PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Chandler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bas Dekkers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dekkers is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Shells - Get your roll on. Bas Dekkers told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Chandler
vs
Dekkers

175 cm
33
159 lbs
36 - 21 - 0

167 cm
29
155 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 21 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Marcus Chandler!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bas Dekkers!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Colin Fray and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chandler avoids a kick to the body.
Dekkers doesn't manage to clinch there - Chandler circles away.
Dekkers looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Dekkers throws a leg kick but Chandler checks it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Chandler.
Dekkers tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Chandler paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marcus Chandler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chandler lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Chandler moves out of range of the strikes.
Dekkers throws a low kick, looking for Chandler's leg but Chandler calmly moves out of range.
Chandler misses the body punch
and Chandler takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Chandler misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chandler pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Dekkers throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Chandler swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Chandler connects with a body shot that sends Dekkers's belly button to the back.
Dekkers uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Chandler.
Chandler throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers tries to land a front kick but Chandler steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Dekkers doesn't manage to clinch there - Chandler circles away.
Dekkers moves out of range of the strikes.
Dekkers doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Chandler scores with a hook.
Chandler lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Chandler misses with a looping right.
Dekkers ducks under a wild hook from Chandler.
Chandler fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Nice straight punches there by Chandler. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Chandler.
Chandler scores with a jab to the body.
Chandler misses with a low kick.
Chandler waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dekkers.
Chandler throws a hook but Dekkers blocks it.
Dekkers feints a counter leg kick.
Chandler wants to slow Dekkers down by chopping away at his legs.
Dekkers uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Chandler.
We've been informed that Dekkers has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chandler throws an overhand right that lands on Dekkers's shoulder, as Dekkers tries to avoid the shot.
Chandler bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Dekkers's head backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chandler looks to land a left hand but Dekkers moved out of range nicely.
Dekkers tries to clinch but Chandler moves out of range.
Chandler looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Dekkers wants to counter the offense by Chandler and move into the clinch position.
Chandler blocks a head kick by Dekkers.
Dekkers slips under a jab.
Dekkers tries to counter with a clinch but Chandler shakes him off and moves away.
Chandler lands a nice leg kick that just misses Dekkers's sensitive parts.
Chandler throws a low kick but it's checked well by Dekkers.
Chandler throws a low kick, looking for Dekkers's leg but Dekkers calmly moves out of range.
Chandler lands a front kick.
Dekkers tries to clinch up.
Chandler is looking to chop away at Dekkers's legs.
Chandler misses with the body kick
and Dekkers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Dekkers walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chandler slips under a jab from Dekkers.
Chandler lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Chandler connects with a jab.
Dekkers looks for the body kick but Chandler saw that one coming.
Dekkers takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Dekkers has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Chandler.
Chandler feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Dekkers's calf.
Chandler lands a leg kick that knocks Dekkers off balance momentarily.
Dekkers finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Chandler throws the left hand but Dekkers avoids the punch easily.
Chandler thows a left - swing and a miss!
Dekkers wants to counter with a clinch but Chandler pushes him away.
Chandler jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

Dekkers has Chandler up against the cage in a clinch.
Chandler tries to throw a body punch but Dekkers avoids it by throwing Chandler back against the cage.
Chandler makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Chandler avoids a wild elbow strike from Dekkers.
Dekkers is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Chandler is defending well for now.
Chandler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dekkers keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Chandler's efforts to push away.
Dekkers has Chandler pressed against the cage, preventing Chandler from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Chandler avoiding damage as Dekkers throws knees to the body.
Chandler managing to block the knees to the body from Dekkers.
Chandler struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Chandler working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Dekkers comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Chandler is trying to push Dekkers away but Dekkers has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
I was talking to Chandler's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Dekkers is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Chandler is trying to break the clinch but Dekkers is controlling him.
Dekkers crunches a lovely knee into Chandler's ribcage.
Chandler is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Chandler dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Dekkers on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Chandler. Chandler obviously looking to wear him down.
Chandler takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Dekkers closes the distance and clinches.
Chandler wants to break free but Dekkers has control.
Dekkers prevents a body shot from Chandler.
Knees in the clinch landing for Dekkers.
Chandler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dekkers can do to turn this around?
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Chandler tries a body shot but Dekkers blocks it.
Dekkers is trying to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chandler tries to work over Dekkers's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Chandler working hard to break the clinch.
Dekkers will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Chandler up against the cage.
Chandler is looking to break free of the clinch but Dekkers has double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chandler wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dekkers has him pressed against the cage.
Chandler wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Chandler goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dekkers tries to land knees in the clinch but Chandler avoids the damage to the body.
The referee calls for Dekkers to work.
Chandler is trying to break the clinch but Dekkers has him pressed against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Dekkers.
Chandler has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
With the fighters up against the cage, Dekkers throws an elbow but misses.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Chandler.

