PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ian Botham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pete Dunham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Ian Botham has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Botham
vs
Dunham

182 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
169 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 London, Ian Botham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Pete Dunham!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dunham moves to clinch but Botham breaks away
and Dunham takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dunham closes the distance but Botham moves to the side
enabling Botham to counter with a crisp jab.

Botham gets tackled into the cage by Dunham. Dunham maintains the clinch.

Dunham breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Dunham moves into the clinch.
Dunham wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Botham manages to break the clinch.

Botham shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Botham stalling away here and it's allowed Dunham to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Botham slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botham throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dunham works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Botham trying to control the position from guard on top but Dunham is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Botham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dunham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Botham trying to control but Dunham is working from the bottom.
Dunham wants to get back to his feet but Botham is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ian Botham.
Dunham misses with a combination
and Botham counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Dunham doesn't manage to clinch there - Botham circles away.
Botham lands a right hook to the body.
Dunham looks gassed!
Nice sprawl there from Dunham as Botham shoots in.
Dunham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Botham manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A thudding body kick lands there by Botham!
Botham tries to clinch up.
Botham fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Botham tries for a takedown but Dunham circles away easily

and Dunham counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dunham.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ian Botham. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Botham drags the fight down to the ground.
Botham not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dunham looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Botham is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Botham content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Botham drops an elbow to the side of Dunham's head.
Botham 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Botham thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dunham's head.
Dunham on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Botham is trying to control. Dunham wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Dunham wants to get back to his feet.
Botham slips a nice elbow through Dunham's hands, connecting with Dunham's forehead.
Dunham keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Botham decides to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Botham dominated that round.
That's time! Botham's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Botham will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Dunham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Botham manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Dunham throws a right hand that Botham ducks under and follows up with a left that Botham also avoids with ease.
Dunham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Botham connects with a looping right hand.

Dunham gets tackled into the cage by Botham. Botham maintains the clinch.

Botham pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Botham tries for a takedown but Dunham sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Dunham has Botham up against the cage in a clinch.
Botham is trying to break the clinch but Dunham has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Botham has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dunham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ian Botham. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dunham makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Botham avoids the elbow strike from Dunham, against the cage.
Botham lands a knee to the body.
Botham tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dunham smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Botham changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Dunham tries to avoid it but Botham manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Dunham to the ground. Dunham escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pete Dunham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dunham lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Botham circles away quickly and effectively.
Dunham throws a series of punches but Botham moves out of range.

Dunham fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Botham, pushing him back against the cage.
Botham prevents Dunham from breaking the clinch.
Dunham scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Botham avoids a wild elbow strike from Dunham.
Dunham wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dunham working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Dunham trying to stall but Botham improves his position.
Dunham wants to break the clinch but can't.

Botham jumps guard and drags Dunham to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Botham is trying to keep Dunham in close.
Botham avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

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.
Dunham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Botham is keeping the position for now.

Dunham gets to his feet. Botham looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Dunham throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dunham avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dunham is looking to clinch.
Botham throws a series of punches but Dunham moves out of range.
Botham looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Dunham is fending him off so far but Botham persists. Nope, Dunham circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dunham looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ian Botham is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dunham tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Botham manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Dunham misses.
Botham closes the distance and clinches up with Dunham, looking for a takedown. Botham pushes Dunham against the cage but Dunham circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botham shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dunham defends it nicely.
A head kick misses from Botham.
Dunham tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Botham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dunham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Botham tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dunham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Botham comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Dunham tries to clinch but Botham moves out of range.
Botham shoots for a double leg takedown but Dunham sprawls well. He's pushed Botham's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dunham displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Botham tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dunham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Botham looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

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.
No luck for Botham with that takedown attempt.
Botham tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Dunham counters with a stiff right hand.
Dunham swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dunham misses with a series of wild punches.
Botham connects with a high kick.
Botham tries for a takedown but Dunham sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dunham tries to clinch there but Botham circles away.
Dunham will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Botham closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dunham wants to break the clinch but can't.
Botham has Dunham pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dunham manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Dunham is trying to break the clinch but Botham is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pete Dunham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dunham clinches.
Botham has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Dunham avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Dunham breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Botham circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters circling a little - Botham finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Dunham misses with a double jab

and Botham counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Botham stops Dunham from standing up.

Botham stands up and waves to Dunham to follow him.
No luck for Botham with that takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Botham fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ian Botham. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dunham moves in looking to clinch but Botham pushes him off.
Dunham lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Botham backs up against the cage.

Botham closes the distance and pushes Dunham back into the cage.
Dunham lands with a left to the head.

Botham breaks from the clinch.
Botham keeps the fight on the outside.
Dunham misses with a wild body shot.
Dunham tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Botham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dunham tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Botham holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

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.
Dunham tries to break the clinch but Botham is controlling the position.
Dunham misses with a punch on the inside.

Botham pulls Dunham into guard.
Botham is trying to keep Dunham in close.
Dunham wants to stand but Botham has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Botham is looking for a triangle but Dunham pushes his legs off easily.
Dunham is in close to Botham's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Botham pushes Dunham off and scrambles back to his feet.
Dunham tries to clinch but Botham moves away

and Botham counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dunham won't be happy with that.
Dunham tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Botham trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Dunham tries to buck Botham off but he can't manage it.
Botham throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Dunham is trying to stand up.
Botham dominating with strikes here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dunham can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Botham is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Dunham to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Dunham shrugs it off.
Botham throws some wild stikes that Dunham manages to avoid easily.
Dunham really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Botham. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Botham trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Botham is really struggling to control Dunham but he's trying to hold on to the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ian Botham showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Botham has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ian Botham!