PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Dennis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Boxer (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.

Dennis
vs
Boxer

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joe Dennis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mark Boxer!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Boxer throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Dennis was covering up waiting for the punch and Boxer finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Dennis looking for a sweep. Not yet Dennis, not yet.
Dennis trying to control the position.
Boxer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boxer wants to pass the guard but Dennis is keeping the position.

Dennis escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Boxer gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dennis will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Boxer avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Boxer gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dennis swats away the attempt to clinch by Boxer.

Boxer manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Dennis on his heels. He'll look to pass Dennis's guard now, I'm sure.
Boxer chips away with some ground and pound.
Dennis keeping full guard, as Boxer tries to pass.
Boxer should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Boxer drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dennis dives on top into guard.
Boxer keeping moving, preventing Dennis from controlling successfully.
Boxer is looking to sweep but instead, Dennis has passed into half guard.

Dennis is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Boxer is just riding it out for now. Dennis eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boxer strikes from the bottom but Dennis uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Boxer tries to improve position but can't.
Boxer is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Boxer tries to escape but Dennis is in control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Boxer parries the strikes from Dennis easily there. Dennis is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Boxer to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dennis is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Boxer has escaped the position, nice work there.
Boxer is looking for a sweep.
Boxer is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Dennis is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Boxer wants to control but Dennis is having none of it.
Dennis looking to control and managing it successfully.
Boxer tries to lock up and control but Dennis gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Dennis postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Boxer looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boxer tries to improve his position but instead Dennis has taken his back!
Dennis trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Boxer doesn't escape.
Boxer is really stuck here.
Dennis avoiding Boxer 's attempts to control his hands.
Boxer tries to roll but Dennis sticks to his back.
Boxer trying to control the action but Dennis just sinks the hooks in.
Boxer looks gassed!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Dennis looking for the choke from the back.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boxer trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Boxer 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.

Boxer shoots in but no luck this time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dennis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Boxer slaps away a takedown attempt from Dennis, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Dennis rushes Boxer and presses him up against the cage.
Dennis is trying to pull guard but Boxer turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Dennis working hard to break the clinch.
Dennis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Boxer prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Dennis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Dennis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Boxer misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boxer shoots in for a takedown but Dennis shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Boxer shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dennis defends it nicely.
Dennis tries to close the distance and clinch but Boxer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Boxer fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Dennis to the ground. Boxer is now in Dennis's guard.
Boxer is breathing heavily.
Boxer throws an elbow that misses. Dennis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Boxer's guard. Nice move by Dennis!
Mark Boxer has got the better of the ground game so far.
Boxer lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Dennis!
Dennis can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Boxer goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Dennis turns into him and now he's in Boxer's guard.

Boxer throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Dennis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Dennis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dennis is stalling in the full guard.
Dennis will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Dennis trying to control the position from guard on top but Boxer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dennis is stalling in the full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Dennis.
Boxer stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dennis fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Dennis shoots in but no luck this time.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dennis.
Boxer throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Boxer looking to score a takedown here. Dennis is defending well but Boxer drives through and ends up in Dennis's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boxer advances to half guard.
Boxer wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dennis keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mark Boxer will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Boxer doesn't manage to clinch there - Dennis circles away.

Boxer dives in and scores a takedown into Dennis's guard.
Boxer wants to stand and escape but instead Dennis has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Dennis works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Dennis is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Dennis content just to control the position here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dennis avoids the attempt from Boxer to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dennis is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Boxer can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Dennis landing strikes from the mount.

Dennis jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Boxer manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Boxer is looking for a sweep.
Dennis is chipping away with strikes.
Dennis is looking to take a break and control but Boxer is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Boxer strikes from the bottom but Dennis takes advantage and advances to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boxer wants to control but Dennis is having none of it.
Boxer keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dennis breaks from Boxer's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Boxer tries to hold on but Dennis pushes him away.
Dennis controlling from mount.
Boxer can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boxer tries to hold on but Dennis postures up.
Boxer slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Dennis looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Dennis slows the pace down in half guard.
Boxer works his way to full guard. Good work.
Boxer trying to keep a closed guard but Dennis is proving a slippery customer.
Dennis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Dennis trying to control but Boxer is working from the bottom.
Boxer utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Boxer not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dennis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Boxer is proving hard to escape from.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dennis goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Joe Dennis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Boxer looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dennis wants to improve his position but Boxer is controlling well.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Joe Dennis.
I think Boxer 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Boxer!
A relieved looking Mark Boxer thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.