PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ugandan Knuckles (ranked 6100 p4p, 530 weight class) and Dolph Lingren (ranked 23566 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Knuckles
vs
Lingren

179 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ugandan Knuckles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dolph Lingren!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Bart Greer and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lingren tries to keep at a distance but Knuckles has taken the fight into the clinch.

Knuckles breaks the clinch.

Lingren gets tackled into the cage by Knuckles. Knuckles maintains the clinch.

Knuckles pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lingren is fighting to break Knuckles's control of his arms but Knuckles is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Knuckles throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Knuckles manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lingren manages to get himself to full guard.

Knuckles with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lingren wants to improve his position but instead Knuckles has moved into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Knuckles is working for a kimura but Lingren is defending it quite comfortably.

Lingren looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Lingren blocking the ground and pound attempt from Knuckles.
Knuckles content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Knuckles stands up out of the half guard.
Lingren stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lingren wants it to stay on the feet.

Knuckles gets a clinch.
Lingren wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lingren tries a knee to the head but Knuckles blocks it.
Lingren tries to pull guard but Knuckles forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Knuckles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Knuckles shoots and misses
and Lingren counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Lingren stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ugandan Knuckles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knuckles shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lingren defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lingren throws a head kick that misses

and Knuckles counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Lingren working hard to break the clinch.
Lingren wants a takedown.

Knuckles manages to pull guard.
Knuckles pulls Lingren in to control the position.

Lingren got a little sloppy there for a moment and Knuckles has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lingren has managed to get both his arms back between Knuckles's legs - danger averted.
Lingren wants to control from the top but Knuckles keeps moving.
Knuckles has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Knuckles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lingren is doing well to control the position and prevent Knuckles from advancing to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Knuckles's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Knuckles looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Knuckles missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ugandan Knuckles 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.

Knuckles fails with the takedown.
Lingren throws out a counter right but Knuckles avoids it with no problem.
Lingren lands a nice looking body kick.
Knuckles chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Lingren can pounce on him.
Lingren tries to close the distance and clinch up but Knuckles swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Knuckles stuffs the takedown attempt from Lingren. Lingren gets slowly back to his feet.
Knuckles was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Lingren is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Knuckles looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lingren is defended easily by Knuckles.
Lingren swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Knuckles went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A head kick from Knuckles lands but Lingren takes it in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Knuckles fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ugandan Knuckles. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lingren with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Knuckles to score with a decent uppercut.
Knuckles shoots in for a double leg but Lingren sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ugandan Knuckles is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lingren tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Knuckles paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Knuckles feinted with a counter takedown.
Knuckles dives in and grabs Lingren's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lingren pushes down on Knuckles's head and hops out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lingren looks to land a combination. Knuckles sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Lingren shoots for a double leg takedown but Knuckles sprawls well. He's pushed Lingren's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lingren lands a head kick!
Knuckles moves out of range of the body kick from Lingren.
Knuckles appears to be looking for a big counter.
Lingren paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Knuckles is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lingren can do to turn this around?
Knuckles shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lingren misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Knuckles clinches.
Lingren working hard to break the clinch.
Lingren tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lingren fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Knuckles wants a takedown.
Lingren tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Knuckles avoids it.
Knuckles misses with a body punch.
Lingren tries to work over Knuckles's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lingren is looking to take this one to the mat.
Lingren is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lingren tries to circle away but Knuckles has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lingren tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Knuckles leaning his opponent against the cage.
Knuckles jumps guard but Lingren stands there with Knuckles around his waist. Knuckles gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Knuckles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lingren fails with an attempt to clinch.
Knuckles thinks about countering with a body kick.
Lingren throws a one two combo.
Lingren looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lingren changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Knuckles tries to avoid it but Lingren manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Knuckles to the ground. Knuckles escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Knuckles.
Lingren steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lingren tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Knuckles counters with a leg kick.
Lingren circles away from the clinch attempt.
Knuckles stuffs the takedown.
Lingren fails to land with a series of punches.
Lingren tries to score a power double leg takedown but Knuckles sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lingren somewhat.
Knuckles jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Knuckles tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lingren swivels and escapes.

Lingren fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Knuckles, pushing him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dolph Lingren showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Knuckles avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lingren leaves Knuckles with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Knuckles scores with a head kick.

Knuckles darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Lingren tries to get to full guard but Knuckles has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lingren flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Knuckles is looking for a kimura here.
Lingren taking some punishment here, with Knuckles in his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lingren trying to control from the bottom.
Knuckles working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Knuckles content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Knuckles thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Lingren's head.
Knuckles slows the pace down in half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Knuckles connects with a nice short shot to Lingren's temple.
Knuckles not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Knuckles works his way into full mount!
Ugandan Knuckles overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lingren is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Knuckles is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Lingren to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Lingren shrugs it off.
Knuckles throws some wild stikes that Lingren manages to avoid easily.
Knuckles controlling the position easily from mount.
Lingren is trying desperately to improve position.
Knuckles takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Knuckles seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lingren for as long as he can get away with.
Knuckles unloads with some shots from mount but Lingren bucks and avoids them well.
Lingren holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Knuckles tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Knuckles controlling from the full mount.
Knuckles raining down shots from the mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Ugandan Knuckles showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Knuckles has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ugandan Knuckles!