PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between James DeGale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Wilson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

DeGale
vs
Wilson

198 cm
24
243 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

187 cm
24
240 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, James DeGale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sam Wilson!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Daniel Blasius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
DeGale bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wilson tried to score with a low kick but DeGale checks it.
James DeGale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wilson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
DeGale finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Wilson.
DeGale scores with a sloppy right hand. Wilson should have avoided that one.

DeGale closes the distance and clinches.
Wilson lands with a short shot to the head.

Wilson gets a trip takedown into half guard.

DeGale has one foot on Wilson's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Wilson checks the leg kick nicely there.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Wilson.
Wilson misses with a kick to the body
and DeGale counters with an outside leg kick.
A big left from DeGale misses.
Wilson replies with a solid counter kick to the body but DeGale blocks it well.
DeGale tries to work over Wilson's front leg with a kick but Wilson checks it.
Wilson has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
DeGale takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
DeGale walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Wilson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Wilson drops down looking to force a counter takedown but DeGale defends it well.
DeGale punishes Wilson's body with a nice straight punch.
Wilson throws a low kick but DeGale moves out of range easily.
DeGale ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DeGale fails in his attempt to clinch.
DeGale blocks the body kick.
Wilson blocks a low kick nicely.
DeGale throws a nice outside leg kick.
DeGale feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Wilson's calf.
DeGale connects with an inside leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Wilson.
Wilson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Wilson takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Wilson staying out of range there.
A punch combination from Wilson misses.
DeGale goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wilson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
DeGale throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
DeGale goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wilson connects with a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
DeGale looks to throw the jab but Wilson is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
DeGale with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
DeGale pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Wilson moves out of range as DeGale strikes.
Wilson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Wilson misses with a low kick.
DeGale throws the kick towards the body but Wilson avoids it.
Wilson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Wilson throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Wilson checks the leg kick nicely there.
Wilson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and DeGale connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Wilson scrambles back to his feet.
DeGale is looking to slow Wilson down with leg kicks.
DeGale blocks the body kick.
Wilson misses with a head kick.
Wilson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Wilson.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Wilson.
Wilson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Wilson goes for a double leg but DeGale avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as DeGale continues to drive forward.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilson missing with a left hand there. DeGale was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Wilson throws a quick inside leg kick.
DeGale throws a leg kick
and Wilson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
DeGale lands with a thumping leg kick.
Wilson checks a leg kick.
You can see that Wilson has visibly slowed down as a result of the leg kicks
Wilson checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
DeGale lands with an uppercut that bounces Wilson off the cage and back into range.
DeGale attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
DeGale shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
DeGale looks for the body kick but Wilson saw that one coming.
DeGale looking to land some kicks to the body here.
DeGale fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Wilson is out of range.
DeGale chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Wilson - that will leave a mark!
DeGale scores with a leg kick.
Wilson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Crunch! Wilson slams his shin into DeGale's torso.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilson throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and DeGale counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A nice leg kick lands there from Wilson.
DeGale is looking to chop away at Wilson's legs.
A slow jab from DeGale misses its intended target.
DeGale looks to land a body kick but Wilson moved away.
Wilson is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Wilson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from DeGale.
Wilson moves out of range as DeGale throws a body kick.
Wilson unleashes a big counter combination but DeGale bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Wilson connects with the punch.
DeGale throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Wilson wants to land a leg kick but DeGale is out of range.
DeGale throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
DeGale throws a leg kick

and Wilson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
DeGale manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Wilson manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wilson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James DeGale dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

DeGale lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
DeGale moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
DeGale looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
DeGale tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Wilson lands a front kick.
Wilson misses with a leg kick.
DeGale scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Wilson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from DeGale.
DeGale connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Wilson looks to land a body kick but DeGale moved away.
DeGale avoids the head kick by Wilson.
Wilson's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
DeGale throws a front kick that sends Wilson stumbling back into the cage.
DeGale feints and then cracks Wilson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Wilson down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
DeGale scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
DeGale throws a leg kick but Wilson moved away.
DeGale lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DeGale tries to land a body kick
and Wilson counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Wilson crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from DeGale - the referee stops the clock and Wilson gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says DeGale. Wilson manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Wilson is breathing heavily.
DeGale throws a head kick that misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
DeGale prevents a takedown attempt there.
Wilson misses with a punch on the inside.
Wilson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Wilson lands a hook that snaps the head of DeGale backwards.
Wilson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Wilson blocks an uppercut.
DeGale digs a right hand into Wilson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Wilson's gas tank.
DeGale swings away with an uppercut that misses.
DeGale scores with a shot to the side of Wilson's head.
DeGale throws a punch but it's blocked by Wilson.
DeGale fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Wilson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
DeGale scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Wilson lands a left hand that snaps the head of DeGale backwards.
Wilson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
DeGale blocking some punches.
DeGale has a couple of punches blocked by Wilson.
Wilson misses with a short punch on the inside.
DeGale tries to work over Wilson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
DeGale lands a body punch.
DeGale lands a left hand.
DeGale lands a right hand that snaps the head of Wilson backwards.
DeGale stalling the fight.
Wilson swings wildly with an uppercut but DeGale uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right from Wilson.
DeGale pushes Wilson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
DeGale swings away with an uppercut that misses.
DeGale lands on the inside with an uppercut.
DeGale misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Good body shot from DeGale.
Wilson misses with a punch on the inside.
DeGale makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
DeGale misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
DeGale lands with a left to the head.
DeGale misses with a body punch.
DeGale lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Wilson backwards.

Wilson is rocked!

DeGale breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A nice inside leg kick there by Wilson. That's going to slow DeGale down.
Wilson looks up at the clock. Bad move! DeGale lands a right hand from hell, dropping Wilson. DeGale pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James DeGale!
A victorious James DeGale thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.