PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nichi Hong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edmund Dantes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hong comes to the cage accompanied by Hong Entrance Song. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Hong
vs
Dantes

175 cm
29
156 lbs
15 - 5 - 2

180 cm
29
165 lbs
16 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.
Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nichi Hong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edmund Dantes!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Glass and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hong lands a leg kick that knocks Dantes off balance momentarily.
Nice body punch from Hong.
Dantes connects with a crisp jab.
Dantes has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Dantes on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hong misses with a body shot.
Dantes misses with a leg kick.
Hong misses with a leg kick.
Dantes staying out of range there.
Dantes dives in for a single leg takedown but Hong sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Dantes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hong has him pressed against the cage.
Hong working aggressively here.
Hong misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dantes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hong throws a punch but it's blocked by Dantes.
Hong misses with a body punch.
Hong lands a nice shot to the body.
Hong tries to land a knee to the head but Dantes blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantes tries to circle away but Hong has him pinned against the cage.

Dantes wants the takedown. Hong is fighting it off but Dantes persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Hong's guard against the cage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Hong wants to sweep but no luck.
Hong trying to control the position here.
Dantes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hong is keeping the position for now.
Dantes trying to control the position from guard on top but Hong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dantes controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hong is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hong is looking for a triangle here but Dantes uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Hong takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Check out the look on Dantes's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
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!
Hong gets back to half guard.
Dantes works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantes prevents Hong from getting the reversal.
Dantes unloads with some shots from mount but Hong bucks and avoids them well.
Dantes scoring with strikes but Hong is staying in there.
Hong is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dantes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hong can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
BOOM! Dantes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hong is looking to get to half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dantes lands a heavy elbow.
Hong is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Dantes controlling from the full mount.
Dantes thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Dantes lands a nice shot to the head.
Hong avoids a series of strikes thrown by Dantes.
Hong wants to control but Dantes is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dantes thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

Dantes wants to finish this one by submission but Hong is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Dantes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edmund Dantes dominated that round.
That's time! Hong's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dantes bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
A shot to the body from Hong misses
and Dantes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hong misses with a wild body shot.
Dantes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nichi Hong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hong looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hong looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hong thows a left - swing and a miss!
Dantes moves into range and connects with a jab.
Hong lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Dantes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
We've been told by Hong's head coaches at Mandirigmang Pilipino that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Hong lands a leg kick that knocks Dantes off balance momentarily.
A punch lands to the side of Dantes 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hong digs a good hook to Dantes's body.
Hong tries to score with a low kick but Dantes moves his leg out of the way.
Dantes getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hong darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hong tries to land a leg kick but Dantes saw it coming and moves away.
Dantes throws out a powerful jab.
Dantes on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
No joy there for Hong, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hong connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hong motions for Dantes to come forward. Hong throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Nice takedown defense from Hong. No joy for Dantes on that attempt.
Dantes slips a jab from Hong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hong keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nichi Hong is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Dantes, as that shot connected.
Dantes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hong as he jumps to the side.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dantes misses with a looping right.
Hong lands a right hook to the body.
Dantes throws a hook but Hong avoids it easily.
Hong lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hong's corner calls for a 1-2. Hong obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Hong pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hong misses with a lunging right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hong displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dantes throws out the jab.
Hong throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Dantes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hong won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantes is putting a hurting on Hong here, landing some big shots from side control.
You can see the frustration on Hong's face as Dantes controls the position.
Dantes working the ground and pound but Hong is defending the strikes.
Dantes trying to control the position but Hong is working away.
Hong is trying to improve his position.
Hong struggling a bit here.
Edmund Dantes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hong is looking to reverse the position.
Dantes is looking to take a break and control but Hong is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hong struggling a bit here.
Hong gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Dantes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hong does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dantes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dantes trying to control the action but Hong is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dantes is looking to advance position but Hong won't allow it.
Hong is looking to control Dantes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hong avoid being mounted?
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 Nichi Hong will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Dantes connects with an inside leg kick.
Hong throws a leg kick that misses.
Dantes turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Dantes scoring well with a low kick there.
Hong smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Dantes checks a leg kick.
Hong throws a lazy uppercut
and Dantes counters with a left and a right that stings Hong.
Good leg kick by Hong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A head kick misses from Dantes.
Hong attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Dantes tests Hong's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hong throws a push kick but Dantes slaps the foot to one side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantes throws a sloppy head kick
and Hong counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hong throws a leg kick
and Dantes counters with a leg kick.
Dantes scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Dantes wants to land a leg kick but Hong is out of range.
Hong misses with a low kick as Dantes jumps back.
Hong connects with a solid leg kick.
Hong swings away with a body shot that misses
and Dantes counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hong thows a leg kick but Dantes checks it

and Dantes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hong wants to control the action here but instead Dantes manages to pass to full mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dantes wants to control the pace but Hong is squirming around nicely.
Hong working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dantes postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hong looks a forlorn figure.
Hong is trying desperately to improve position.
Dantes lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Hong is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dantes dominating with strikes here.
Dantes landing punches.
Dantes punching from mount but Hong doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hong is looking to escape.
Dantes throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Dantes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hong avoids a series of strikes thrown by Dantes.
Hong tries to hold on but Dantes postures up.
Dantes unloads with some shots from mount but Hong bucks and avoids them well.
Dantes looking to finish with strikes here!
Dantes with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hong is working to get back to half guard.
Hong is working hard here to advance position.
Dantes avoids the attempt from Hong to control.
Dantes with a couple of short strikes.
Dantes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Dantes sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hong can't escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edmund Dantes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dantes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edmund Dantes!
After winning the bout, Edmund Dantes thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Nichi Hong spoke after the fight, saying 'Sorry for the poor performance guys. I will comeback and be better than ever, I promise you that...'.