PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Genki Dama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xiao Long Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li has chosen Dragon Punch! as his entrance music. Genki Dama could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Xiao Long Li's chin.

Dama
vs
Long Li

157 cm
37
156 lbs
35 - 19 - 0

172 cm
42
150 lbs
34 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Genki Dama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 34 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xiao Long Li!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Gregory Folan and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dama misses with a hook.
Dama misses with a straight left.
Dama misses with a kick to the body.
Li avoids a kick to the body.
Dama tries to score with a low kick but Li moves his leg out of the way.
A telegraphed right hand from Li misses the target.
Li swings widly with a right hand
and Dama counters with a stiff right hand.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Li, right into the meat.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li fakes the leg kick and cracks Dama in the body.
Dama fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Li manages to avoid it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Li.
Li connects with a solid leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dama swings for the body but Li moves out of range.
Dama throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Li is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Li scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dama in his tracks.
Dama misses with a hook. Li ducked under it nicely.
Dama throws out a leg kick but Li moves out of range and Dama only half commits.
Dama lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Li throws a leg kick
and Dama counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Li thinking.
Dama jabs at Li's body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Li lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Dama has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Dama and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Dama was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Dama throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Li wants to counter with a clinch but Dama pushes him away.
Li has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Li uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Dama.
Dama ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Li moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Dama checks it well.
Li lands with a thumping leg kick.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Li.
Dama wants to clinch up but Li keeps it at a distance.
Dama swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Li tries to counter with a clinch but Dama shakes him off and moves away.
Dama misses with a straight left.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dama takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Li tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dama was well out of range. Poor timing from Li.
Li displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dama throws out the jab.
Li moves out of range as Dama strikes.
Li throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dama is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dama throws a combination that misses

and Li counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Li working aggressively here.
Li throws a head punch that misses.
Dama misses with a punch to the body.
Dama cracks Li with a nice body shot.
Dama throws a punch but it's blocked by Li.

Dama's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Li throws a leg kick that is checked

and Dama counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dama thows a huge punch but Li dodges it nicely.
Li is pressing down on Dama's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Li controlling Dama's posture.
Dama throws an elbow that misses. Li uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dama's guard. Nice move by Li!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dama looking for a guillotine here but Li defends easily.

Dama is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
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!
Li stands and throws Dama's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Li throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Genki Dama will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

An inside leg kick from Li misses.
Dama ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Li tries to clinch up but Dama circles away and keeps his distance.
Li ducks under a wild hook from Dama.
Li moves forwards but Dama connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Dama wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Genki Dama is winning the standup battle so far.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Li checks a leg kick.
Li drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dama defends it well.
Dama getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dama checks the leg kick nicely there.
Li throws a chopping leg kick but Dama manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
An attempted straight right counter from Dama misses the target.
Li checks a low kick from Dama.
Dama checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dama listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dama misses with an uppercut

and Li counters by clinching up.
Li missing with knees to the body.
Dama fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Dama changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Li fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Li misses with a low kick.

Dama shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Li's guard.
Li wants to sweep but no luck.
Dama is fighting to break Li's control of his arms but Li is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dama won't allow Li to sweep him here.
Dama chips away with some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Li is trying to control the position but Dama postures up.
Dama showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Dama is looking to pass into half guard but Li pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Li is in guard.

Dama might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dama keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li looking to sit in guard and control but Dama gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dama accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Li escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dama gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dama postures up in Li's guard and throws a big left but Li blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dama postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Li keeping moving, preventing Dama from controlling successfully.
Dama missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Li bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dama's guard.

Li postures up.
Li controlling from the top position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Li is pushing down on Dama's leg trying to pass to half guard. Dama is fighting to maintain full guard but Li has managed to sneak the leg through.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Genki Dama dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dama throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Li drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dama defends it well.
Li throws a body punch but Dama moves out of range.

Dama gets a clinch.
Come on Li - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Li looking to slow down the pace here.
Li's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

It looks like Xiao Long Li has been cut.
Dama misses with the head strike.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dama's elbow.
Li looking to stall.
Li has a couple of punches blocked by Dama.
Li's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li scores with a shoulder strike.
Dama misses with a knee strike.
Dama lands a left hand.
Li misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dama stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Dama goes for a takedown in the clinch but Li prevents it.
Li tries to land knees in the clinch but Dama avoids the damage to the body.
Dama controlling the action here for a moment.

Dama has Li pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Dama pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Li tumbling to the mat - Dama dives into Li's guard.
Li keeping moving, preventing Dama from controlling successfully.
Xiao Long Li has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Li is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Dama is aware though and is defending well.
Li wants to sweep but no luck.
Dama trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Dama throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Dama got a little sloppy there for a moment and Li has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dama has managed to get both his arms back between Li's legs - danger averted.
Dama looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dama passes Li's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Li wants to control but Dama is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Dama is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Li sees it coming and defends easily.

Dama is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Li is looking for a sweep. Dama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Genki Dama is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Li looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Dama slaps away a takedown attempt from Li, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dama wants to land a leg kick but Li is out of range.
Dama checks a leg kick nicely.
Dama cracks the inside of Li's front leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Li landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Dama avoiding damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Genki Dama showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dama, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Genki Dama!
Genki Dama seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.