PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gay Lord (ranked 4110 p4p, 412 weight class) and Dax Xavior (ranked 5386 p4p, 459 weight class). Xavior has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Both these fighters had to take extra time to make weight as they missed the initial 185lb limit. Gay Lord came in at 187.3 and Dax Xavior came in at 187.4 but after the extra two hours, both guys managed to get within the one pound allowance. No doubt it will have affected them physically though, so let's see if that has an impact on the fight. 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.

Lord
vs
Xavior

200 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

198 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Gay Lord!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dax Xavior!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lord clinches.

Lord has picked Xavior up - he's going for a ride! Lord dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Xavior has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Lord is on him like a limpet, forcing Xavior back against the cage.
Xavior gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lord.
Lord changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Xavior fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Lord will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gay Lord. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Lord looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
As Lord backs off Xavior throws a huge counter combo but Lord manages to avoid it all.
Lord shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Xavior counters with a nice body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lord shoots in looking for a takedown but Xavior manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lord's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lord displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Xavior.

Lord gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavior looking for a takedown.
Lord misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lord is looking for a takedown.
Xavior wants a takedown but no success here.

Xavior escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Xavior stuffs the takedown.
Xavior displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lord.
Lord is breathing heavily.

Xavior gets a clinch.
Lord throws an elbow but it misses.
Lord jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Xavior walks away with a smile on his face. Lord gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lord moves in looking to clinch but Xavior pushes him off.
Xavior is looking for the big counter here.
Lord shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Xavior as he jumps to the side.
Xavior avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Xavior gets tackled into the cage by Lord. Lord maintains the clinch.

Lord ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lord no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Xavior is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Lord trying to strike off his back.
Lord tries to strike from the bottom.
Xavior throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lord trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lord wants to stand and escape but Xavior is having none of it.
Xavior trying to control the position from guard on top but Lord is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Lord bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Xavior's guard.

Lord wants to control from the top but Xavior keeps moving.

Lord stands up from Xavior's guard - Lord perhaps looking for a knockout.
Lord throws a sloppy head kick and Xavior moves out of range easily.
Lord tries to close the distance and clinch up but Xavior swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Xavior tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Lord shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Xavior as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lord darts in trying to clinch
and Xavior counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lord fails with the takedown.
Xavior throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Lord's waist but Lord gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Xavior off to one side.
Xavior fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Xavior closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lord circles away.
Lord fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Xavior avoids it really well and circles away.
Lord is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dax Xavior will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lord shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Xavior defends it nicely.
Xavior tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Lord defends well and Xavior ends up having to push Lord into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lord is looking to counter with a body kick.
Xavior keeps the fight on the outside.

Lord fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Xavior, pushing him back against the cage.
Lord is looking to take this one to the mat.
Xavior tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Xavior breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xavior lands a head kick. Lord smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Lord tries a head kick but it misses.
Lord tries to clinch but Xavior is having none of it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lord has Xavior pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Xavior manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gay Lord. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xavior is breathing heavily.
Lord drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Xavior gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Lord successfully pulls guard.
Xavior throws a big elbow that misses.
Lord is trying to control the position but Xavior postures up.
Lord doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Xavior preventing the sweep.

That's two 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.
Lord trying to control the position.
Lord wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Xavior is now in half guard.
Lord gets full guard.
Lord throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Xavior wanted to stand there but Lord had control of the position.
Xavior stopping the sweep attempt from Lord.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavior looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lord is fending him off so far but Xavior persists. Nope, Lord circles away and we're back to standing.
Lord is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lord misses with a double jab.
Xavior tries to clinch but Lord is having none of it.
Lord misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Xavior keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lord is trying to break the clinch but Xavior has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Xavior breaks from the clinch.
Lord tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Xavior defends well and Lord ends up having to push Xavior into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Xavior gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Lord ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lord no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Lord preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lord keeping full guard, as Xavior tries to pass.
Lord trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Xavior trying to control the position from guard on top but Lord is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lord is on top in guard.

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 Gay Lord will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lord shoots in but Xavior avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Lord tries for a takedown but Xavior circles away easily

and Xavior counters by moving into the clinch.

Lord has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Xavior uses from the top position.
Xavior is looking to stand up but Lord won't let him.

Lord looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Xavior's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xavior's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Lord throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Xavior not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavior trying to control but Lord is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Lord is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Lord shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Xavior but Xavior pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gay Lord. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xavior throws a right hand that Lord ducks under and follows up with a left that Lord also avoids with ease.
Lord misses with a takedown attempt - Xavior sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Xavior gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xavior prevents a takedown attempt there.

Xavior breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Xavior will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lord fails with a takedown attempt.
Xavior misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lord shoots in but no luck this time.
Xavior shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lord went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Xavior avoids the head kick by Lord.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Lord with that takedown attempt.

Xavior takes the fight into the clinch.
Lord can't break the clinch.
Lord jumps guard but Xavior stands there with Lord around his waist. Lord gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Xavior manages to break the clinch.
Lord tries to clinch up but Xavior circles away and keeps his distance.
Lord dives in for a single leg takedown but Xavior sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Dax Xavior seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lord will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xavior shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Lord with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Xavior will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Lord instigates a clinch.
Xavior gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lord.

Xavior manages to break the clinch.
Lord shoots for a takedown but Xavior saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Xavior fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lord avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dax Xavior comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Xavior 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dax Xavior!
Gay Lord spoke after the fight, saying 'No use talking about it onto the next one '.