PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ollie Woodard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuri Dzagoev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Woodard
vs
Dzagoev

184 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

200 cm
19
197 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Ollie Woodard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Yuri Dzagoev!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dzagoev shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Woodard manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dzagoev trying to control the position from guard on top but Woodard is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Woodard is pulling down on Dzagoev's head. It's preventing any offense from Dzagoev, at least for the moment.
Dzagoev looking to pass the guard.
Woodard wants to sweep here but Dzagoev controlling him for the moment.
Dzagoev wants to control from the top but Woodard keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Woodard is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Woodard seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Woodard wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Dzagoev is now in half guard.
Dzagoev is looking to take a break and control but Woodard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dzagoev keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Dzagoev missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Woodard is not content to let Dzagoev control the position.

Dzagoev decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Dzagoev shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Woodard wants to improve his position but Dzagoev is controlling well.

Woodard is defending against the submission attempts here by Dzagoev.
Dzagoev is trying to control. Woodard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Woodard wants to improve his position but Dzagoev is controlling well.
Woodard tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Woodard moves into full guard.

Dzagoev drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Dzagoev jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Woodard is trying to control the position but Dzagoev postures up.
Dzagoev controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dzagoev preventing the sweep.
Woodard throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Dzagoev looking to pass the guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Woodard tries to sprawl but Dzagoev drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dzagoev is looking for a kimura but Woodard is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dzagoev to get the leverage.
Woodard is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dzagoev is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Woodard holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Woodard is looking to improve his position.

Dzagoev decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Dzagoev changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Woodard looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Dzagoev looks winded!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dzagoev is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Woodard's shoulder. That is not cool.
Woodard manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Woodard trying to hold on to Dzagoev's head to control him but Dzagoev postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Dzagoev dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dzagoev drives through and clinches with Woodard against the cage.
Woodard is trying to break free.

Woodard breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Dzagoev closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Woodard quickly recovers to half guard.
Woodard is controlling Dzagoev's trapped leg to prevent Dzagoev from advancing to side control.
Woodard blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dzagoev.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Woodard moves into full guard.
Woodard is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Woodard might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Woodard continues to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Woodard is trying to keep Dzagoev in close.
Woodard keeping moving, preventing Dzagoev from controlling successfully.
Dzagoev throwing strikes but missing.
Dzagoev stops Woodard from standing up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Dzagoev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Woodard appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Dzagoev fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Woodard sprawls well initially but Dzagoev persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dzagoev is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Woodard gets back to full guard.
Dzagoev is breathing heavily.
Woodard manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dzagoev manages to get himself to full guard.

Dzagoev has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Woodard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Dzagoev's head.
Yuri Dzagoev has got the better of the ground game so far.

Dzagoev working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Woodard doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Woodard manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Dzagoev preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Woodard wants to stand but Dzagoev has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Dzagoev can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Woodard controls the pace.
Dzagoev is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dzagoev trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Dzagoev has a closed guard, preventing Woodard from standing up.

Dzagoev is looking for a triangle but Woodard pushes his legs off easily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Dzagoev shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Woodard napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Woodard is trying to improve his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Woodard is trying to get back to his feet.
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And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Yuri Dzagoev will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dzagoev misses with a head kick.

Dzagoev clinches up with Woodard and pushes him back against the cage.
Woodard avoiding damage.

Dzagoev works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Woodard is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Woodard seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dzagoev does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dzagoev manages to get to full guard.
Woodard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dzagoev is trying to control the position but Woodard postures up.
Dzagoev bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Woodard's guard.

Dzagoev trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Woodard scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Woodard looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Woodard drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Dzagoev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dzagoev struggling a bit here.
Dzagoev tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Woodard stands up.

Woodard gets tackled into the cage by Dzagoev. Dzagoev maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Woodard effectively controlling the action here.

Woodard manages to break the clinch.
Dzagoev wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
An inside leg kick from Dzagoev misses.
It looked like Woodard was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Dzagoev misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Woodard.
Woodard tries to score a power double leg takedown but Dzagoev sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Woodard somewhat.

Dzagoev clinches up with Woodard and pushes him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Woodard manages to break the clinch.

Woodard gets tackled into the cage by Dzagoev. Dzagoev maintains the clinch.

Dzagoev has clasped his hands together around Woodard's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Woodard tries to bench press Dzagoev off him but Dzagoev keeps the position.
Woodard is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Woodard gets back to half guard.
Woodard is looking to control Dzagoev's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Woodard avoid being mounted?

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuri Dzagoev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dzagoev has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuri Dzagoev!