PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tommie Chong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Dignam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Chong
vs
Dignam

188 cm
24
212 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

187 cm
22
215 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tommie Chong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sean Dignam!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chong stuffs the takedown.

Dignam scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Dignam in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Chong can't do much from the bottom here.

Dignam working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dignam is trying to ground and pound but Chong uses the momentary lack of control by Dignam to regain half guard.
Dignam has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dignam throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dignam throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Dignam is trying to work for a kimura but Chong is defending well.
Chong is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dignam sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Chong defending well though.
Chong trying to control but Dignam postures up.
Chong is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No luck for Dignam with that takedown attempt.
Chong throws a hook to the side of Dignam's head but Dignam sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dignam ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Chong lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dignam circles away quickly and effectively.
Chong lands a head shot.
Dignam shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tommie Chong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Dignam.
Dignam looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Chong fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Chong moves into the clinch.

Chong escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chong fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Dignam on the side of the head.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dignam.
Dignam shoots in for a takedown but Chong shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A slow jab from Chong misses its intended target.
Tommie Chong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dignam shoots for a takedown but Chong saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Dignam will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Dignam wants to clinch.
Chong connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Chong swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Dignam shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Dignam showed some decent athleticism there.

Dignam is looking for a kimura but Chong is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dignam to get the leverage.
Dignam looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chong makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Chong.
Chong is pulling down on Dignam's head. It's preventing any offense from Dignam, at least for the moment.
Dignam with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dignam won't allow Chong to sweep him here.
Chong keeping moving, preventing Dignam from controlling successfully.
Chong avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chong avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dignam looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Dignam shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Chong is trying to defend but Dignam finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Dignam is looking for a kimura here.
Chong is trying to get back to full guard.

Dignam is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Dignam prevents Chong from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tommie Chong will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dignam fails to land the takedown.
Chong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dignam has a takedown stuffed.
Chong throws out a powerful jab.
Chong throws a nice looking combination but Dignam bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Chong will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dignam takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Dignam slips a straight right by Chong.
Chong misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Dignam.
Chong lands a nice hook to Dignam's body. Dignam takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Dignam keeps the fight on the outside.
Dignam uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Chong.
Chong stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Chong wants it to stay on the feet.
Tommie Chong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Dignam.
Dignam fails with a takedown attempt.
Chong is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chong stuns Dignam with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Dignam is breathing heavily.
Dignam fails with the takedown.
Dignam takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Chong has Dignam up against the cage in a clinch.
Dignam is working for takedown but Chong is calmly controlling the position for now.
Dignam fails to pull guard.
Dignam tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Chong smiles and moves away.
Jab, jab by Chong - just one landing.
Chong lands an overhand right.

It looks like Sean Dignam has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Chong. Dignam does a little dance to reset his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dignam.
Chong stuffs the takedown.
Chong throws a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Chong connects with a jab.
Chong scores with a nice right hand.
Chong works the jab nicely.
Dignam has a takedown stuffed.
Chong lands with a straight right. Dignam didn't see that one coming.
Chong jabs Dignam right on the nose. Dignam blinks but takes it well.
Dignam drops his hands momentarily and Chong takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Chong lands a really nice looking cross but Dignam seems unphased.
Dignam on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Chong tries to clinch there but Dignam circles away.
Dignam defending well as Chong loads up on a big left hand.
Chong throws a right and a left that both miss.
Dignam misses the body punch
and Chong counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Tommie Chong is winning the standup battle so far.

Chong clinches with his opponent.
Chong gets underhooks to prevent Dignam's takedown attempt.

Chong breaks the clinch.
Chong defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dignam.

Chong rushes Dignam and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chong wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dignam keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Chong's efforts to push away.
Chong wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dignam has him pressed against the cage.

Dignam has picked Chong up - he's going for a ride! Dignam dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Dignam thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Chong's head.
Chong is looking to improve his position.

Dignam wants to work for an arm triangle but Chong is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Chong trying to control here.
Chong tries to roll over but Dignam keeps him under control.
Chong manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chong wants to sweep here but Dignam controlling him for the moment.
Dignam trying to control the position from guard on top but Chong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Dignam looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Chong keeping moving, preventing Dignam from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Chong wants to get back to his feet but Dignam is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Dignam drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dignam jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommie Chong dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sean Dignam's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Chong lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Chong.
A big right from Chong misses.
Dignam shoots for a double leg takedown but Chong sprawls well. He's pushed Dignam's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Chong swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Chong throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Dignam bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Chong tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Chong knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Dignam on the ground.

Dignam is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Chong has escaped the position, nice work there.
Dignam takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Dignam thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chong tries to bench press Dignam off him but Dignam keeps the position.
An elbow from Dignam crashes against the mat.

Dignam goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Chong has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Dignam but great work by Chong.
An elbow from Chong crashes against the mat.
Chong moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Chong wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dignam keeps working.
Sloppy strikes there by Chong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Chong throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Dignam is trying to get back to half guard.
Chong wants to control but Dignam is keeping him busy.
Dignam sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Dignam is looking for a sweep. Chong is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dignam is looking to control Chong's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dignam avoid being mounted?

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dignam.
Dignam closes this distance looking for a takedown but Chong circles away.
Tommie Chong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sean Dignam.

Chong clinches.
Chong has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dignam looks for a takedown but Chong sprawls well.
Chong getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A big right from Chong misses.
Chong lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Chong works Dignam's body with a nice hook.
Chong's corner calls for a 1-2. Chong obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Chong lands a nice looking body shot.
Chong lands a really nice looking cross but Dignam seems unphased.
Dignam takes one on the button.
Chong swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Chong throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Dignam bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Chong struggling a bit here.
Dignam looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Chong is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chong parries the strikes from Dignam easily there. Dignam is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Chong to escape.
Dignam in side control, throwing shots but Chong defends.
You can see the frustration on Chong's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Dignam working the ground and pound but Chong is defending the strikes.
Chong is trying to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Dignam shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Chong as he jumps to the side.
Chong works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sean Dignam has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dignam.

Chong pushes Dignam up against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommie Chong showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Chong, 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommie Chong!