PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Millar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dakota Finley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Millar comes into the arena with We Are The Champions blaring out of the sound system. Finley has chosen C.R.E.A.M. as his entrance music. The key to victory for Michael Millar has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Millar
vs
Finley

185 cm
19
195 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Global Empire MMA Gear

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Millar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dakota Finley!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Millar manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Finley on his heels. He'll look to pass Finley's guard now, I'm sure.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Millar stopping the sweep attempt from Finley.

Finley looking for a guillotine here but Millar defends easily.
Finley is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Finley is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Millar defends well.
Millar wants to stand but Finley has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Millar is stalling in the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Michael Millar wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Millar moves into range and clinches up with Finley.
Finley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Millar prevents it.

Millar jumps into guard, dragging Finley to the mat.

Millar working for a triangle but Finley defends it easily.
Millar bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Finley's guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Finley can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Finley is on top in guard.
Finley's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Finley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Finley wants to control from the top but Millar keeps moving.

Finley postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Millar is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Finley, into his guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Finley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Millar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Finley looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Millar with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Millar trying to control the position from guard on top but Finley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Finley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Finley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Millar is aware though and is defending well.

Finley has his foot on Millar's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Millar works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Millar controls the pace.
Finley looking to control.

Finley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Finley looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Finley looks gassed!

Finley is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Millar defends well.
Millar lands a couple of digs.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Millar works over Finley with some ground and pound from guard.
Millar scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Millar sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Millar 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.

Finley closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Millar manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Millar looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Millar wants to get back to full guard.
Millar moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Millar is looking to stand up but Finley isn't so interested in that idea.
Finley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Millar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Finley trying to control but Millar is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millar looking to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Finley closes the distance and clinches up with Millar, looking for a takedown. Finley pushes Millar against the cage but Millar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Finley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Finley rushes Millar and presses him up against the cage.

Millar has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Finley regains guard immediately.
Finley manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Millar manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Finley trying to control the position from guard on top but Millar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Finley thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Finley tries to free his leg and advance position but Millar is retaining full guard.
Michael Millar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Finley has gone for a leg lock! Millar slips out almost immediately though and dives into Finley's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Finley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Millar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Finley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Finley has his foot on Millar's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Millar works his way back into a safe position though.

Millar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Millar trying to control but Finley is working from the bottom.
Millar stands up over Finley, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Millar tries to stand but Finley is controlling from the bottom.
Finley not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Millar seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Millar avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Finley is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Millar defends well.
Millar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Millar landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Finley looking for a guillotine here but Millar defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dakota Finley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Millar's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Millar feints and as Finley raises his hands in defense, Millar changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Finley not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Finley looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Finley working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Millar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Millar manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Millar looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Millar trying to control the position from guard on top but Finley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Millar looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Millar wants to control from the top but Finley keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Michael Millar.
Nice takedown defense from Millar. No joy for Finley on that attempt.
Finley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Millar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Finley lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Millar has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Millar and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Finley scores with a one two! Millar had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Dakota Finley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Finley misses with the combination.
Finley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Finley does no damage.
Millar blocks the body kick.
Finley shoots in looking for a takedown but Millar manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Finley's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Finley looks to land a right hand but Millar moved out of range.
Millar stuffs the takedown attempt from Finley. Finley gets slowly back to his feet.
Michael Millar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dakota Finley.

Finley gets caught napping as Millar dives in and scores a takedown. Finley manages to retain guard.
Millar is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Millar has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Millar stands up from Finley's guard - Millar perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finley shoots in but Millar avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Millar shoots in and bounces Finley off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Finley working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Millar doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Millar manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Millar trying to control the position from guard on top but Finley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Millar is really struggling to control Finley but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley trying to keep a closed guard but Millar is proving a slippery customer.

Finley had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Millar defends it easily.
Millar trying to control but Finley is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Michael Millar has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Millar swings and misses with a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Millar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Millar 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Millar!
As Michael Millar got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: Thanks for your support in my match.'.