PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Darrel Walters (ranked 25242 p4p, 0 weight class) and Finn Mann (ranked 3594 p4p, 0 weight class). Finn Mann has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Walters
vs
Mann

153 cm
24
194 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

190 cm
25
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Intelligent

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Darrel Walters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Finn Mann!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Walters drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Mann working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Walters.

Walters gets to his feet. Mann looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Finn Mann seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mann scores with a takedown into Walters's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Walters is on top in guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mann looks winded!
Mann looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Walters puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Walters is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Walters lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Mann wants to sweep but Walters has passed to side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Walters moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Mann is avoiding damage well.
Walters is putting a hurting on Mann here, landing some big shots from side control.

Walters stands up.
Walters shoots in looking for a takedown but Mann manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Walters's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mann raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Sloppy strikes from Mann. Those never looked like landing.
Walters tries to counter by clinching up but Mann breaks away and moves out of range.

Walters shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mann's guard.

Walters stands and steps away. Mann gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Walters shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Walters throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mann is trying to get back to full guard.
Walters really is a fat lump.
Mann is looking to escape.
Walters missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Walters seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Mann is staying active underneath Walters, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mann felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Walters tries to stand and escape but Mann is controlling the position.
Walters perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Walters decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Walters throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mann's waist but Mann gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Walters off to one side.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mann tries to sprawl but Walters drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Walters winds up and cracks Mann with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Walters looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Walters looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walters tries to stand but can't do so whilst Mann controls his leg.
Walters winds up and cracks Mann with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mann is refusing to be controlled, as Walters sits in half guard.
Walters 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 perspire pretty heavily.
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. Walters connects with a nice short shot to Mann's temple.
Walters is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Walters sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mann defending well though.
Walters tries to stand and escape but Mann is controlling the position.
Walters controlling the action here.
Walters is stalling here. Mann is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Walters seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mann has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walters sneaks back into half guard.
Mann trying to control the action but Walters is working from the bottom.
Walters keeping control of the position.
Mann prevents Walters from improving his position.
Mann blocks the strikes from Walters.
Walters might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Walters slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrel Walters dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Walters fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mann sprawls well initially but Walters persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Walters looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mann with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Mann can do anything to dispel that myth.
Walters winds up and cracks Mann with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Mann regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Walters.
Walters with a flurry of punches that miss.
Walters engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Walters throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mann is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mann keeping moving, preventing Walters from controlling successfully.
Walters loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Walters is working Mann over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Walters has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mann is proving hard to escape from.
Mann working a defensive guard here.
Walters working some strikes from top position.
Mann keeping moving, preventing Walters from controlling successfully.
Walters would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Mann moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Walters is trying to trip Mann. He has hold of a leg but Mann is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Walters persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Mann keeping moving, preventing Walters from controlling successfully.
Darrel Walters overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Walters lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Walters has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mann is proving hard to escape from.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Walters's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Walters works over Mann with some ground and pound from guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Walters's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Walters works over Mann with some ground and pound from guard.
Walters lands a couple of digs.
Walters wants to stand but Mann is controlling his posture from full guard.

Walters decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mann, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walters shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Mann stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mann wants it to stay on the feet.
Mann lands a right hook to the body.
Walters shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Mann sprawls well. Mann wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Walters gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darrel Walters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown attempt by Walters or perhaps it was just good defense by Mann, which made it look bad.

Mann shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Walters is trying to defend but Mann finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walters moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Walters bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mann's guard.

Walters postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Walters wants to get up but he can't break Mann's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mann is working an open guard so Walters takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Walters drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mann trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darrel Walters dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Walters.

Mann drives through with a takedown into guard.
Walters wants to sweep here but Mann controlling him for the moment.
Walters lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Mann preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Walters is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mann can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walters wanted to stand there but Mann had control of the position.
Walters working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mann's head.
Mann takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters lands a couple of elbows.
Walters postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Walters controlling from the top position.
Walters distracts Mann with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Walters is working Mann over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Walters is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Walters stands up from Mann's guard - Walters perhaps looking for a knockout.
Walters has a takedown stuffed.
Walters looks for a takedown but Mann sprawls well.
Mann wants to counter with a clinch but Walters pushes him away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darrel Walters. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mann throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Walters tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mann is in Walters's guard.

Walters scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Walters shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mann defends it nicely.

Walters manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Mann on his heels. He'll look to pass Mann's guard now, I'm sure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mann keeping moving, preventing Walters from controlling successfully.
Walters wants to stand and escape but instead Mann has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Walters looking to control.
Walters is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mann is controlling him.
Mann preventing the sweep.
Mann wants to control from the top but Walters keeps moving.
Walters is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Mann is controlling him.

That's four 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.
Walters lands an upkick as Mann stands over him.
Mann preventing the sweep.
Mann lands a couple of digs.
Mann trying to control the position from guard on top but Walters is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

Walters gets a takedown into half guard.
Finn Mann has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darrel Walters is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mann avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Walters.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darrel Walters showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Walters, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darrel Walters!