PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Dodson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Dodson had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Dodson
vs
Worner

167 cm
35
130 lbs
21 - 25 - 0

170 cm
26
135 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

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 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Dodson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xavier Worner!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dodson feints and as Worner raises his hands in defense, Dodson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Worner has a closed guard, preventing Dodson from standing up.

Worner has his foot on Dodson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dodson works his way back into a safe position though.
Dodson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Worner keeping full guard, as Dodson tries to pass.

Dodson stands up and waves to Worner to follow him.
Worner misses with a takedown attempt
and Dodson counters with a straight right hand.
Worner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dodson circles away quickly and effectively.
Worner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Dodson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dodson decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Dodson thows a leg kick but Worner checks it
and Worner counters with a nice low kick that buckles Dodson's knee momentarily.

Dodson feints and as Worner raises his hands in defense, Dodson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Worner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dodson looking to pass the guard.
Dodson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

We're going to have a standup here because John Dodson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Dodson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dodson throws a leg kick that is checked
and Worner counters with a big head kick but Dodson shrugs it off.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Dodson shoots in and bounces Worner off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dodson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Worner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Worner keeping full guard, as Dodson tries to pass.
Dodson slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dodson controlling the action here.
Worner is looking for a sweep. Dodson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dodson wants to pass to mount but Worner is defending the position.
Dodson slows the pace down in half guard.
Dodson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of John Dodson.
Worner doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dodson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Worner thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner dives in and grabs Dodson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Dodson pushes down on Worner's head and hops out.
John Dodson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xavier Worner.
A combination from Worner does no damage.
Worner fails with the takedown
and Worner takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Worner avoids the head kick by Dodson.
Dodson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Worner.

Dodson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Dodson showed some decent athleticism there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dodson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Worner!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Dodson looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Dodson 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.

Worner tries to keep at a distance but Dodson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Worner has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Dodson after a bit of a struggle.

Dodson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Dodson drops back looking for a leg! Worner is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Worner manages to kick Dodson off! Dodson jumps back into Worner's guard.
Dodson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Dodson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Worner is wriggling around but Dodson manages to pass to half guard.
Dodson has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dodson jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Worner manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Worner is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Worner is trying to maintain the position but Dodson is very close to passing his half guard.
Dodson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Worner is trying to control but can't.

Dodson is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner trying to hold on to Dodson's head to control him but Dodson postures up.
Worner might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Dodson haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
John Dodson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dodson wants to free his trapped foot but Worner is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Dodson wants to stand up but Worner has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner is looking for a sweep. Dodson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Xavier Worner wasn't active enough on the ground.
Dodson throws a head kick that misses.

Dodson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Worner fails to pull guard.
Worner wants to stall.

Dodson jumps into guard, dragging Worner to the mat.
Dodson is looking to stand up but Worner isn't so interested in that idea.

Dodson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Worner defends it easily.
Dodson keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner stopping the sweep attempt from Dodson.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

Dodson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Worner to the mat! Worner manages to get full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dodson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Dodson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Dodson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Worner to the mat! Worner manages to get full guard.
Dodson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Worner swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dodson working some strikes from top position.
Dodson 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.
Worner is trying to keep Dodson in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Xavier Worner has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Worner gets tackled into the cage by Dodson. Dodson maintains the clinch.

Dodson gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Dodson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Well, if Dodson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Dodson working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Worner's thigh. Worner counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Dodson wants to stand but Worner is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner wants to stand up but Dodson is controlling him.

Worner is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dodson postures up.

Worner is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dodson defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dodson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Dodson pushing down on Worner's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Dodson is nestled in close to Worner, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Worner tries to get to full guard but Dodson has control of the leg.
Dodson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Dodson is thwarting Worner's attempts to control the position.
Dodson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Worner can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dodson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Worner is just riding it out for now. Dodson eventually gives up the hold.
Dodson stalling.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Worner is looking for a sweep. Dodson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Dodson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dodson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Dodson!
John Dodson got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'