PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Valen Dreth (ranked 115 p4p, 74 weight class) and Rukter Demenok (ranked 17 p4p, 13 weight class). Demenok is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Moby Dick Speech. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Dreth
vs
Demenok

175 cm
32
143
23 - 10 - 1

168 cm
29
143
20 - 9 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
HELLBENT

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
Conquer

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 23 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Valen Dreth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rukter Demenok!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Demenok ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Dreth takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Demenok misses with a body shot.
Dreth dips to his left and cracks Demenok with an uppercut!
Demenok throws a body punch but Dreth moves out of range.
Dreth getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Demenok scores with a nice head shot.
Demenok fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dreth fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Demenok checks it well.
Dreth connects with a nice looking jab.
Dreth looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Demenok looks to land a right hand but Dreth moved out of range.
Dreth chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Demenok throws a quick inside leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Demenok ducks right into an uppercut from Dreth.
Demenok misses with a body kick.
Dreth lands a leg kick that knocks Demenok off balance momentarily.
Dreth moves out of range as Demenok strikes.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Demenok throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Demenok tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dreth goes for a double leg but Demenok avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Demenok continues to drive forward.

Dreth breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demenok lands with a straight right. Dreth didn't see that one coming.
Demenok throws the left hand but Dreth avoids the punch easily.
Dreth ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Demenok moves away.
Demenok throws a hook to the side of Dreth's head but Dreth sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dreth appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Demenok cracks Dreth with a right hand to the side of the head.
Demenok is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Dreth.
Demenok missing with a left hand there. Dreth was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Demenok getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Dreth is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Demenok's half guard.
Demenok avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dreth.
Dreth is pressing down on Demenok's thigh, looking to free his foot. Demenok is holding on for now.
Demenok keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dreth throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
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!
Demenok is looking for a sweep. Dreth is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Demenok regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Demenok not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dreth is working Demenok over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dreth has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Dreth throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Demenok controlling Dreth's posture.
Dreth postures up in Demenok's guard and throws a big left but Demenok blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Demenok wants to sweep here but Dreth controlling him for the moment.
Dreth looking to pass the guard.
Dreth scoring with punches to the head and body.
Demenok wants to sweep but no luck.
Dreth postures up in Demenok's guard and throws a big left but Demenok blocks it.
Dreth with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dreth postures up in Demenok's guard and throws a big left but Demenok blocks it.
Demenok looking for a sweep. Not yet Demenok, not yet.
Dreth is stalling in the full guard.
Dreth with a nice head shot there.
Dreth trying to control but Demenok is working from the bottom.
Demenok has control of Dreth's left arm, preventing Dreth from doing any damage.
Dreth throwing strikes but missing.
Demenok is trying to control the position but Dreth postures up.
Demenok working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dreth.
Dreth throwing strikes from guard but Demenok blocks nicely.
Dreth throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dreth throwing strikes from guard but Demenok blocks nicely.
Demenok really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dreth. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dreth looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Demenok has Dreth pulled in close to control his posture.
Dreth throws a big elbow that misses.
Demenok trying to control the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Demenok preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Demenok has Dreth pulled in close to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Valen Dreth will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dreth's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A leg kick checked by Demenok.
Demenok avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A shot to the liver by Demenok. Beautiful body shot.
A nice leg kick from Dreth, right into the meat of the thigh.
Demenok connects with a jab.
Dreth needs to keep his hands up - Demenok had a free shot at his head there.
Demenok takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Demenok throws a lazy right hand but Dreth sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Demenok misses with an uppercut. Dreth saw that one coming.
A nice inside leg kick there by Dreth. That's going to slow Demenok down.
Demenok throws a hook but Dreth blocks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Dreth. Demenok does a little dance to reset his feet.
Dreth throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Demenok tries to clinch but Dreth moves out of range.
Dreth lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Dreth throws a body punch but Demenok moves out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nice straight punches there by Dreth. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Dreth.
Dreth misses with an uppercut.
A combination from Demenok does no damage.
Demenok might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dreth swings for the body but Demenok moves out of range.
Dreth checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Demenok swings for the body but Dreth moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Dreth misses the target.
Dreth chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Dreth lands an overhand right.
Dreth connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dreth keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Demenok.
Demenok jabs Dreth to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Demenok checks the leg kick.
Dreth missing with a left hand there. Demenok was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Demenok swings for the body but Dreth moves out of range.
Demenok throws a nice inside leg kick.

