PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Dirst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mauricio Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Dirst
vs
Nogueira

185 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

198 cm
23
210 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Don Dirst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mauricio Nogueira!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nogueira displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dirst throws out the jab.
Dirst uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Nogueira has time to react.
Dirst throws a nice looking combination but Nogueira bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nogueira wants to clinch.
Dirst misses with the combination.

Nogueira gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Dirst throws a big right hand that misses.
Dirst throws a strike but Nogueira rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Nogueira in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dirst looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Dirst looking for a guillotine here but Nogueira defends easily.
Nogueira trying to stand up but can't free himself from Dirst's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dirst lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Dirst is striking but Nogueira is not phased and passes to half guard.
Nogueira tries to pass to full mount but Dirst defends it.
Dirst might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Nogueira wants to control but Dirst is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nogueira misses with a straight right.
Nogueira ducks under a wild hook from Dirst.

A big head kick from Nogueira and Dirst is sent sprawling to the canvas!

Dirst is rocked!
Dirst lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Oh Dirst is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Dirst throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Dirst seems to have got his legs back now.
Dirst knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Nogueira on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dirst looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nogueira is one step ahead there.
Nogueira trying to control the position from guard on top but Dirst is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dirst trying to keep a closed guard but Nogueira is proving a slippery customer.
Dirst trying to strike off his back.
Nogueira stopping the sweep attempt from Dirst.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nogueira tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dirst paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nogueira throws the left hand but Dirst avoids the punch easily.
Donk. Dirst catches Nogueira right on the button with a cross.
Nogueira shoots in but Dirst avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jab from Dirst.
Dirst scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Nogueira looks gassed!
Dirst throws a right and a left that both miss.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Dirst throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nogueira fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Dirst keeps the fight on the outside.
Nogueira throws a body punch but Dirst moves out of range.
Dirst connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Nogueira lands the left hand.
Dirst looks to land a combination but Nogueira avoids it well.
Dirst is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Dirst shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
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!
Dirst makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Nogueira has his foot on Dirst's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dirst works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dirst looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dirst is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Nogueira wants to stand up but Dirst is controlling him.
Dirst stands up over Nogueira, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dirst throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dirst has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dirst looking to pass the guard.
Dirst is working Nogueira over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Dirst dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dirst lunges at Nogueira with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nogueira's hand.
Nogueira walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Nogueira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dirst fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Dirst!
Nogueira avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nogueira doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Dirst counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nogueira takes one to the chin there.
Dirst connects with a jab.
Dirst circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dirst stalks Nogueira and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Nogueira's face. Nogueira staggers backwards, shaken.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dirst is looking to clinch but Nogueira is avoiding it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nogueira takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nogueira misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dirst misses with a few strikes there.
A punch combination from Dirst misses.
Dirst throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nogueira fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Dirst sprawls well initially but Nogueira persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Dirst tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Nogueira has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dirst holds on, trying desperately to control.
Dirst is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nogueira avoids the attempt from Dirst to control.
Dirst flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Dirst is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dirst tries to lock up and control but Nogueira gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nogueira landing shots from mount.
Nogueira raining down shots from the mount!
Dirst is in all sorts of trouble here.
Nogueira trying to control but Dirst is having none of it.
Nogueira avoids the attempt from Dirst to control.
Dirst is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dirst is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nogueira controlling the pace for now.
Dirst is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nogueira avoids the attempt from Dirst to control.
Nogueira looking to control but Dirst is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dirst tries to reverse the position but Nogueira maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Dirst dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nogueira scores with a push kick.
Don Dirst is winning the standup battle so far.

Nogueira fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dirst, pushing him back against the cage.
Dirst is working Nogueira over against the cage.
Nogueira with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nogueira is looking to control Dirst's arms but Dirst gets an underhook and turns him. Now Nogueira has his back to the cage.
Dirst has had enough of the clinch but Nogueira keeps him there for the moment.
Dirst is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Nogueira is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Nogueira gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dirst.
Nogueira wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dirst is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Nogueira gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Nogueira throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dirst blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dirst is trying to break free.
Dirst wants to get back to striking at distance but Nogueira won't allow it.

Dirst gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Nogueira blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dirst.

Nogueira kicks Dirst off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dirst looks to land a right hand but Nogueira moved out of range.
Dirst is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Dirst scores a takedown into full mount!
Dirst cracks Nogueira with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nogueira wants to try and get back to his feet.
Dirst dominating with strikes here.
Dirst working Nogueira over with strikes here.
Dirst trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Dirst lands a big elbow.
Nogueira tries to lock up and control but Dirst gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nogueira is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dirst breaks from Nogueira's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Nogueira is working to get back to half guard.
Dirst is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Nogueira can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Nogueira is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dirst fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Dirst wants to control the pace but Nogueira is squirming around nicely.
Dirst with a couple of short strikes.
Dirst with the ground and pound from mount.
Nogueira wants to control but Dirst is having none of it.
Mauricio Nogueira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dirst scoring with strikes but Nogueira is staying in there.
Dirst lands with some strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns Nogueira that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Dirst has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Nogueira's face.
Dirst fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Dirst with a couple of short strikes.
Dirst postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Nogueira looks a forlorn figure.
Dirst lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Dirst in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Dirst goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Nogueira is on top in guard.
Dirst tries to strike from the bottom.
Dirst is trying to control the position but Nogueira postures up.
Dirst throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Nogueira wants to stand but Dirst is controlling his posture from full guard.
Dirst wants to improve his position but instead Nogueira has moved into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Dirst showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dirst, 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Dirst!