PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between fred dirk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barry Rand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

dirk
vs
Rand

190 cm
18
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, fred dirk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Barry Rand!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, William Gold and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rand shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rand showed some decent athleticism there.
dirk regains full guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rand decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Rand closes the distance and pushes dirk back into the cage.
dirk blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

dirk drags the fight down to the ground.
Rand won't allow dirk to sweep him here.
Rand stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. dirk swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rand looking to sit in guard and control but dirk gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

dirk stands up and waves to Rand to follow him.
Rand looks to land a combination but dirk avoids it well.
Barry Rand seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rand misses with a few strikes there.
Rand should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Rand misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Rand gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
dirk pushes down on Rand's leg and manages to get into half guard.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Rand has eaten all the pies!
Rand trying to hold on to dirk's head to control him but dirk postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

dirk seems to be looking for submissions.
Rand is not content to let dirk control the position.
Rand trying to control here.
dirk is trying to control. Rand wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
dirk wants to stand up but Rand has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Rand is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
dirk is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rand keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
dirk tries to work over Rand's front leg with a kick but Rand checks it.
dirk with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rand counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Rand shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
dirk wants to stand but Rand is controlling the position.

dirk is working an open guard so Rand takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Rand throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
dirk tries for a takedown but Rand circles away easily

and Rand counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for fred dirk. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
dirk keeping full guard, as Rand tries to pass.
Rand sitting in guard, not really doing much.
dirk bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rand's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rand working a defensive guard but dirk passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Barry Rand dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

dirk moves into the clinch.

Rand breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rand misses with a wild combination.
Rand throws a right and a left that both miss.
dirk fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
dirk throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
dirk looks to score with a jab to the body but Rand is just out of range.
Rand throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
dirk avoids a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
dirk circles away from the clinch attempt

and dirk counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rand wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rand misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
dirk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rand is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Rand wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rand has a couple of punches blocked by dirk.

dirk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
dirk looks to land a body kick but Rand moved away.
dirk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
dirk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rand but Rand pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for fred dirk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rand misses with a combination
and dirk counters with a left and a right that stings Rand.
dirk has a takedown stuffed.
Rand just misses with a punch to the body.
Rand tries to land a front kick but dirk steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two 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.

dirk gets a takedown into half guard.

dirk is looking for a kimura here.
dirk thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rand is pressing down on dirk's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
dirk passes Rand's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
dirk is keen to just control but Rand is a slippery customer.
Barry Rand has got the better of the ground game so far.
dirk seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Rand is not content to let dirk control the position.
dirk wants to pass to mount but Rand is defending the position.
Rand is not content to let dirk control the position.
dirk is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Rand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Rand really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rand is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
dirk tries to control but Rand wriggling away.
dirk misses with a head shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
dirk landing punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

fred dirk dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rand fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rand throws a series of punches but dirk avoids them all with ease.
dirk shoots for a takedown but Rand saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
dirk shoots in but no luck this time.
Rand tries to land a front kick but dirk steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rand throws a head kick but dirk moves out of range.
Rand misses with a combination
and dirk counters with a body kick.

dirk drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
dirk wants to control from the top but Rand keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Rand looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rand controls dirk momentarily but dirk frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
dirk looking to pass the guard.
dirk controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Rand manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. dirk manages to get himself to full guard.
dirk is trying to control the position but Rand postures up.

That's two 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.

Rand stands and steps away. dirk gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Rand shoots in but dirk avoids the takedown attempt easily.

dirk shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. dirk showed some decent athleticism there.
dirk is trying to control the action in half guard but Rand is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

dirk is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
It looks like dirk is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand trying to hold on to dirk's head to control him but dirk postures up.
Rand has a hand on dirk's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. dirk takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
dirk with the ground and pound from mount.
dirk putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
dirk is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Rand can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
dirk takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

dirk goes for an armbar but Rand turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Rand.
Rand pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. dirk is keeping the position for now.
dirk keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
fred dirk showed his dominance in that final round.
I think dirk has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... fred dirk!