PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Darius Jones (ranked 3584 p4p, 24559 weight class) and Dekel Vaknin (ranked 462 p4p, 611 weight class). Dekel Vaknin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Jones
vs
Vaknin

180 cm
25
179
1 - 1 - 0

179 cm
19
168
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Darius Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dekel Vaknin!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones throws a right and a left that both miss.
Horrible takedown attempt by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by Vaknin, which made it look bad.
Vaknin is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Jones with a body shot.
Jones walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Vaknin checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Jones throws a series of punches but Vaknin moves out of range.
Vaknin moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Jones misses with a lunging right hand
and Vaknin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Donk. Vaknin catches Jones right on the button with a cross.
Vaknin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
It looked like Jones was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Vaknin.
Vaknin lands a slapping body shot.
Vaknin takes one on the button.
Some wild striking there from Jones.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jones throws an off balance right hand
and Vaknin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones moves into the clinch.
Jones lands a good knee to the midsection. Vaknin won't want to take too many of those.

Jones jumps guard.
Vaknin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Jones's guard.
Jones 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.
Vaknin wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Jones bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Vaknin's guard.

Jones controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vaknin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Jones's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Jones lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Jones drops back looking for a leg! Vaknin is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vaknin manages to kick Jones off! Jones jumps back into Vaknin's guard.
Jones stops Vaknin from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Vaknin's head.
Jones sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jones is looking to work some ground and pound but Vaknin has wrist control.
Vaknin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jones is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Jones gets a clinch.

Jones breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vaknin throws a right and a left that Jones avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vaknin misses with a hook. Jones ducked under it nicely.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Vaknin feints a jab promting Jones to slip. Vaknin then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Jones slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Vaknin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A quick step to the side and Jones tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jones on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Jab from Vaknin.
Vaknin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jones ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vaknin moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Jones. Vaknin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vaknin throws a body shot but no joy.
We've been informed that Vaknin has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Vaknin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Jones fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
No joy there for Vaknin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jones throws out a loose jab but Vaknin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Despite the aggression on Vaknin's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dekel Vaknin will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A right-left combo lands from Vaknin.
A combination from Vaknin does no damage.
Jones is looking for a counter combo.
Darius Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jones slips a jab and a cross from Vaknin.
Vaknin tests Jones's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jones takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Jones throws a right and a left that Vaknin avoids nicely.
Vaknin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Vaknin, as that shot connected.

Jones rushes Vaknin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jones throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vaknin blocks it with crossed arms.
A nice left hand lands by Jones.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jones tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jones pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vaknin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
No joy there for Jones, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A jab from Jones misses.
Jones throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Vaknin stalks Jones and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Jones's face. Jones staggers backwards, shaken.
Jones misses with a few strikes there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vaknin tests Jones's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt.
Jones misses with a lunging right hand
and Vaknin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vaknin misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Vaknin moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Jones misses with a double jab
and Vaknin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vaknin lands with a hook. Jones tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jones throws a right and a left that Vaknin avoids nicely.
Vaknin swinging wildly here.
Jones throws a big counter combination but Vaknin scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Jones misses with a looping left.
Vaknin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Jones's head backwards.
Vaknin lands a right hook to the body.
Jones misses the body punch
and Vaknin counters with a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaknin misses with a two punch combination.
Dekel Vaknin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jones tries a head kick but it misses.
Jones misses the shot to the body.
Jones on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Vaknin works over Jones's head and body with a nice combination.
Dekel Vaknin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vaknin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jones misses with a jab, cross combination.
Vaknin shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Jones eats them both and turns towards Vaknin to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Jones closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vaknin circles away.
As Jones backs off Vaknin throws a huge counter combo but Jones manages to avoid it all.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vaknin connects with a body shot.
Vaknin throws a shot to the body.
Jones misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Vaknin.
Vaknin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Vaknin connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Jones's hands.
Vaknin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jones swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Vaknin lands a nice hook to Jones's body. Jones takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Nice cross by Vaknin.
Vaknin goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Vaknin jabs Jones to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Vaknin lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jab by Vaknin.
Vaknin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Jones backs up against the cage.

Jones is rocked!
Jones takes a shot to the body in his stride.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dekel Vaknin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Vaknin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Oh Jones is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vaknin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Vaknin works Jones's body with a nice hook.
Vaknin is throwing punches like he's double parked. Oh my word! Huge right hand from Vaknin shuts the power down on Jones. Lights out, game over! Vaknin is your winner.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:13 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Dekel Vaknin!