PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Darius Khaan (ranked 3053 p4p, 321 weight class) and John Dio (ranked 2324 p4p, 245 weight class). Darius Khaan could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to John Dio's chin.

Khaan
vs
Dio

187 cm
26
240 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

190 cm
31
245 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darius Khaan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Dio!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khaan lands with a nice body punch.
Dio tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Khaan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Khaan feinted there with a counter leg kick.
John Dio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dio misses with a hook
and Khaan makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Khaan with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Dio tries to score a power double leg takedown but Khaan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dio somewhat.

Khaan moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khaan unloads a knee to the mid-section. Dio lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Khaan has Dio pressed against the cage, preventing Dio from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Khaan blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dio slowing the pace effectively.

Dio manages to break the clinch.

Dio pushes Khaan up against the cage in a clinch.
I was talking to Khaan's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Khaan prevents Dio from breaking the clinch.
Dio has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Khaan after a bit of a struggle.
Dio blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Khaan unloads a knee to the mid-section. Dio lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Dio is looking to take this one to the mat.
Darius Khaan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Dio.
Khaan throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Dio avoiding damage as Khaan throws knees to the body.
Dio is looking to take this one to the mat.

Khaan breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khaan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Dio gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dio is trying to break the clinch but Khaan is controlling him.
Dio has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Khaan missing with knees to the body.
Dio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dio has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Khaan after a bit of a struggle.
Dio is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Khaan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Dio wants to break free but Khaan has control.
Dio can't get the takedown.
Khaan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dio has had enough of the clinch but Khaan keeps him there for the moment.
Khaan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Khaan utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Dio has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Khaan after a bit of a struggle.
Khaan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Dio takes a knee to the side of the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Knees to the body from Khaan.
Dio tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Khaan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Khaan obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dio misses with a hook from the clinch.

Dio gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khaan trying to control here.
Khaan manages to get to full guard.
Khaan wants to get back to his feet but Dio is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dio missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Khaan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Dio is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khaan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dio wants to control from the top but Khaan keeps moving.
My spies in BIGISLAND BIGGUNS WARRIOR TRAINING inform me that Dio has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Dio throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darius Khaan 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.

Dio misses with a series of wild punches.
It looked like Khaan was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Dio.
Dio listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Khaan moves into range and clinches up with Dio.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Khaan obliges.
Dio wants a takedown but no success here.
Dio is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dio can't break the clinch.

Khaan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sloppy strikes from Dio. Those never looked like landing.
A slapping leg kick lands for Khaan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dio misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Khaan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Dio swats away the attempt to clinch by Khaan.
Dio drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Khaan defends it well.
Darius Khaan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Dio, as that shot connected.
Nice cross by Dio.
Khaan misses the shot to the body.
Dio throws an off balance right hand
and Khaan counters with a slapping leg kick.
Dio wants to clinch but Khaan slips to the side
and Khaan counters with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dio lands a jab-cross combination.
Khaan tries a low kick but Dio avoids it.
Dio looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Khaan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Khaan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dio.
Dio tries to clinch up but Khaan circles away and keeps his distance.
Dio connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dio goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Dio throws a shot from downtown. Khaan moves away and avoids it.
Khaan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dio misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dio misses with a body shot.
Dio lands with an overhand left.

Dio gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Khaan landing knees to the body.
Khaan tries to land knees in the clinch but Dio avoids the damage to the body.
Khaan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dio.
Darius Khaan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Dio.

Khaan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dio throws a body shot but no joy.
Khaan tries to close the distance and clinch but Dio swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dio connects with a looping right hand.
Dio throws a right hand that Khaan ducks under and follows up with a left that Khaan also avoids with ease.
Dio tries to clinch there but Khaan circles away.
Khaan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
John Dio seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Dio tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dio blocks a low kick nicely.
Khaan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Dio swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Khaan counters with a nice low kick that buckles Dio's knee momentarily.
John Dio is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dio fails with an attempt to clinch.
Khaan appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Dio will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Dio takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Dio misses with a jab, cross combination.
A quick step to the side and Khaan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dio tries to bum rush Khaan with a series of wild strikes but Khaan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Khaan quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Dio connects with a jab.
Dio stuns Khaan with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Dio fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A quick step to the side and Khaan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khaan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Dio.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khaan takes one to the chin there.
Dio swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Khaan feinted there with a counter leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Khaan. Dio does a little dance to reset his feet.
Dio throws a lazy right hand but Khaan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khaan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dio.
Dio keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Dio's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Dio tries to clinch but Khaan is having none of it.
Dio shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Khaan sprawls well. Khaan wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dio gets slowly back to his feet.
Khaan throws a nice outside leg kick.
Dio keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Dio throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A bone on bone clash there as Dio blocks the leg kick.
Khaan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Dio closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Khaan tries to land knees in the clinch but Dio avoids the damage to the body.
Good body shot from Khaan.
Dio taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Dio on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dio wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Khaan has him pressed against the cage.
Dio tries to score a body lock takedown but Khaan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Dio goes for a takedown attempt but Khaan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Darius Khaan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Dio.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khaan takes one to the side of the head.
A big right from Dio misses.

Khaan rushes Dio and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Darius Khaan has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Dio is looking for a takedown.
Dio managing to block the knees to the body from Khaan.
Dio drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Khaan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dio can't break the clinch.
Dio has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Khaan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Khaan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dio wants to clinch but Khaan slips to the side
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Dio fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Khaan on the side of the head.
Dio throws a series of punches but Khaan moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Dio.
Khaan is looking to wear down Dio with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dio misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Dio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Dio has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Josh West scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Dio!
A relieved looking John Dio thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.