Van Beest has escaped the position, nice work there.
Dennis working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Van Beest is looking to regain half guard here but Dennis keeps moving and retains side control.
Van Beest is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dennis's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Dennis throwing shots but Van Beest is blocking nicely.
Van Beest controlling the position well.

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.
Van Beest is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dennis's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dennis's back!
Van Beest has the hooks in. Dennis is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Good control from Van Beest.
Dirk Van Beest is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Van Beest wants to control but Dennis is keeping busy.
Van Beest has the hooks in. Dennis is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Dennis is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Van Beest trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Van Beest comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Van Beest winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Van Beest!
Dirk Van Beest decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.