PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Van Hook (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Durham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Hook kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Cure's Close To Me. Durham is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Mercy. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Van Hook
vs
Durham

170 cm
31
139 lbs
21 - 7 - 1

170 cm
26
144 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

[WOT] DTK Designs (Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kyle Van Hook!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mike Durham!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durham scores with a nice head shot.
Durham shoots in but no luck this time.
Van Hook keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Durham tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Van Hook was well out of range. Poor timing from Durham.
Durham checks a low kick from Van Hook.
Van Hook throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Durham swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Van Hook throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Durham shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Van Hook defends it nicely.
Kyle Van Hook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Durham.
Durham tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A swing and a miss from Durham.
Durham misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Hook tries to land a leg kick but Durham saw it coming and moves away.
Nice takedown defense from Van Hook. No joy for Durham on that attempt.
Van Hook displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Durham throws out the jab.
Durham throws out a loose jab but Van Hook uses good head movement to avoid it.
Durham missing with a left hand there. Van Hook was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Durham tests Van Hook's chin there with a solid looking shot.
A punch combination from Durham misses.
Durham lands a lovely overhand right.
Durham shoots in looking for a takedown but Van Hook manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Durham's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Van Hook is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Durham closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Durham throws a strike aimed at the side of Van Hook's head but Van Hook avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham tries to score with some ground and pound. Van Hook controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Van Hook wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Van Hook is not content to let Durham control the position.
Durham is staying tight to Van Hook's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Durham has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham misses the shot to the body.
Durham scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Van Hook doesn't seem bothered though.
Durham looks for a takedown but Van Hook sprawls well.
Van Hook leaves Durham with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Durham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Van Hook.
Durham fails with the takedown.
Durham looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Durham shoots in for a takedown but Van Hook shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook tries a low kick but Durham avoids it.
Durham misses with a looping left.
Van Hook looks for the body kick but Durham saw that one coming.
Durham throws a lazy uppercut
and Van Hook counters with an outside leg kick.
Durham misses with a body punch
and Van Hook makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Durham really felt that one!
Durham misses with a double jab.
Van Hook throws a quick inside leg kick.
Durham looks to score with a jab to the body but Van Hook is just out of range.
Durham misses with an uppercut
and Van Hook counters with a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Durham misses with a takedown attempt - Van Hook sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Van Hook lands with a kick to the ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Durham dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Van Hook scores with a nice body kick.
Van Hook throws a wild body kick that Durham sees coming a mile off.
Durham throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Van Hook stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Van Hook looks to land a body kick but Durham moved away.
Durham shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Van Hook counters with a nice body kick.
Mike Durham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Crunch! Van Hook slams his shin into Durham's torso.
Durham fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Van Hook uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Durham.

Durham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Van Hook looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Durham working the strikes but Van Hook uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Durham wants to take a breather but Van Hook is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Durham is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Van Hook still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Van Hook has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Durham tries to buck Van Hook off but Van Hook is having none of it.

Van Hook stands up.
Van Hook looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Van Hook throws a push kick but Durham slaps the foot to one side.
Van Hook tries to land a body kick
and Durham counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Van Hook misses with a low kick.
Durham just misses with a punch to the body.
Durham scores with a hook to the body. Van Hook takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Van Hook pivots, looking for a leg kick but Durham is out of range and Van Hook settles back down.
Durham checks a leg kick.
Van Hook slips under a jab from Durham.
Van Hook delivers a nice body kick.
Durham connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
No luck for Durham with that takedown attempt.
Durham has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Van Hook.
Durham comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook misses with a kick to the body.
Durham shoots and misses
and Van Hook makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Kyle Van Hook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Durham.
Van Hook feints and then cracks Durham's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Durham down.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Durham.
Van Hook throws the kick towards the body but Durham avoids it.
Van Hook gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Durham throws a big shot that misses.
Durham shoots in for a takedown but Van Hook shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Van Hook misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Van Hook counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Durham shoots in for a takedown but Van Hook shows good takedown defense.
Nice body kick there by Van Hook.
Durham is breathing heavily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Durham.
Van Hook keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Durham closes the distance and clinches up with Van Hook, looking for a takedown. Durham pushes Van Hook against the cage but Van Hook circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Durham with that takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Durham throws an overhand right that lands on Van Hook's shoulder, as Van Hook tries to avoid the shot.
Van Hook misses with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kyle Van Hook will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A big left from Durham misses.
Durham misses with an uppercut. Van Hook saw that one coming.
Durham shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Durham lands a slapping body shot.
Van Hook ducks under a wild hook from Durham.
Durham throws an overhand right that lands on Van Hook's shoulder, as Van Hook tries to avoid the shot.
Durham thows a left - swing and a miss!
Van Hook lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Van Hook looks for the body kick but Durham saw that one coming.
Durham lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Van Hook throws a chopping leg kick but Durham manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Durham lands a two punch combo.
Van Hook fakes the leg kick and cracks Durham in the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham digs a good hook to Van Hook's body.
Durham shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Van Hook as he avoids it easily.
Durham takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Durham throws a big shot that misses.
Van Hook throws a low kick, looking for Durham's leg but Durham calmly moves out of range.
Durham looks to land a left hand but Van Hook moved out of range nicely.
Van Hook fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Durham.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Van Hook.
Durham misses with a takedown attempt
and Van Hook counters with a nice kick to the body.
Kyle Van Hook has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Durham.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Van Hook.
Van Hook misses with an attempted mid kick.
Durham has his takedown stuffed
and Van Hook makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Durham really felt that one!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Durham will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Durham throws a looping overhand right but Van Hook ducks down to avoid it.
Van Hook throws a low kick but Durham avoids it.
Durham moves out of range as Van Hook throws a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Van Hook. That's going to slow Durham down.
Van Hook throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Durham thows a left - swing and a miss!
Van Hook slaps away a takedown attempt from Durham, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Van Hook with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Hook looks to land a body kick but Durham moved away.
Van Hook misses with a body kick.
Durham swings widly with a right hand
and Van Hook finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Durham misses with a takedown attempt - Van Hook sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Durham takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Durham closes the distance and clinches up with Van Hook, looking for a takedown. Durham pushes Van Hook against the cage but Van Hook circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice body kick there by Van Hook.
Van Hook looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Van Hook looks for the body kick but Durham saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham falls off balance throwing a combination
and Van Hook counters with a good low kick that Durham was not able to check.
Durham fails with the takedown
and Van Hook counters with a nice body kick.
Van Hook throws the kick towards the body but Durham avoids it.
Durham takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Durham throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Durham fails with a takedown attempt.
Van Hook looks to land a body kick but Durham moved away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Durham misses with a wild body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Durham throws a right and a left that Van Hook avoids nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyle Van Hook showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Van Hook 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!