PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Daker (ranked 6228 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Straka (ranked 5105 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Daker
vs
Straka

165 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Daker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Roman Straka!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Straka pushes Daker up against the cage in a clinch.
Straka blocks an elbow strike.
Daker really is a fat lump.
Daker avoiding damage as Straka throws knees to the body.

Daker successfully pulls guard.

Daker has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Straka can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Daker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Daker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Daker is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Straka trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Daker manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Straka controls Daker momentarily but Daker frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Straka preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Straka trying to keep a closed guard but Daker is proving a slippery customer.
Daker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Straka keeping full guard, as Daker tries to pass.
Daker postures up in Straka's guard and throws a big left but Straka blocks it.

Straka is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Daker is aware though and is defending well.
Daker is pushing down on Straka's leg trying to pass to half guard. Straka is fighting to maintain full guard but Daker has managed to sneak the leg through.
Daker 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.
Daker content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Daker wants to work for an arm triangle but Straka is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Daker is trying to work for a kimura but Straka is defending well.
Daker throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Daker is controlling the pace.
Daker'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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Daker thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Straka's head.
Daker winds up and cracks Straka with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Straka is trying to stand back up but Daker is controlling him
Straka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Daker. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Daker in particular looking to stall.
Daker working the head and body with strikes.
Daker is controlling the pace.
Straka wants to improve his position but Daker is controlling well.
Straka is trying to maintain the position but Daker is very close to passing his half guard.
Nice strikes from Daker there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Daker passes to side control.

Daker tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Daker has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Daker scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Straka to see if he's OK.
Daker is staying tight to Straka's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Straka is working to avoid the ground and pound but Daker connects with a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Daker dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Daker's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Straka fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Daker throws a right and a left that Straka avoids nicely.
Straka shoots in for a takedown but Daker shows good takedown defense.

Straka pushes Daker up against the cage in a clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Daker as Straka tries to tie him up.

Daker gets control of Straka's arms and successfully pulls guard. Daker will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Straka gets to his feet. Daker looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Straka shoots for a double leg takedown but Daker sprawls well. He's pushed Straka's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
John Daker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Roman Straka.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Daker tries to bum rush Straka with a series of wild strikes but Straka uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
As Daker backs off Straka throws a huge counter combo but Daker manages to avoid it all.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Straka lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Daker has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Daker and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Straka shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Daker as he avoids it easily.

Straka scores with a takedown into Daker's guard.
Straka is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Daker's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Daker pushing down on Straka's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Straka gets back to full guard.
Daker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Daker preventing the sweep.
Daker keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Straka's head.
Daker works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daker moves nicely into side control.
Straka seems a little lost for a moment, as Daker dominates the positioning.
Daker works to advance to full mount. Straka defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Daker wants to finish this one by submission but Straka is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Daker.
Daker dominating with strikes here.
Daker punishing his opponent with strikes.

Daker with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Straka taking shots to the head.
Daker looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Straka wants to control but Daker is having none of it.
Daker controlling his opponent.
Daker lands a big shot there that rocks Straka but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Daker content just to control the position here.
John Daker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Daker cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Straka really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Daker tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Daker landing strikes from the mount.
Straka keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Daker is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Straka to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Straka shrugs it off.
Straka tries to reverse the position but Daker maintains control.
Daker controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Daker dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Daker's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Daker misses with a wild combination.
Daker will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Straka moves into the clinch.

Daker drags the fight down to the ground.
Straka stopping the sweep attempt from Daker.

Daker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Straka trying to control but Daker is working from the bottom.
Daker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daker looking to pass the guard.
Straka is trying to control the position but Daker postures up.
Daker stopping the sweep attempt from Straka.
Straka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Daker drops back, looking for a kneebar! Straka looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Straka looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Straka!

Daker is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daker can't do much from the bottom here.

Straka has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Straka shoots in but no luck this time.
Straka takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Daker rushes Straka and presses him up against the cage.

Daker has picked Straka up - he's going for a ride! Daker dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Daker working over Straka with some ground and pound. Straka looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Daker is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Straka defends it well.
Daker is taking a breather. Straka says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daker 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.
Daker is trying to control. Straka wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Straka moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Daker showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Daker works over Straka with some ground and pound from guard.
Straka working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Daker sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Daker is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Straka can do to turn this around?
Further stalling from Daker.
Daker passes into half guard.
Daker takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
John Daker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Straka makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Straka.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Daker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Daker, 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Daker!