PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Darango (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Fuller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Fuller is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Darango
vs
Fuller

188 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
196 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Las Vegas, Dan Darango!
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, Eric Fuller!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darango closes the distance and clinches.
Fuller tries to pull guard but Darango won't allow it.
Darango prevents a takedown attempt there.

Fuller gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Fuller trying to control from half guard but Darango is working away.
Darango tries to kick Fuller off but Fuller keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Darango tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Darango is refusing to be controlled, as Fuller sits in half guard.
Darango is trying to stand back up but Fuller is controlling him
Darango wants to improve his position but Fuller is controlling well.
Fuller looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Fuller performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Eric Fuller hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Fuller shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Darango napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Darango tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Fuller wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Fuller tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fuller grinds an elbow into Darango's temple.
Fuller is looking to take a break and control but Darango is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fuller creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Darango is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Darango is in trouble now - Fuller has advanced to mount!
Darango is squirming around, avoiding Fuller's attempts to control the action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darango is trying to reverse the position but instead Fuller has taken his back - oops!

Darango defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Darango holding both Fuller 's hands and preventing any damage.
Darango is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuller connects with a big shot to the side of Darango's head.
A lull in the action here.
Good control from Fuller.
Let's hope that Fuller has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Fuller looking for the choke from the back.

Fuller looking to break Darango's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Darango remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Fuller will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Darango covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.

Fuller is persistently looking for the submission but Darango is defending it well.
Fuller tries to get the hooks in deep but Darango pushed the leg off.
Fuller is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Darango is in bad spot here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Fuller has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
A lull in the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Fuller dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Fuller darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fuller stalling away here and it's allowed Darango to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Darango tries to strike from the bottom.
Eric Fuller has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fuller trying to control but Darango is working from the bottom.
Fuller stops Darango from standing up.
Fuller is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Eric Fuller was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Fuller shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Fuller was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fuller trying to control but Darango is having none of it.
Darango throwing hammer fists to the chest of Fuller. What's that going to do exactly?
Darango is squirming around, avoiding Fuller's attempts to control the action.
Fuller controlling the position easily from mount.
Fuller postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Darango looks a forlorn figure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darango wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Darango trying to get back to his feet but Fuller is in full control for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Fuller has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Darango has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Fuller really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Darango.
Fuller controlling well, preventing Darango from escaping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
What can Darango do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Fuller struggling to keep hold of the position.
Fuller trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Darango doesn't escape.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Darango trying to get back to his feet but Fuller is in full control for now.
Fuller not allowing Darango to control his hands.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Fuller's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Fuller is looking for the choke from the back position but Darango is controlling his hands well.
Darango trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuller connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Darango to escape the position.

Fuller has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Darango has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fuller trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Darango doesn't escape.
Fuller trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fuller throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Darango!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Fuller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Fuller misses with a double jab.
Darango tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Fuller closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Darango did well to prevent Fuller getting side control.

Fuller escapes and gets back to his feet.
Darango tries to bum rush Fuller with a series of wild strikes but Fuller uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Darango tries to keep at a distance but Fuller has taken the fight into the clinch.
Darango is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Fuller drags the fight down to the ground.
Fuller throws a couple of heel strikes.
Fuller is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fuller preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Fuller is trying to control the position but Darango postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darango trying to control but Fuller is working from the bottom.
Darango wants to get up but he can't break Fuller's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Darango lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Fuller working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Darango doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Darango manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fuller is pulling down on Darango's head to control his posture.

Fuller is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Darango is aware though and is defending well.
Fuller has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Darango trying to control but Fuller is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fuller manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Darango manages to get himself to full guard.

Darango is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fuller is aware though and is defending well.
Fuller content to stall in guard here.
Darango can't keep his opponent in guard - Fuller advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Fuller trying to control from half guard but Darango is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fuller sitting and controlling from the half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Fuller 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.

Fuller decides to stand up.

Fuller looking to score a takedown here. Darango is defending well but Fuller drives through and ends up in Darango's guard.
Darango keeping moving, preventing Fuller from controlling successfully.
Fuller is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Darango keeping full guard, as Fuller tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fuller trying to control but Darango is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Eric Fuller has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Fuller throws a head kick but Darango moves out of range.

Darango gets caught flat footed, as Fuller shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fuller trying to control the position from guard on top but Darango is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dan Darango has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eric Fuller is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Eric Fuller was stalling too much, according to the referee.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Fuller comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fuller has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Fuller!