PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Reks Dakel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger Huerta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reks Dakel has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Dakel
vs
Huerta

200 cm
23
150 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Reks Dakel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Roger Huerta!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Huerta closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dakel circles away.
Reks Dakel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dakel looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Huerta drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
An elbow from Huerta crashes against the mat.

Huerta has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Huerta lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Huerta tries for a takedown but Dakel sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Huerta shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Reks Dakel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roger Huerta.
Huerta throws a right and a left that Dakel avoids nicely.
Dakel slaps away a takedown attempt from Huerta, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Huerta dives in and grabs Dakel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dakel pushes down on Huerta's head and hops out.

Dakel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Huerta looks like he's trying to stand up.
Dakel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Huerta does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dakel tries to pass to full mount but Huerta defends it.
Dakel is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Dakel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Dakel drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dakel jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Dakel trying to control the position from guard on top but Huerta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Huerta tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dakel trying to control the position from guard on top but Huerta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dakel really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Huerta misses with a double jab.
Huerta looks for the body kick but Dakel saw that one coming.

Huerta shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Dakel is holding on to half guard well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huerta throwing shots but Dakel is blocking nicely.

Dakel looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Huerta wants to take a breather but Dakel is having none of it.
Dakel is trying to stand.
Huerta missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Huerta throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dakel is trying to stand back up but Huerta is controlling him
Dakel on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dakel tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Dakel moves in looking to clinch but Huerta pushes him off.
Dakel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dakel cracks the inside of Huerta's front leg.
Huerta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Huerta closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Dakel did well to prevent Huerta getting side control.
Dakel looks like he's trying to stand up.

Dakel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Huerta misses with a head shot. Dakel uses the momentum to regain guard.
Dakel wants to sweep but no luck.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Huerta dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Huerta fails to land the takedown.
A cross from Huerta lands.
Huerta shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dakel defends it nicely.
Dakel keeps Huerta at a distance using the push kick.
Dakel throws a series of punches but Huerta moves out of range.

Huerta gets the takedown into side control.
Dakel is trying to control Huerta's posture but Huerta avoids it.
Dakel is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Huerta is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dakel is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huerta wants to control but Dakel is keeping him busy.
Huerta scores with a couple of short elbows.
The ground and pound from Huerta seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Huerta looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Dakel is avoiding damage well.
Huerta scoring with punches and elbows.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Dakel lands a nice leg kick that just misses Huerta's sensitive parts.
Dakel throws a nice inside leg kick.
Dakel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Huerta looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Reks Dakel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roger Huerta.
Dakel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Huerta paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Dakel. No joy for Huerta on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Dakel fails to land the takedown.
Dakel tries to clinch up but Huerta circles away and keeps his distance.
Huerta shoots for a double leg takedown but Dakel sprawls well. He's pushed Huerta's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Reks Dakel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dakel blocks a head kick by Huerta.
Dakel with a lazy takedown attempt

and Huerta counters with a takedown into side control.
Huerta postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Dakel wants to get back to his feet.
Huerta throws a strike aimed at the side of Dakel's head but Dakel avoids it well.
Huerta working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Dakel regains half guard.
Dakel on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huerta drops an elbow to the side of Dakel's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dakel tries to kick Huerta off in order to stand up. Huerta Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Dakel is looking for a sweep.

Huerta stands up and beckons Dakel to his feet.
Dakel throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Huerta avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Huerta fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Huerta darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Huerta throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dakel regains full guard. Nicely done.
Dakel preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dakel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Huerta's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dakel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dakel wants to control from the top but Huerta keeps moving.
Huerta tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dakel controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Huerta showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Huerta throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dakel's waist but Dakel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Huerta off to one side.
Huerta circles away from the clinch attempt.
Huerta shoots in looking for a takedown. Dakel tries to sprawl out of it but Huerta keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dakel manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A head kick from Dakel lands but Huerta takes it in his stride.
Dakel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Huerta avoids it really well and circles away.
Huerta throws a series of punches but Dakel avoids them all with ease.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dakel moves into range and clinches up with Huerta.
Dakel with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Huerta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Huerta blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dakel with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Dakel creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Huerta's defenses.
Dakel tries a knee to the head but Huerta blocks it.
Dakel tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Huerta avoids it.
Huerta has Dakel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dakel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Reks Dakel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roger Huerta.
Dakel connects with a nasty looking knee right to Huerta's face.
Huerta jumps guard but Dakel stands there with Huerta around his waist. Huerta gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dakel landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Dakel connects with a knee to the head.
Huerta tries for a takedown. No joy.
Huerta tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Huerta tries to pull guard but Dakel holds him up against the cage and eventually Huerta drops back down to his feet.
Dakel scores with a knee to the head.

That's two 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.
Dakel lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dakel with a knee to the head.
Dakel lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Dakel landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Dakel landing knees to the body.
Dakel lands a knee to the body.
Dakel lands a good knee to the midsection. Huerta won't want to take too many of those.
Dakel lands a good knee to the midsection. Huerta won't want to take too many of those.
Dakel lands a knee to the body.
Dakel working Huerta over with knees to the body.
Huerta tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Dakel lands a knee to the body.
Dakel working Huerta over with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huerta wants a takedown but no success here.
Huerta has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dakel avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Huerta's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Dakel connects with a nasty looking knee right to Huerta's face.
Dakel lands a knee to the body.
Dakel landing knees to the head.
Dakel scores a nice knee to the body.
Dakel working Huerta over with knees to the body.
Dakel landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Huerta is trying to drag Dakel to the mat but Dakel just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Knees to the body from Dakel.
Dakel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Huerta.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Huerta managing to block the knees to the body from Dakel.
Knees to the body from Dakel.

Dakel jumps guard and drags Huerta to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Dakel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Huerta slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sloppy strikes there by Huerta.
Roger Huerta is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dakel tries to bench press Huerta off him but Huerta keeps the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dakel throws Huerta to one side and escapes!
Dakel fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Reks Dakel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Huerta looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reks Dakel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Huerta has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger Huerta!