Chandler breaks the clinch.
Chandler missing with a left hand there. Dekkers was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Chandler connects with a leg kick. Dekkers looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Dekkers defending well as Chandler loads up on a big left hand.
Dekkers lands a leg kick that knocks Chandler off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chandler swings for the body but Dekkers moves out of range.
Dekkers flicks out a counter leg kick but Chandler steps away.
Chandler moves out of range of the leg kick from Dekkers.
Chandler throws a leg kick
and Dekkers counters with a low kick, right behind Chandler 's knee.
Chandler throws a right hand that misses
and Dekkers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Chandler connects with a looping right hand.
Dekkers keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Chandler.
Dekkers doesn't manage to clinch there - Chandler circles away.

Dekkers closes the distance and clinches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short uppercut from Chandler.

Chandler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Dekkers moves into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Chandler.
Dekkers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dekkers landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Dekkers lands an elbow that stopped Chandler in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Marcus Chandler has been cut.
Dekkers has Chandler pressed against the cage, preventing Chandler from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chandler avoids a wild elbow strike from Dekkers.
Chandler struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Still in the clinch, Chandler scores with a nice short uppercut.
Dekkers just leaning against Chandler, taking a breather.
Knees in the clinch landing for Dekkers.
Chandler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Chandler misses with a punch to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Dekkers.
Dekkers landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Dekkers trying to land knees to the body.
Chandler tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dekkers leaning his opponent against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Chandler throws a head punch that misses.
Bas Dekkers seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Chandler taking a breather.
Chandler has a couple of punches blocked by Dekkers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Chandler is looking to control Dekkers's arms but Dekkers gets an underhook and turns him. Now Chandler has his back to the cage.
Dekkers throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dekkers with a knee to the head.
Dekkers avoiding damage as Chandler throws knees to the body.
Chandler struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Dekkers lands a knee to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chandler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dekkers with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Chandler working hard to break the clinch.
Dekkers lands an elbow inside.
Chandler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Chandler struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Dekkers landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Chandler avoiding damage as Dekkers throws knees to the body.
Dekkers lands a nice elbow.
Chandler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Chandler throws a head punch that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Dekkers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marcus Chandler's cut.
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.

Dekkers instigates a clinch.
Chandler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Dekkers letting Chandler take a breather here.
A head punch on the inside from Chandler fails to land.
A knee to the head by Dekkers.

Chandler is rocked!
Dekkers landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Oh Chandler is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Chandler takes a knee to the side of the body.
Chandler misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dekkers lands a knee to the body.
Chandler seems to have got his legs back now.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dekkers obliges.
Dekkers putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Chandler in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
A hook to the body from Dekkers.
The referee is keeping an eye on Dekkers - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Dekkers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dekkers landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Dekkers throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section. Chandler lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers tries to land knees in the clinch but Chandler avoids the damage to the body.
Dekkers is pushing Chandler up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Dekkers is stalling here.
Dekkers managing to block the knees to the body from Chandler.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dekkers.
Chandler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dekkers missing with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Dekkers.
Dekkers misses with a knee to the head.
Chandler takes a knee to the side of the body.
Dekkers tries to land knees in the clinch but Chandler avoids the damage to the body.
Chandler takes a shot to the head.
Chandler avoiding damage as Dekkers throws knees to the body.

