PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Erick Darko (ranked 968 p4p, 132 weight class) and James Darren (ranked 848 p4p, 114 weight class). Darko comes to the cage accompanied by S.C.O.S.A - Flatbush Zombies. Darren is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Here's to the losers. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Darko
vs
Darren

179 cm
25
187 lbs
14 - 8 - 1

185 cm
24
178 lbs
10 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite chin

BuriedAlive// Fight Gear
Aspire Clothing

RAGS of a RONIN

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Erick Darko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 1, fighting out of New York, James Darren!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, John Kavanagh and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Darko misses.
It seemed like Darren was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Darko darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Darko throws a right hand that Darren ducks under and follows up with a left that Darren also avoids with ease.
Darren misses with an uppercut. Darko saw that one coming.
Darko fails with a takedown attempt.

Darko looking to score a takedown here. Darren is defending well but Darko drives through and ends up in Darren's guard.
Darko landing with the ground and pound.
Darren wants to stand up but Darko is controlling him.
Darren is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Darko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Darko being controlled here momentarily.
Darko with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Darko definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Darko is looking to work some ground and pound but Darren has wrist control.
Darko throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Darren has momentary wrist control but Darko slips an elbow through the middle.
Darren 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.
Darko trying to control the position from guard on top but Darren is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darren is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Darko stopping the sweep attempt from Darren.
Darko postures up and lands a big shot to Darren's brow.

Darren wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darko lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Darren circles away quickly and effectively.
Darko moves away from the strike by Darren.
Darko misses with a looping right.
Darko throws an off balance right hand
and Darren counters with a leg kick.
Darko throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Darren throws an overhand right that lands on Darko's shoulder, as Darko tries to avoid the shot.
Darren missing with a left hand there. Darko was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Darko checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darren tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Darko changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Darko wants to clinch but Darren slips to the side
enabling Darren to counter with a crisp jab.
Darko moves into range and connects with a jab.
Darren throws a head kick that misses
and Darko counters with a straight right hand.
Darren shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Darko scores with a nice strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darko blocks a head kick by Darren.
Darren steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Darko.

Darko throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Darren was covering up waiting for the punch and Darko finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Darren pushes Darko off and scrambles back to his feet.
A big left from Darko misses.
Darren swats away the attempt to clinch by Darko.
Darko digs a good hook to Darren's body.
Darko scores with a crisp jab that stopped Darren in his tracks.

Darko darts in and clinches Darren up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darren scores with a shoulder strike.
Darren takes a shot to the head.
Darko lands with a short shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darko takes an elbow to the temple.
Darren looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Darren lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Darko doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right from Darren on the inside.
Darren is leaning against Darko and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Darko fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Darko swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Darren is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Darren blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Darren lands a body punch.
Darren lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Darren taking a breather.
Darko blocks a body shot from Darren.
Darren lands with a left to the head.
Darko doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Darren has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Darko seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Darren can turn it around.
Darren lands a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Erick Darko will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Darren throws a head kick but Darko moves out of range.
Darren slips under a jab.
Darko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Darren swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Darren scores with a shot to the body.
Darko throws an off balance right hand
and Darren counters with a stiff right hand.
Darren jabs Darko to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Darren throws a head kick that misses.
Darren takes one to the side of the head.
Darren swings for the body but Darko moves out of range.
Darko throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darko lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Darko throws an overhand right that lands on Darren's shoulder, as Darren tries to avoid the shot.
Darren buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Darko misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Darren.
A big right from Darren misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darko misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Darko's corner calls for a 1-2. Darko obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Darren lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Darko tries to close the distance and clinch up but Darren swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Darren gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Darko.
Darren tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Darren ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Darko with a nice cross.
Darko needs to keep his hands up - Darren had a free shot at his head there.
Erick Darko is winning the standup battle so far.
Darko fails to land the takedown.
Darko slips under a jab.
A little feinted left hand from Darko on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Darko, as that shot connected.
Darren uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darko.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darko ducks under a wild hook from Darren.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darren pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A counter left hand to the body from Darko misses its target.
Darko tests Darren's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Darko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Darko steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Darren.
Darren throws a sloppy head kick and Darko moves out of range easily.
Darko darts in trying to clinch
and Darren connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Darren misses with a body punch
and Darko counters with a nice uppercut.
Darren drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Darko.
Darko takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Darko is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Darren walks into a stiff left hand from Darko.
Darren pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Erick Darko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darko with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Darren blocks a jab.
A jab from Darko finds it's way through Darren's defenses.
Darko tries to bum rush Darren with a series of wild strikes but Darren uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Darren throws a head kick that misses
and Darko counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Darko cracks Darren with an open hand slap.
Darko jabs Darren to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Darko wants to clinch
and Darren counters with a solid body kick.
Darko throws a poor cross that misses
and Darren counters with a right hand to the body.
Darko staying out of range there.
Darko uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Darren has time to react.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darko ducks under a wild hook from Darren.
Darren scores with a crisp jab that stopped Darko in his tracks.
Darren has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darko darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Darren slaps away a takedown attempt from Darko, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Darko slips a straight right by Darren.
Darren lands a nice looking kick to the body. Darko takes a step back to recover.
James Darren is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Darko cracks Darren with a good jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - Darko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Darko throws a lazy uppercut
letting Darren counter with a right hand.
Darko shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Darren as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erick Darko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Darko throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Darren on the side of the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darren is looking to slow Darko down with leg kicks.
Darren thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Erick Darko will probably get the nod.
That's time! Darko's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nice jab there from Darko.
Darren lands a right hook to the body.
Darko lands with a nice combination. Darren backs away looking to recover.