Dreth shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Demenok is looking to improve his position.
Dreth thows a huge punch but Demenok dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dreth scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Dreth sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Demenok defending well though.
Dreth thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Demenok wants to get back to full guard.
Demenok gets back to full guard.
Dreth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dreth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dreth advances position into side control!
The ground and pound from Dreth seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Dreth tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Demenok sneaks back into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demenok is not content to let Dreth control the position.
Dreth throwing shots but Demenok is blocking nicely.
Dreth prevents Demenok from improving his position.
Demenok moves into full guard.
Dreth with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dreth with a nice head shot there.
Dreth chips away with some ground and pound.
Dreth passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Demenok is trying to improve his position.
Demenok taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Demenok is looking to reverse the position.
Demenok managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Dreth.
Valen Dreth overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Demenok tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Demenok's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Demenok takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Dreth has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Demenok!
Dreth working Demenok over with strikes here.
Demenok wants to hold on but Dreth pushes him away.
Dreth putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
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!
Dreth punishing his opponent with strikes.
Dreth working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Dreth in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valen Dreth dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Good work by Demenok as he checks the leg kick.
Dreth is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Demenok closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Dreth slips under a jab from Demenok.
Demenok lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Dreth looks to throw the jab but Demenok is out of range.
Demenok misses with a straight right.
Dreth throws a hook but Demenok avoids it easily.
Dreth uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Demenok.
An inside leg kick lands from Demenok.
Dreth lands a lovely overhand right.
Dreth fails with the takedown
and Demenok connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Demenok misses with an uppercut. Dreth saw that one coming.
Dreth feinted with a counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A good leg kick by Dreth.
Demenok takes one to the side of the head.
Dreth has his takedown stuffed
letting Demenok counter with a right hand.
Dreth is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Demenok can do to turn this around?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dreth throws a hook but Demenok blocks it.
Demenok doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Demenok throws out a loose jab but Dreth uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dreth lands a slapping body shot.
Demenok tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Demenok swings for the body but Dreth moves out of range.
Dreth throws a leg kick
and Demenok counters with an outside leg kick.
Demenok waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dreth.
Dreth throws a body shot but no joy.
Dreth takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Dreth chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rukter Demenok is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slow jab from Dreth misses its intended target.
Demenok throws a leg kick but Dreth checks it.
Dreth misses with a low kick.
Demenok scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Dreth lands with an overhand left.
Good shot there by Demenok.
Dreth goes for a double leg but Demenok avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Demenok continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Valen Dreth. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Dreth breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Demenok throws a big shot that misses.
Rukter Demenok has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Demenok on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dreth. Dreth obviously looking to wear him down.
Rukter Demenok seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Demenok takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Demenok tries to clinch but Dreth moves out of range.
Demenok takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Demenok tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Dreth throws an overhand right that lands on Demenok's shoulder, as Demenok tries to avoid the shot.
Dreth shoots in but no luck this time.
Demenok looks to score with a jab to the body but Dreth is just out of range.
Dreth looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Demenok is fending him off so far but Dreth persists. Nope, Demenok circles away and we're back to standing.
Demenok tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Demenok throws a big shot that misses.

Dreth shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Dreth showed some decent athleticism there.
Demenok is not content to let Dreth control the position.

Demenok looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Demenok wants to get back to his feet.
Dreth is nestled in close to Demenok, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Dreth works his foot free and advances to mount.
Dreth lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dreth lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Demenok is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dreth lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Demenok tries to hold on but Dreth pushes him away.
Dreth landing strikes from the mount and Demenok is in trouble!

Dreth has control of Demenok's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Demenok regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Demenok is in a horrible position here. Dreth smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dreth landing punches.
Demenok can't escape the position.
Demenok is still trying to improve position.
Dreth lands a big elbow.
Dreth landing shots from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valen Dreth showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dreth, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valen Dreth!
Our winner, Valen Dreth, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.