Chandler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers misses with a low kick.
Dekkers lands a nice shot to the body.
Dekkers connects with a leg kick. Chandler looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Dekkers wants to clinch up but Chandler keeps it at a distance.
Chandler cracks Dekkers with a good jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dekkers avoids the body shot from Chandler.
Dekkers appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Chandler keeps Dekkers at a distance using the push kick.
A good leg kick by Dekkers.
Dekkers blocks a leg kick.
Chandler misses with a hook. Dekkers ducked under it nicely.
Chandler scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Dekkers doesn't seem bothered though.
Chandler looks to score with a jab to the body but Dekkers is just out of range.
Dekkers uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Chandler.
Dekkers throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chandler misses with an uppercut
and Dekkers counters with a thumping low kick.
A low kick from Chandler is predictable there
and Dekkers counters with a nice leg kick.

Dekkers rushes Chandler and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Chandler managing to block the knees to the body from Dekkers.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dekkers obliges.
Dekkers lands a nice knee to the body.
Dekkers lands a knee to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Chandler's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Dekkers is working Chandler over against the cage.
Dekkers throws a knee to the head but misses.
Dekkers keeps control of Chandler as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dekkers obliges.
A frustrated look appears on Chandler's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Chandler is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Chandler misses with a hook to the ribs.
A left hand lands to the body for Dekkers.
Knees to the body from Dekkers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dekkers scores a nice knee to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Dekkers.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section. Chandler lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Chandler takes an elbow to the temple.
Dekkers landing knees to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Dekkers.
Dekkers lands a nice elbow.
Dekkers landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Still in the clinch, Dekkers scores with a nice short uppercut.
Chandler struggles to land a body shot inside as Dekkers controls his hands.
Chandler blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dekkers using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Dekkers keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Chandler's efforts to push away.
Dekkers trying to control the position but instead, Chandler has worked for underhooks and has pushed Dekkers into the cage.
Dekkers cracks Chandler with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Dekkers really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Chandler's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Dekkers throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by Dekkers.
Chandler throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dekkers makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Dekkers gets a clinch.
Dekkers lands a nice knee to the body.
Dekkers lands an elbow inside.
Chandler throws a head punch that misses.
Dekkers putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Chandler in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Dekkers putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Chandler in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Dekkers obliges.
Dekkers trying to land knees to the body.
Dekkers looking to throw knees to the head but Chandler is blocking nicely.
A head punch on the inside from Chandler fails to land.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dekkers lands a nice knee to the body.
Chandler takes an elbow to the forehead.
Dekkers landing knees to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dekkers unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Dekkers pressing his opponent against the cage.
Dekkers landing knees to the head.
Dekkers utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Dekkers blocking some punches.
Dekkers connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chandler's face.
Dekkers lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Chandler is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dekkers trying to land knees to the body.
Chandler misses with some punches.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Chandler.
Chandler stalling in the clinch but Dekkers improves position.
Dekkers working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Chandler on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dekkers is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dekkers slowing the pace effectively.
Chandler blocks an elbow strike from Dekkers.
Dekkers stalling in the clinch.
Chandler tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dekkers's elbow.
Chandler has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Chandler misses with some punches.
Dekkers slowing the pace effectively.
Chandler takes an elbow to the temple.
Chandler takes an elbow to the forehead.
Chandler misses with a short punch on the inside.
Chandler stalling.
Dekkers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dekkers misses with a knee strike.
Dekkers tries to land knees in the clinch but Chandler avoids the damage to the body.
Chandler tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chandler misses with a hook to the ribs.
Chandler looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Chandler breaks the clinch.
Chandler misses with a kick to the body.
Dekkers appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.

Dekkers gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dekkers leaning his opponent against the cage.
Knees to the body from Dekkers.
Dekkers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Dekkers with a knee to the head.
Dekkers connects with a nasty looking knee right to Chandler's face.
Chandler managing to block the knees to the body from Dekkers.
Dekkers lands a huge knee in the clinch and it's knocked Chandler out! Massive knee - he's celebrating with his corner and the crowd showing their appreciation!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Bas Dekkers! Bas Dekkers retains his featherweight title!
A victorious Bas Dekkers thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.