PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Billy Dessler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nickolai Ketchum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ketchum is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by XXX by Danny Brown. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Dessler
vs
Ketchum

168 cm
37
160 lbs
32 - 13 - 3

180 cm
33
167 lbs
24 - 15 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

KAISER
Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 13 - 3, fighting out of New York, Billy Dessler!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nickolai Ketchum!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dessler takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Dessler is looking to clinch.
Dessler throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ketchum connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Dessler's hands.
A head kick misses from Dessler.
Dessler swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Ketchum counters with a nice body shot.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dessler.
Ketchum tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nickolai Ketchum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ketchum takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Dessler keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ketchum connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Dessler momentarily.

It looks like Billy Dessler has been cut.
Dessler takes one to the chin there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dessler feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ketchum's calf.
Ketchum darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ketchum tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dessler was well out of range. Poor timing from Ketchum.
Ketchum misses with a left hand
and Dessler counters with a leg kick.
Ketchum fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ketchum scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ketchum throws a lazy uppercut

and Dessler counters by clinching up.
A short right from Dessler on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ketchum blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dessler presses Ketchum against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Ketchum lands a right hand.
Ketchum has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Dessler misses with the head strike.
Dessler misses with the head strike.
I was talking to Dessler's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ketchum is trying to break free.
Dessler misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Dessler throws an elbow that misses.
Dessler manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Dessler working aggressively here.
Dessler misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ketchum tries to stall but Dessler uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Dessler lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ketchum.
Ketchum tries to circle away but Dessler has him pinned against the cage.
Dessler fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dessler creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ketchum's defenses.
Dessler lands a nice elbow.
Dessler lands with a light punch inside.
A frustrated look appears on Ketchum's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Dessler swings wildly with an uppercut but Ketchum uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dessler tries a body shot but Ketchum blocks it.
Dessler tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ketchum's elbow.
Ketchum avoids the elbow strike from Dessler, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dessler throws a head punch that misses.
Dessler misses with a punch on the inside.
Dessler misses with an elbow over the top.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dessler.
Dessler lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ketchum.
Dessler lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Nickolai Ketchum has been cut.
Ketchum takes a shot to the head.
Dessler gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Dessler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ketchum is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dessler swings wildly with an uppercut but Ketchum uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice left hand lands by Dessler.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dessler misses with some punches.
Dessler has a couple of punches blocked by Ketchum.
Ketchum is trying to force a seperation but Dessler has the dominant position.

Ketchum's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dessler uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Ketchum.
Ketchum throws a leg kick but Dessler checks it.
Dessler seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ketchum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dessler appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ketchum rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Dessler moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ketchum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dessler seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Ketchum pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
As Ketchum tries to get set, Dessler tries to push him back and clinch up but Ketchum manages to avoid the attempt.
Ketchum throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dessler takes a swing at Ketchum's ribcage but misses.
A big right from Ketchum misses.
An inside leg kick from Ketchum misses.
Dessler lands with a kick to the temple. Ketchum shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Ketchum throws a jab when Dessler was well out of range.
Dessler is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Ketchum.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Dessler dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ketchum misses with a two punch combination.
Ketchum lands a two punch combo.
Ketchum circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ketchum throws out a counter right but Dessler avoids it with no problem.
Dessler lands an overhand right.
Dessler moves in looking to clinch but Ketchum pushes him off.
Ketchum just misses with a punch to the body.
Ketchum ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Dessler moves away.
Ketchum throws a series of punches but Dessler moves out of range.

Dessler moves into range and clinches up with Ketchum.
Ketchum tries to work over Dessler's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dessler working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Dessler misses with a punch on the inside.
Nice elbow from Dessler.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dessler is struggling to control the position.
Ketchum blocks an elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Dessler.
Dessler tries to work over Ketchum's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dessler is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Dessler.
Dessler has a couple of punches blocked by Ketchum.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Dessler as Ketchum tries to tie him up.
Dessler has a couple of punches blocked by Ketchum.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dessler tries to throw a body punch but Ketchum avoids it by throwing Dessler back against the cage.
Dessler throws a head punch that misses.
Ketchum misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short left from Dessler.
Still in the clinch, Dessler scores with a nice short uppercut.
Dessler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ketchum can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Dessler fails to land.
A head punch on the inside from Dessler fails to land.
Dessler throws a head punch that misses.
Nice elbow from Dessler.
Dessler comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Dessler lands with a short head shot on the inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Dessler.
Ketchum blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dessler pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Dessler just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ketchum's brow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Dessler creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Dessler tries a body shot but Ketchum blocks it.
Dessler lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Ketchum backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dessler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ketchum misses with a double jab.
Ketchum swings for the body but Dessler moves out of range.
Dessler seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Dessler lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Billy Dessler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A left and a right from Ketchum both land. Nice combination.
Dessler chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ketchum digs a good body shot into Dessler's ribs.
Ketchum swings away with a body shot that misses

and Dessler counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Dessler just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ketchum's brow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ketchum.
Dessler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ketchum blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dessler lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dessler misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ketchum wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dessler softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dessler tries a body shot but Ketchum blocks it.
Ketchum is trying to break the clinch but Dessler has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Dessler.
Dessler tries to work over Ketchum's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Dessler creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ketchum's defenses.

Ketchum breaks the clinch.
Dessler throws a wild body kick that Ketchum sees coming a mile off.
Ketchum is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Dessler rather than just go for the knockout.
Ketchum throws a right hand that Dessler ducks under and follows up with a left that Dessler also avoids with ease.
Ketchum swings for the body but Dessler moves out of range.
Ketchum throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dessler scores with a head kick.
Ketchum dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Billy Dessler dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dessler scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Dessler takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

Dessler forces Ketchum back against the cage and clinches.
Dessler is working Ketchum over against the cage.
Dessler digs a right hand underneath Ketchum's ribcage. Ketchum let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Dessler swings wildly with an uppercut but Ketchum uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dessler lands a right hand.
Dessler doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dessler works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Dessler.
Dessler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Dessler.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Dessler.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dessler lands an elbow that stopped Ketchum in his tracks for a moment.
Dessler has Ketchum pressed against the cage.
Dessler throws a punch but it's blocked by Ketchum.
Ketchum takes an elbow to the forehead.
Dessler creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Ketchum's defenses.

Ketchum is rocked!
Ketchum wants to get back to striking at distance but Dessler won't allow it.
Dessler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Billy Dessler has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dessler pushes Ketchum back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ketchum is still on wobbly legs! Can Dessler finish him?

Ketchum's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dessler throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Dessler lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Dessler cracks Ketchum on the jaw with a powerful right hand and Ketchum falls backwards against the cage. Dessler follows up with more strikes that drop Ketchum to his knees. Dessler keeps the pressure on and the referee jumps in to save Ketchum! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Billy Dessler!
Billy Dessler retains his lightweight title!
Post fight, Billy Dessler took to the microphone: 'I'm the Champ of the people.'.