Darren clinches up against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Darko.
Darko misses with a hook from the clinch.
Darren blocks a body shot from Darko.
Darren blocks a body shot from Darko.
Darren lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Darren pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Darren gets through Darko's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Darko.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Darko working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darko.
Darren throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Darkos head.
Darko throws a punch but it's blocked by Darren.
Darren blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darren blocking some punches.
Darren throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Darko fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Darko throws a head punch that misses.
Darko is trying to break the clinch but Darren is controlling him.
Darko working some nice short punches in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Darren just misses with a elbow thrown towards Darko's brow.
Darko scores with a shot to the side of Darren's head.
A short uppercut from Darko.
A short right from Darko.
Darko throws a punch but it's blocked by Darren.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darren.
Darren lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Darko has a couple of punches blocked by Darren.
Darren pushes Darko back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Darren lands an elbow inside that Darko shrugs off.
A shot in the inside from Darko.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darren is trying to stall.
James Darren has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darren is looking to control Darko's arms but Darko gets an underhook and turns him. Now Darren has his back to the cage.
Darren's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Darko working aggressively here.
Darko misses with the head strike.
Darko lands with a left to the head.
Darren blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Darren lands a body shot in the clinch.
Darren misses with a hook to the ribs.
Darko blocks the elbow strike.
Darren misses with the head strike.
Darko working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Darren misses with the head strike.
Darko takes an elbow to the forehead.
Darko tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Darren's elbow.
Darko blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Darko fails to land.
Darren misses with an elbow over the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darren pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Darko gets through Darren's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Darko scores with a shoulder strike.
Darko lands a hook that snaps the head of Darren backwards.
Darko misses with the head strike.
Darko swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Erick Darko has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Darren misses with some punches.
Darko misses with some punches.
Darko lands a left hand that snaps the head of Darren backwards.
Darren pushes off an throws an elbow but Darko leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Darren prevents a body shot from Darko.
Darko lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Darren blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Darren is trying to maintain a safe position but Darko gets an underhook and turns Darren into the cage.
Darko misses with a punch to the body.
Still in the clinch, Darko scores with a nice short uppercut.
Erick Darko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Darren creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Darren swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Darren blocking some punches.
A short left from Darko.
A hook to the body from Darren.
Darko's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Darko jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Darren walks away with a smile on his face. Darko gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Darko misses with a looping left.
Darren throws a jab but it's blocked by Darko.
Darko scores with a nice right hand.
Darren moves away from the strike by Darko.
Darren throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Darren takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Darren misses with a hook.
Darko throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darren tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erick Darko showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Darko has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erick Darko!
Erick Darko bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.