PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joe Dirt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kai Valencia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Valencia's choice of entrance music: High Road - Fort Minor, John Legend. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Kai Valencia was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Dirt
vs
Valencia

178 cm
25
165 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

178 cm
26
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Dirt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kai Valencia!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Felipe Paraventi and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valencia shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Dirt napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valencia lands an elbow.

Valencia working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dirt struggling a bit here.
Dirt takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Dirt is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valencia is chipping away with strikes.
Valencia trying to control the action but Dirt is working from the bottom.
Dirt is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valencia is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Let's hope that Valencia has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Dirt takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Dirt trying to control but Valencia flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Valencia is hanging on to Dirt's back as he tries to escape.
Valencia is trying to stick to Dirt's back but Dirt is turning into Valencia. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Valencia's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Dirt.

Dirt postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Valencia is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Dirt, into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dirt is on top in guard.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Valencia tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dirt drops back looking for a leg! Valencia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Valencia manages to kick Dirt off! Dirt jumps back into Valencia's guard.
Valencia trying to control the position here.
Valencia punching from the bottom - just letting Dirt know he's still in a fight.

Dirt drops back looking for a leg! Valencia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Valencia manages to kick Dirt off! Dirt jumps back into Valencia's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valencia not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Valencia is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Valencia is trying to control the position but Dirt postures up.

Dirt is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Valencia pulls Dirt in close to prevent any damage.
Valencia bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dirt's guard.

Valencia working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dirt has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Valencia is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Dirt.
Dirt isn't going anywhere.
Dirt sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Valencia stalling.
Valencia really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dirt. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dirt trying to control but Valencia postures up.
Dirt gets back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dirt looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kai Valencia dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

No luck with that takedown attempt from Dirt.

Dirt has closed the distance and engaged Valencia in a clinch.

Valencia breaks the clinch.
Dirt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Valencia's coach down at Hyperion Fight Club was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Valencia's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

Valencia shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valencia is in close to Dirt's body, working some short punches and elbows.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dirt is on top in guard.

Valencia 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.
Valencia has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Valencia is adopting a defensive guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valencia keeping moving, preventing Dirt from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Valencia can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dirt tries to free his leg and advance position but Valencia is retaining full guard.
Valencia seems keen to control Dirt's posture.
Dirt looking to pass the guard.

Dirt is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Valencia is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Valencia has escaped and now he's on top!

Valencia landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dirt is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Dirt has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Valencia can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Dirt looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Valencia landing with the ground and pound.
Valencia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Valencia working some strikes from top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valencia sitting in guard here, content to control.
Valencia looking to pass the guard.
Valencia showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Dirt throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've been hearing good reports from Dirt's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Dirt not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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.

Dirt working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Valencia doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Valencia manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Valencia controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Dirt had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Valencia defends it easily.

Valencia avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Valencia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dirt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Valencia content to stall in guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kai Valencia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Dirt's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Dirt pushes Valencia up against the cage in a clinch.

Valencia breaks the clinch.
Dirt tries to close the distance and clinch but Valencia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Valencia wants to counter the offense by Dirt and move into the clinch position.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dirt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dirt gets caught flat footed, as Valencia shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Valencia engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Dirt isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Valencia stacks Dirt on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Valencia!
Dirt is looking for a sweep.
Valencia just content to control the position.
Dirt can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dirt is looking to reverse the position.
Valencia working away.
Dirt gets back to half guard.
Dirt has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Valencia is working away from the top position though.
Valencia is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kai Valencia has got the better of the ground game so far.

Dirt actively working from the bottom here.
Dirt is looking for a sweep. Valencia is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dirt actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Valencia in particular looking to stall.
Dirt wants to get back to full guard.
Dirt is working hard here to advance position.
Valencia seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dirt does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Valencia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Dirt regains full guard. Nicely done.
Valencia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Dirt has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Valencia can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dirt looking for a triangle here. Valencia is fighting it but it looks tight! Dirt pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Valencia is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Joe Dirt!