PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Abraham Safforn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Hicks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abraham Safforn has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Safforn
vs
Hicks

205 cm
26
279 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

191 cm
33
280 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Just Fight (Everything 7$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abraham Safforn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dante Hicks!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Frank Dennis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Safforn thumps Hicks with a low kick.
Safforn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hicks.
Safforn lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Safforn has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hicks finds it's way round the side to connect with Safforn's head.
Safforn takes one on the button.
Abraham Safforn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick from Safforn misses
and Hicks counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Abraham Safforn has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hicks fails in his attempt to clinch.
A thudding body kick lands there by Safforn!
Hicks doesn't manage to clinch there - Safforn circles away.

Hicks looking to score a takedown here. Safforn is defending well but Hicks drives through and ends up in Safforn's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Hicks throws a big elbow that misses.
Hicks stopping the sweep attempt from Safforn.
Safforn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks trying to control but Safforn is working from the bottom.
Safforn is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hicks throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Safforn works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Safforn working a defensive guard here.

Hicks has gone for a leg lock! Safforn slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hicks's guard.
Safforn looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Hicks manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Safforn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hicks backwards.
Safforn swings wildly with an uppercut but Hicks uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hicks blocks an uppercut.
Hicks jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Safforn walks away with a smile on his face. Hicks gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Safforn tries to land a front kick but Hicks steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hicks throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hicks blocks a leg kick.
A clash of legs there as Hicks blocks the low kick.
Hicks wants to clinch but Safforn slips to the side
and Safforn counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Hicks ducks under a wild hook from Safforn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safforn finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hicks loads up on a big right hand but Safforn slips the punch.
Safforn connects with a solid leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Safforn.
Safforn attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Safforn ducks under a wild hook from Hicks.
Safforn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hicks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Safforn circles away.
Safforn lands a slapping body shot.
Hicks moves out of range as Safforn throws a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Safforn throws a body kick that misses.
Hicks throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hicks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hicks on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Safforn. Safforn obviously looking to wear him down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hicks shoots in but Safforn avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Abraham Safforn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Hicks.
Safforn scores with the left hand. Hicks knows he should have avoided that one.
Safforn throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Safforn forces Hicks back against the cage and clinches.
Safforn stops a takedown attempt from Hicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abraham Safforn dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Abraham Safforn's cut.
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.

A nice inside leg kick there by Safforn. That's going to slow Hicks down.

Hicks gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Safforn misses with a punch on the inside.
Hicks is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Safforn pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Safforn misses with a punch on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Hicks goes for a takedown attempt but Safforn pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A leg kick checked by Hicks.

Safforn forces Hicks back against the cage and clinches.
Safforn is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Hicks goes for a takedown in the clinch but Safforn prevents it.
Abraham Safforn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Hicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Safforn gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hicks tries to pull guard but Safforn won't allow it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hicks.
Hicks goes for a takedown in the clinch but Safforn prevents it.
Hicks's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Hicks is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Safforn gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Safforn prevents a takedown attempt there.
Safforn goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Safforn lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Safforn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hicks backwards.
Hicks jumps guard but Safforn stands there with Hicks around his waist. Hicks gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hicks being controlled against the cage.
Hicks lands a nice elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hicks can't get the takedown.
Safforn misses with a punch to the body.
Hicks throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Safforn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hicks has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Safforn after a bit of a struggle.
Hicks is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Safforn pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hicks is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hicks blocks a body shot from Safforn.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Safforn scores with a hook to the body.
Hicks is breathing heavily.
Hicks wants a takedown.
Hicks is trying to stall.

Safforn's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Abraham Safforn is winning the standup battle so far.
Hicks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safforn lands a lovely overhand right.

It looks like Dante Hicks has been cut.
Safforn cracks Hicks with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Safforn throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hicks checks a leg kick.

Safforn drives through and clinches with Hicks against the cage.

Hicks pulls Safforn into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Safforn cracks Hicks with a solid left hand.
Safforn has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hicks striking off his back but it's not causing Safforn any problems.
Hicks tries to strike from the bottom.
Safforn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hicks swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Safforn keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Hicks's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hicks keeping full guard, as Safforn tries to pass.
Safforn slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Hicks manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
A short uppercut from Safforn.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Still in the clinch, Safforn scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hicks is trying to drag Safforn to the mat but Safforn just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Safforn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abraham Safforn dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Safforn misses with a low kick.
Hicks lands a head shot.
Safforn thows a body shot but no joy.
Safforn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hicks moves away.
Hicks misses with a hook. Safforn ducked under it nicely.
Safforn's corner calls for a 1-2. Safforn obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Hicks lunges at Safforn with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Safforn's hand.
A jab from Safforn does it's job there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hicks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Safforn.
Safforn throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hicks fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Safforn avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hicks avoids a kick to the body.
Safforn moves out of range as Hicks strikes.

Safforn rushes Hicks and presses him up against the cage.
Hicks pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Safforn creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That has opened up Dante Hicks's cut even more.
Hicks blocks an uppercut.
Safforn can't find room to land a body shot as Hicks controls the action.
Hicks blocks a body shot from Safforn.

Hicks manages to break the clinch.
Safforn ducks under a wild hook from Hicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Safforn clinches up with Hicks and pushes him back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hicks.
Safforn swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Safforn.
Safforn lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hicks leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hicks wants a takedown.
Safforn prevents the takedown attempt.
Abraham Safforn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dante Hicks.
Safforn prevents the takedown attempt.
Hicks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hicks drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Safforn gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Safforn looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hicks jumps guard.
Safforn stands and throws Hicks's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hicks is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Abraham Safforn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Safforn advances to mount.
Safforn can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hicks is looking to escape.
Hicks tries to reverse the position but Safforn maintains control.
Safforn landing strikes from the mount and Hicks is in trouble!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Dante Hicks's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Abraham Safforn!
During a confident post fight interview, Abraham Safforn thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.