PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Dicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wrest Ler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Dicks
vs
Ler

212 cm
22
173 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
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 Los Angeles, Kevin Dicks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Wrest Ler!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dicks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ler wants to clinch up but Dicks keeps it at a distance.
Dicks throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ler's waist but Ler gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Dicks off to one side.

Ler clinches up against the cage.
Ler has Dicks pushed against the cage.

Dicks manages to break the clinch.

Dicks drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dicks trying to control but Ler is working from the bottom.
Dicks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ler swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dicks loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ler holds on and takes a little breather.
Dicks trying to control the position from guard on top but Ler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ler is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Dicks is controlling him.

Kevin Dicks has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Ler throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Dicks was covering up waiting for the punch and Ler finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Ler looking to pass the guard.

Dicks working for a triangle but Ler defends it easily.
Ler won't allow Dicks to sweep him here.
Ler must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dicks wants to control but Ler passes easily into half guard.
Ler controlling the action here.
Ler trying to pass the guard but Dicks defending well.
Dicks really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Ler slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ler prevents Dicks from improving his position.
Ler is thwarting Dicks's attempts to control the position.
Ler trying to mount his opponent but Dicks defends it.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Wrest Ler was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Dicks pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four 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.

Ler shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dicks is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Ler is controlling him.
Dicks is breathing heavily.
Ler showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ler wants to pass the guard but Dicks is keeping the position.

Ler decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Dicks misses with a takedown attempt - Ler sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wrest Ler 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.

Ler drives through and clinches with Dicks against the cage.
Dicks jumps guard but Ler stands there with Dicks around his waist. Dicks gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dicks wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dicks tries to pull guard but Ler won't allow it.
Dicks wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Dicks. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dicks wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ler content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ler looking to throw knees to the head but Dicks is blocking nicely.
Ler slowing the pace effectively.
Ler is pressed up against the cage. Dicks has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ler down to the mat. Ler avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Wrest Ler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ler has Dicks up against the cage in a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ler takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ler receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dicks tries to pull guard but Ler holds him up against the cage and eventually Dicks drops back down to his feet.
Ler using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Ler is trying to trip Dicks. He has hold of a leg but Dicks is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Ler persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Ler showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ler's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Ler trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dicks will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Dicks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ler is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Wrest Ler.

Ler gets a clinch.
Dicks trying to control the position but instead, Ler has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dicks into the cage.
Ler leaning his opponent against the cage.
Ler with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Ler manages to pull guard.
Dicks stops Ler from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dicks trying to control the position from guard on top but Ler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dicks is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ler is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Ler is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dicks wants to stand but Ler has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four 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.
Dicks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dicks working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ler tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dicks tries to free his leg and advance position but Ler is retaining full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dicks wants to control from the top but Ler keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Kevin Dicks wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Ler closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wrest Ler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ler gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ler throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dicks blocks it with crossed arms.
Dicks wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ler has him pressed against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The crowd are getting on Ler's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Ler continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Dicks trying to control the position but instead, Ler has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dicks into the cage.
Ler connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dicks's face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ler.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Wrest Ler.
Dicks throws a right hand that Ler ducks under and follows up with a left that Ler also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dicks shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ler manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ler is wriggling around but Dicks manages to pass to half guard.

Dicks is trying to work for a kimura but Ler is defending well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ler can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ler controlling the position for now.
Ler taking some punishment here, with Dicks in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dicks prevents Ler from improving his position.
Ler scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Dicks manages to mount him!
Ler is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dicks misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Dicks looking to control but Ler is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dicks wants to finish this one by submission but Ler is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Dicks.
Ler is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Dicks throws a strike there. Ler manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.
Ler is pressing down on Dicks's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

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.

Ler kicks Dicks off and gets to his feet.
Dicks wants to clinch but Ler slips to the side

and Ler counters by clinching up.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ler - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ler scores a nice knee to the body.
Dicks wants to get back to striking at distance but Ler won't allow it.
Dicks fails to pull guard.
Ler tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ler connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dicks's face.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ler tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ler trying to land knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Wrest Ler.
Well Ler has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wrest Ler!