PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mikey Darker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Garett Potter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Garett Potter told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Darker
vs
Potter

160 cm
24
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

169 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikey Darker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Garett Potter!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Potter misses with a body punch
and Darker counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Potter stuffs the takedown attempt from Darker. Darker gets slowly back to his feet.

Potter forces Darker back against the cage and clinches.

Darker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Potter swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Potter defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Darker.
Potter takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Darker shoots in looking for a takedown. Potter tries to sprawl out of it but Darker keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Potter manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikey Darker. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Darker gets caught napping as Potter dives in and scores a takedown. Darker manages to retain guard.
Potter 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.
Potter wanted to stand there but Darker had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potter won't allow Darker to get back to his feet.
Potter won't allow Darker to sweep him here.
Potter is looking to stand up but Darker won't let him.
Darker is trying to control the position but Potter postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Potter.
Potter tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Potter stuffs the takedown.
Darker is breathing heavily.
Potter slips a jab and a cross from Darker.
Potter throws a head kick but Darker moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darker fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Potter closes the distance and clinches.

Potter pulls guard effortlessly.
Potter manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Darker manages to get himself to full guard.
Potter pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Darker is keeping the position for now.
Potter's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter slips nicely into half guard.
Potter is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Darker!
Potter throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Potter dominating with strikes here.
Darker is squirming around, avoiding Potter's attempts to control the action.
Potter lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Potter looking to finish Darker with some ground and pound. This is bad for Darker!
Darker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Potter on the ground.
Potter throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Darker is in a horrible position here. Potter smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Darker is wriggling around trying to escape.
Potter wants to control the pace but Darker is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darker sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Potter not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Potter wants to control but Darker is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Darker throws a head kick but Potter moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Potter. No joy for Darker on that attempt.

Potter has managed to clinch.
Darker leaning his opponent against the cage.
Darker lands a body shot in the clinch.
Darker lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Darker looking for a takedown.

Potter successfully pulls guard.
Potter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Potter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Darker stops Potter from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Potter trying to keep a closed guard but Darker is proving a slippery customer.

Darker gets to his feet - Potter follows without any prompting.
Darker misses with a takedown attempt - Potter sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mikey Darker. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Potter looking to score a takedown here. Darker is defending well but Potter drives through and ends up in Darker's guard.
Potter wants to control from the top but Darker keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Potter accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Potter wants to control from the top but Darker keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Potter throws a big right hand that misses.
Darker controlling Potter's posture.
Potter trying to control but Darker is working from the bottom.

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

Potter drives through with a takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Potter won't allow Darker to sweep him here.
Potter sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Darker's guard.
Potter trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Potter lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Potter trying to control the pace.
Garett Potter has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Darker has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Potter is working away from the top position though.
Potter has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Garett Potter wasn't active enough on the ground.
Darker shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Potter feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darker wants to sweep but no luck.
Potter sitting in guard here, content to control.
Darker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Potter is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garett Potter 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! This is the final round!

Potter throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Darker tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Potter is in Darker's guard.
Potter wants to get up but he can't break Darker's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Darker can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Potter controls the pace.
Potter wants to control from the top but Darker keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Darker has control of Potter's left arm, preventing Potter from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Garett Potter.
Darker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Darker.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Darker is looking to clinch.

Potter rushes Darker and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Potter gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Darker is controlling Potter's posture.
Potter wants to stand but Darker is controlling his posture from full guard.
Potter trying to control the position from guard on top but Darker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Garett Potter has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Darker gets a clinch.
Darker fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Potter successfully pulls guard.
Potter is trying to control the position but Darker postures up.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darker trying to control but Potter is working from the bottom.
Potter working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Mikey Darker wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Darker fails with a takedown attempt.
Darker showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Potter.
Darker moves in looking to clinch but Potter pushes him off.

Potter drives through with a takedown into guard.
Potter trying to control the position from guard on top but Darker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darker controls Potter momentarily but Potter frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darker wants to stand and escape but Potter is having none of it.
Darker has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Potter has passed into side control.
Potter wants to control but Darker is keeping him busy.
Darker wants to control but Potter postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Potter scores with a couple of short elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
Garett Potter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Potter winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Garett Potter!