PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darren Dixon (ranked 728 p4p, 1304 weight class) and Bert River (ranked 78 p4p, 138 weight class). River has chosen Five Finger Death Punch- Bad Company as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Bert River was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Dixon
vs
River

169 cm
28
145
12 - 6 - 1

170 cm
26
145
6 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Darren Dixon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bert River!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
River fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Dixon.
Dixon throws a shot from downtown. River moves away and avoids it.
Dixon ducks down and throws a hook to the body but River moves away.
River is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Dixon with a body shot.
Dixon shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with River but River pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A low kick from River misses

and Dixon decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in River's guard.
River keeping moving, preventing Dixon from controlling successfully.

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

River is looking for a triangle but Dixon pushes his legs off easily.
Dixon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. River is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
River trying to control the position.
Dixon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. River swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon passes River's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Dixon is pressing down on River's thigh, looking to free his foot. River is holding on for now.
Dixon controlling the action here.
River tries to get to full guard but Dixon has control of the leg.
River is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dixon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dixon's back!
Dixon tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dixon manages to reverse the position and now he's in River's guard. Nice work there by Dixon.
Dixon sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed River's guard.

Dixon is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

River is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dixon pulls his head out easily.

Dixon looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
River works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon controlling from the top position.
Dixon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. River swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but River is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

River has his foot on Dixon's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dixon works his way back into a safe position though.

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.
Dixon is looking to advance position but River has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

River tries to control but Dixon wriggling away.
Dixon is trying desperately to improve position.
Dixon sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
River missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Dixon looking for submissions off his back.
River not landing any meaningful shots this time.
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.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dixon ducks under a wild hook from River.
River keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
River defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Dixon.
A countering left hand to the body from River misses.
Dixon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from River.
River steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Dixon.
Dixon takes a body punch but keeps moving.
River cracks Dixon with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Dixon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts River as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Dixon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
River thows a leg kick but Dixon checks it

and Dixon counters with a single leg into guard. River didn't expect that.
Dixon looking to sit in guard and control but River gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

River wants to control from the top but Dixon keeps moving.
River stopping the sweep attempt from Dixon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River trying to control the position from guard on top but Dixon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Dixon has an active guard here but River has managed to pass into half guard.

Dixon looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dixon trying to control here.
River throwing shots but Dixon is blocking nicely.
Dixon won't allow River to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Dixon looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
River working Dixon over with strikes.
Dixon is looking for a sweep. River is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Darren Dixon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
River missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
River is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
River is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River is figuring out what he wants to do next.
River sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Dixon defending well though.
Dixon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dixon is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Dixon is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Dixon is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

River is looking for a sweep. Dixon is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon is trying to control the action in half guard but River is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dixon performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
River is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

River looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
River trying to control here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bert River showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dixon looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Dixon controlling the action here.
River is looking to improve his position.
Dixon stalling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

River looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dixon content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

River is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dixon pulls his head out easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dixon trying to mount his opponent but River defends it.
River is in trouble now - Dixon has advanced to mount!
Dixon can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as River is looking to escape.
River tries to hold on but Dixon pushes him away.

That's two 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.
River keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
River is still trying to improve position.
Dixon wants to control the pace but River is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River wants to hold on but Dixon pushes him away.
Dixon can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as River is looking to escape.
River is trying to escape the mount.

Dixon swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and River is now in Dixon's guard. A big mistake from Dixon there, giving up the dominant position!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
River distracts Dixon with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Dixon trying to keep a closed guard but River is proving a slippery customer.
River stopping the sweep attempt from Dixon.
River in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Dixon is looking for a triangle here but River uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Dixon is trying to control River's posture but River avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
River lands some shots froms side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darren Dixon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dixon has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darren Dixon!
After the fight, Darren Dixon was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.