PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Karl Dixon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Bladen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Karl Dixon has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dixon
vs
Bladen

176 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
168 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Karl Dixon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Bladen!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bladen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dixon.
Bladen misses with a looping right.

Dixon feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Bladen sprawling to the canvas! Bladen rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Dixon finish him?!

Bladen is rocked!
Bladen tries to clinch but Dixon is having none of it.
Bladen is still on wobbly legs! Can Dixon finish him?
Dixon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dixon tries for a takedown but Bladen sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bladen seems to have recovered his senses.

Dixon shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Bladen is trying to defend but Dixon finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Bladen looks gassed!
Dixon missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dixon thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dixon looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bladen is trying to get back to full guard.
Dixon knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Bladen on the ground.
Bladen avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dixon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dixon not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bladen is looking to improve his position.

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

Dixon shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Bladen napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bladen is trying to get back to half guard.

Dixon stands up.

Dixon closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Bladen did well to prevent Dixon getting side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dixon working Bladen over with strikes.
Dixon throwing shots but Bladen is blocking nicely.
Dixon landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Still in half guard, Dixon seems content to control.

Dixon is trying to work for a kimura but Bladen is defending well.
Dixon working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Dixon connects with a nice short shot to Bladen's temple.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon slips a nice elbow through Bladen's hands, connecting with Bladen's forehead.
Dixon is trying to control the action in half guard but Bladen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dixon tries to stand and escape but Bladen is controlling the position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Dixon connects with a nice short shot to Bladen's temple.
Bladen wants to improve his position but Dixon is controlling well.

Dixon is looking for a kimura but Bladen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dixon to get the leverage.
Dixon wants to get back to his feet.
Bladen trying to control but Dixon postures up.

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.
Bladen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dixon shoots in but Bladen avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Bladen clinches up against the cage.
Bladen is trying to break free.
Dixon prevents Bladen from breaking the clinch.
Dixon trying to stall but Bladen improves his position.

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

Bladen gets caught flat footed, as Dixon shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bladen trying to control the position.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but Bladen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Dixon dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dixon shoots in looking for a takedown. Bladen tries to sprawl out of it but Dixon keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bladen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dixon lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bladen circles away quickly and effectively.
Bladen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Dixon counters with a shoot takedown. Bladen fights it but they end up in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Dixon's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Dixon lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but Bladen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bladen looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bladen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Dixon controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon chips away with some ground and pound.
Bladen can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Dixon controls the pace.
Dixon postures up.

Bladen is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dixon throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two 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.
Dixon prevents Bladen from getting back to his feet.
Dixon looking to pass the guard.
Dixon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bladen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Dixon would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dixon distracts Bladen with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Bladen trying to keep a closed guard but Dixon is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Dixon throwing strikes but missing.
Bladen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Dixon.
Dixon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dixon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dixon trying to control but Bladen is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bladen misses the shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Dixon dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Dixon fails with an attempt to clinch.

Dixon fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Bladen sprawls well initially but Dixon persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Karl Dixon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bladen blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dixon.
Bladen trying to control but Dixon postures up.
Dixon seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Bladen is trying to maintain the position but Dixon is very close to passing his half guard.
Dixon is controlling the pace.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bladen keeps working.
Dixon trying to pass the guard but Bladen defending well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Dixon looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Dixon's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bladen had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dixon defends it easily.
Dixon stays in close to Bladen's body and controls the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bladen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bladen 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.
Dixon scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but Bladen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bladen looking for a guillotine here but Dixon defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon controlling from the top position.
Dixon wants to pass the guard but Bladen is keeping the position.
Dixon's corner is telling him to maintain position.

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.
Dixon landing with the ground and pound.

Bladen pushes Dixon off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Dixon drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bladen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dixon lands a couple of elbows.
Dixon lands a couple of digs.
Thomas Bladen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Karl Dixon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dixon stands up over Bladen, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

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

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karl Dixon!