PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dan Hand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Citrus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Hand
vs
Citrus

191 cm
25
222 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

180 cm
22
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

What'Supps

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Hand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Citrus!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Steven Brown and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hand is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Hand gets a clinch.
Citrus's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hand lands a nice shot to the body.

Hand breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Citrus shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hand but Hand pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hand stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hand wants it to stay on the feet.
A left lands for Hand.
Hand misses with a few strikes there.
Citrus tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hand sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Citrus somewhat.
Dan Hand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Citrus.
Citrus looks for a takedown but Hand sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hand has managed to clinch.

Hand jumps into guard, dragging Citrus to the mat.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Hand wants to get back to his feet but Citrus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Citrus trying to control the position from guard on top but Hand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hand has his feet on Citrus's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Some wild striking there from Hand.
Citrus takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hand gets a clinch.

Hand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Hand moves into the clinch successfully.
Hand presses Citrus against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Citrus looks gassed!
Citrus fails to pull guard.
Hand works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Hand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dan Hand is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A punch combination from Hand misses.

Hand moves into the clinch successfully.

Hand escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hand pushes Citrus up against the cage in a clinch.
A hook to the body from Hand.
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!

Hand manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Citrus circles away quickly and effectively.

Hand clinches up against the cage.

Hand has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Citrus regains guard immediately.
Hand content to stall in guard here.

Citrus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hand's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Citrus trying to keep a closed guard but Hand is proving a slippery customer.
Hand content to stall in guard here.
Hand's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Dan Hand just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Citrus throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hand holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Hand breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hand dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hand lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Paul Citrus has been cut.

Hand moves into range and clinches up with Citrus.

Hand manages to break the clinch.
Citrus closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hand counters with a two punch combo.
Dan Hand is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice body punch from Hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hand has managed to clinch.

Hand pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Citrus tries to keep at a distance but Hand has taken the fight into the clinch.
Citrus is breathing heavily.

Hand tightens his grip and picks Citrus up, before dumping him to the ground. Citrus manages to land in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Citrus is looking for a triangle but Hand pushes his legs off easily.
Hand seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Citrus is working an open guard so Hand takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hand wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Hand moves into the clinch.
Hand lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Citrus or not.
Hand scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hand scores with a nice hook to the head.

Hand drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hand pushes Citrus off and scrambles back to his feet.

Hand closes the distance and pushes Citrus back into the cage.

Hand breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Hand moves into the clinch successfully.
Citrus tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hand just stands there and leans against the cage.
Citrus tries to pull guard but Hand holds him up against the cage and eventually Citrus drops back down to his feet.

Hand drags the fight down to the ground.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Citrus throws a strike but Hand rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hand controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Citrus is working an open guard so Hand takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hand closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Hand drives through and clinches with Citrus against the cage.
Hand throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Hand gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Hand is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Citrus can't keep his opponent in guard - Hand advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hand controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Citrus looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Well, if Hand is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Hand decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hand lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Hand dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paul Citrus's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Citrus gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hand counters with a nice uppercut.

Hand pushes Citrus up against the cage in a clinch.
Hand lands a body shot.

Hand turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hand manages to end up in side control.
Citrus being controlled for a moment.
Citrus is looking to regain half guard here but Hand keeps moving and retains side control.
Citrus takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Citrus being controlled for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hand stands up and beckons Citrus to his feet.
Dan Hand is winning the standup battle so far.
Hand's corner calls for a 1-2. Hand obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Hand moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hand throws a series of strikes that have Citrus backpedaling.

Hand instigates a clinch.
A short body shot lands from Hand as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hand breaks the clinch.
Hand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Citrus can do to turn this around?

Hand rushes Citrus and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Hand pulls guard successfully.
Hand is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Citrus is controlling him.

Citrus drops back looking for a leg! Hand is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hand manages to kick Citrus off! Citrus jumps back into Hand's guard.
Hand is looking to stand up but Citrus isn't so interested in that idea.

Hand pushes Citrus off and gets back to his feet.
Hand is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Hand lands with a nice combination. Citrus backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hand moves into the clinch.

Hand ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Hand no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Hand is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Citrus is controlling him.
Hand on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hand tries to get out of the position.

Hand kicks Citrus off and gets to his feet.

Hand has Citrus up against the cage in a clinch.
Hand presses Citrus against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hand.
Citrus jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hand walks away with a smile on his face. Citrus gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Hand closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hand gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hand controlling the pace.
Dan Hand is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Citrus is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hand pulls his head out easily.
Hand is thwarting Citrus's attempts to control the position.
Dan Hand overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Paul Citrus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Citrus looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Still in half guard, Hand seems content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Hand showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hand 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:24
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:24
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Hand!