PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darren Dixon (ranked 1960 p4p, 698 weight class) and Reijo Halli (ranked 222 p4p, 89 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dixon
vs
Halli

169 cm
25
145
9 - 6 - 1

177 cm
26
150
10 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

Urban Fighter
© Trap House

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 9 - 6 - 1, fighting out of London, Darren Dixon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Reijo Halli!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halli throws a push kick but Dixon slaps the foot to one side.
Dixon lands a really nice looking cross but Halli seems unphased.
Dixon throws a big shot that misses.
Dixon scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Halli doesn't seem bothered though.
Halli swings widly with a right hand
and Dixon counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dixon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Halli.
Halli moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Dixon lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Halli paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dixon cracks Halli with a right hand to the side of the head.
Dixon has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
A jab from Halli misses.
Dixon tries to clinch but Halli moves out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Halli swings widly with a right hand

and Dixon counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dixon.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Halli successfully pulls guard.
Dixon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Halli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dixon stays in close to Halli's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Halli is on top in guard.

Dixon is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Dixon looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halli pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dixon is keeping the position for now.

Dixon looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dixon wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Halli looking to pass the guard.
Dixon is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dixon working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Halli doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Halli manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dixon throws his legs up looking for a submission but Halli uses it to pass to side control.
Dixon tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Halli is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Dixon has escaped the position, nice work there.

Halli working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Dixon wants to control but Halli postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halli throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Halli tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Darren Dixon will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Dixon uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Halli has time to react.
Dixon swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Halli.
Dixon slips a straight right by Halli.
Dixon is looking to counter the offense by Halli and move into the clinch.
Halli throws a shot from downtown. Dixon moves away and avoids it.
Halli takes one on the button.
Dixon slips a straight right by Halli.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halli pivots, looking for a leg kick but Dixon is out of range and Halli settles back down.
Halli scores with a nice head shot.
Halli misses with a looping left.
Dixon moves in looking to clinch but Halli pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halli scores with a sloppy right hand. Dixon should have avoided that one.
Halli throws a hook to the side of Dixon's head but Dixon sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Dixon was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Halli jabs Dixon to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Dixon lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Halli stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Halli misses with a body shot
and Dixon counters with a nice uppercut.
Halli misses with a wild body shot.
Dixon getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Darren Dixon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A swing and a miss from Halli.
Dixon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Halli.

Dixon gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Halli to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Halli throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dixon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Halli defends it easily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Halli accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dixon is adopting a defensive guard.
Halli slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halli misses with the ground and pound.
Halli working away.
A control attempt from Dixon but he's now mounted!
Halli landing strikes from the mount and Dixon is in trouble!
Reijo Halli has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halli landing punches.
Halli avoids the attempt from Dixon to control.
Halli has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Halli landing strikes from the mount.
Dixon is looking to improve his position but Halli isn't that keen on the idea.
Halli avoids the attempt from Dixon to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reijo Halli showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Halli bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Halli just misses with a punch to the body.
Dixon avoids the head kick by Halli.
Dixon is looking to counter punch.
Halli slips under a jab from Dixon.
Halli avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Halli throws the left hand but Dixon avoids the punch easily.
A quick step to the side and Dixon tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dixon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Halli paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Darren Dixon is winning the standup battle so far.
Halli dips to his left and cracks Dixon with an uppercut!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dixon staying out of range there.
A little feinted left hand from Dixon on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Dixon scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Halli doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Halli throws a leg kick that is checked
and Dixon counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Halli.
Dixon throws a lazy uppercut
letting Halli counter with a right hand.
Halli takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Dixon lands with a nice body punch.

Halli closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Dixon to the mat! Dixon manages to get full guard.

Dixon is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Halli is aware though and is defending well.
Halli working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Dixon's head.
Halli tries to free his leg and advance position but Dixon is retaining full guard.
Dixon pulls Halli in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dixon working a defensive guard here.
Darren Dixon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dixon is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Halli defends well.

Dixon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Halli defends it easily.

Halli avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Halli is posturing up here but Dixon has hold of an arm and he's gone for an armbar! Halli tries to roll out but it's too tight and Halli has to tap! Slick submission there by Dixon!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Darren Dixon!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Darren Dixon waved his t-shirt featuring Conviction's logo in front of the cameras.