PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Henk De Vries (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Muj Dhaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

De Vries
vs
Dhaj

178 cm
21
158 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

173 cm
19
153 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Valhalla War Gear
Valhalla War Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Henk De Vries!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Muj Dhaj!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Vries throws the left hand but Dhaj avoids the punch easily.
No luck for De Vries with that takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
De Vries is trying to break the clinch but Dhaj has him pressed against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Dhaj.
De Vries is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Dhaj is keeping busy.
De Vries is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
De Vries lands with a short shot to the head.
De Vries misses with a knee to the head.
Dhaj is looking to control De Vries's arms but De Vries gets an underhook and turns him. Now Dhaj has his back to the cage.
De Vries connects with a knee to the head.
De Vries has had enough of the clinch but Dhaj keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
De Vries trying to land knees to the body.
Dhaj lands a shot to the body.
De Vries is trying to break free.
Dhaj holding his opponent close, against the cage.
De Vries throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dhaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
De Vries has had enough of the clinch but Dhaj keeps him there for the moment.

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

Dhaj has closed the distance and engaged De Vries in a clinch.
Dhaj unloads a knee to the mid-section. De Vries lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Dhaj pushes off an throws an elbow but De Vries leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Nice elbow from Dhaj.
De Vries has had enough of the clinch but Dhaj keeps him there for the moment.
Dhaj blocks a punch to the side of the head.
De Vries throws an elbow but it misses.
Dhaj lands with a short punch from the clinch.
De Vries is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Come on De Vries - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
De Vries wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dhaj has him pressed against the cage.
Dhaj stalling.
De Vries fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henk De Vries. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dhaj is working De Vries over against the cage.
De Vries can't break the clinch.
De Vries is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
De Vries wants to get back to striking at distance but Dhaj won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dhaj decides to pull guard.
Dhaj wants to stand and escape but De Vries is having none of it.
De Vries content to stall in guard here.

De Vries drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Dhaj manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now De Vries has Dhaj in his guard.
De Vries is breathing heavily.
De Vries looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dhaj wanted to stand there but De Vries had control of the position.
De Vries wants to improve his position but instead Dhaj has moved into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Vries tries to get to full guard but Dhaj has control of the leg.

Dhaj is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
De Vries is trying to control but can't.
Dhaj prevents De Vries from improving his position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

De Vries has taken the fight to the clinch.
De Vries is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Dhaj is keeping busy.

De Vries turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and De Vries manages to end up in side control.
De Vries with the ground and pound but Dhaj regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dhaj wants to get back to his feet.

Dhaj kicks off De Vries and gets to his feet.

De Vries rushes Dhaj and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dhaj is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Dhaj wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
De Vries has had enough of the clinch but Dhaj keeps him there for the moment.

De Vries manages to break the clinch.
De Vries throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dhaj.

Dhaj shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Dhaj was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
De Vries tries to reverse the position but Dhaj maintains control.
De Vries flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
De Vries is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Muj Dhaj dominated that round.
That's time! De Vries's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

De Vries scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

De Vries is looking for a kimura here.
De Vries is nestled in close to Dhaj, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
De Vries is looking to take a break and control but Dhaj is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dhaj on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Dhaj tries to kick De Vries off but De Vries keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
De Vries is nestled in close to Dhaj, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
De Vries content to control rather than advance.
Dhaj is trying to stand up here but De Vries is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dhaj is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dhaj pushes De Vries off and gets back to his feet.

De Vries scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Dhaj on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
De Vries uses his free foot to push down on Dhaj's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Dhaj.

De Vries is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Dhaj is surviving well by controlling De Vries's body position as best he can.
Dhaj really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dhaj tries to lock up and control but De Vries gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dhaj regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dhaj looks like he's trying to stand up.
Dhaj tries to kick De Vries off in order to stand up. De Vries Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
De Vries wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dhaj keeps working.
Dhaj is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, De Vries asserts his dominance and retains side control.
De Vries is looking to take a break and control but Dhaj is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dhaj is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
De Vries controls the position.
Henk De Vries overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
De Vries working the ground and pound from side control.
Dhaj seems a little lost for a moment, as De Vries dominates the positioning.
De Vries tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

De Vries tries for a kimura but Dhaj is defending well.
Dhaj is working to avoid the ground and pound but De Vries connects with a decent elbow.
Dhaj wants to control but De Vries postures up.
De Vries lands some shots froms side control.

De Vries goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Dhaj has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for De Vries but great work by Dhaj.
Dhaj tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
De Vries is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Vries is looking to improve his position.
De Vries is looking to control Dhaj's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can De Vries avoid being mounted?

Dhaj stands up and beckons De Vries to join him on the feet.
De Vries scores with a nice body kick.
De Vries missing with a left hand there. Dhaj was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
De Vries misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dhaj misses with a takedown attempt

and De Vries counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dhaj won't be happy with that.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

De Vries has worked his way into a potential kimura here. Dhaj is trying to get out of the position but his squirming has just got him deeper into trouble. De Vries yanks on the arm and Dhaj is forced to tap due to a very painful looking submission! Nice work by De Vries.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Henk De Vries!