PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ran Caleb (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ellington Darden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Darden has chosen 6 WEAPONS - TERROR as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Caleb
vs
Darden

177 cm
20
180 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

[GTI] Divine Clothing

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ran Caleb!
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, Ellington Darden!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Darden misses with a body kick.
Darden keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Left hook, right uppercut from Caleb.
Darden is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Caleb scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Caleb swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Darden takes one to the chin there.
Caleb keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Caleb comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Darden gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute 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.

Caleb throws Darden to one side and escapes!
Caleb swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Darden counters by clinching up.
Caleb tries to break free but Darden pushes him back against the cage.
Caleb tries to break the clinch but Darden is controlling the position.

Darden manages to break the clinch.
Caleb digs a good body shot into Darden's ribs.
Darden slips a jab and a cross from Caleb.
Caleb dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caleb throws a hook but Darden avoids it easily.
Darden throws a sloppy head kick and Caleb moves out of range easily.
Darden looks to land a left hand but Caleb moved out of range nicely.
Darden throws a jab when Caleb was well out of range.
Ran Caleb seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Caleb cracks Darden with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Caleb is looking to wear down Darden with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Some wild striking there from Caleb.
Caleb cracks Darden with an open hand slap.
Caleb just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Caleb throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Darden throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A leg kick checked by Caleb.
Caleb misses with a body shot.
Caleb falls off balance throwing a combination
and Darden counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Darden tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Caleb lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caleb cracks a nice hook into Darden's ribs.
Caleb's corner calls for a 1-2. Caleb obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Caleb looks to score with a jab to the body but Darden is just out of range.
Darden takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Darden has Caleb up against the cage in a clinch.
Darden keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Caleb's efforts to push away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Caleb tries to circle away but Darden has him pinned against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Caleb misses with a series of wild punches.
Darden avoids the body shot from Caleb.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Caleb, as that shot connected.

Darden scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Darden wants to pass the guard but Caleb is defending well.
Darden not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Caleb is looking to improve his position.
Darden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Darden passes into side control, despite Caleb's attempt to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caleb regains half guard, as Darden was trying to land strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darden throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Caleb misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Darden seems to be working for a kimura but Caleb defends the submission attempt.
Darden is looking to pass Caleb's guard but actually Caleb recovers to full guard.
Darden trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Caleb is keeping the position for now.
Darden looking to sit in guard and control but Caleb gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Darden is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Caleb manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darden postures up and lands a big shot to Caleb's brow.
Darden throws a big right hand that misses.
Darden postures up in Caleb's guard and throws a big left but Caleb blocks it.
Caleb preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Caleb being controlled here, momentarily.
Darden is looking to work some ground and pound but Caleb has wrist control.
Darden 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Darden stands and throws Caleb's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Caleb wants to control but Darden postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caleb parries the strikes from Darden easily there. Darden is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Caleb to escape.
Darden is looking to take a break and control but Caleb is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darden wants to take a breather but Caleb manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Darden.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ellington Darden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Caleb will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Darden.
Caleb lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Darden circles away quickly and effectively.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Caleb thows a left - swing and a miss!
Darden staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caleb wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Caleb misses with a jab to the body

and Darden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Caleb's guard.
Caleb being controlled here, momentarily.
Caleb seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Darden has gone for a leg lock! Caleb slips out almost immediately though and dives into Darden's guard.
Darden has control of Caleb's left arm, preventing Caleb from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ellington Darden.
A looping hook to the body misses from Caleb. Darden does a little dance to reset his feet.
Caleb bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Darden's head backwards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Caleb throws a series of punches but Darden avoids them all with ease.
Caleb connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Darden tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Darden connects with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darden tries to work over Caleb's front leg with a kick but Caleb checks it.
Darden on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Darden lands a nice looking kick to the body. Caleb takes a step back to recover.
Darden fails to land the takedown.
Nice uppercut lands for Caleb. That snapped Darden's head back.
Darden uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Caleb.
Ran Caleb is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darden misses with a two punch combination.
Caleb throws a right hand that misses

and Darden counters with a shoot takedown. Caleb fights it but they end up in guard.
Darden in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Darden looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Darden postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Caleb is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Darden, into his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darden has a closed guard, preventing Caleb from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ellington Darden.
I think Darden 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ellington Darden!
Our winner, Ellington Darden, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.