PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hill Billy Hank (ranked 5097 p4p, 3766 weight class) and Ali Dixon (ranked 588 p4p, 498 weight class). Ali Dixon will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Hank
vs
Dixon

188 cm
22
200
1 - 2 - 0

182 cm
20
203
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hill Billy Hank!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ali Dixon!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hank fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dixon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hank.
Hank bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hank dives in for a single leg takedown but Dixon sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Dixon misses with some punches.
Dixon misses with a punch to the body.
Dixon gets underhooks to prevent Hank's takedown attempt.
Hank is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Dixon gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hill Billy Hank. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dixon is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Hank turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hank manages to end up in side control.
The ground and pound from Hank seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Dixon gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hank landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hank controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon trying to control from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hank lands a nice short elbow.
Dixon wants to improve his position but Hank is controlling well.
Hank takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hank 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.
Hank is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hank sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Dixon defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hank scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hank performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hank looks to land a strike but Dixon avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Hank missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hank sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hank drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dixon dives on top into guard.

Hank is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Hank trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice sprawl there from Dixon as Hank shoots in.
Dixon cracks Hank with an open hand slap.
Hank shoots in and drives through. Dixon sprawls well.
Dixon connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Hank shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dixon manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon keeping full guard, as Hank tries to pass.
Hank trying to control but Dixon is working from the bottom.
Hank controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Dixon working a defensive guard here.
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 Hill Billy Hank will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Dixon throws a right hand that Hank ducks under and follows up with a left that Hank also avoids with ease.
Nice jab there from Dixon.
Hank gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Dixon counters with a stiff right hand.
Hank shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dixon as he jumps to the side.

Hank drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hank wants to control from the top but Dixon keeps moving.
Dixon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hank engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hank throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hank prevents Dixon from getting back to his feet.
Hill Billy Hank overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hank throws a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dixon is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Hank clinches with his opponent.

Hank lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hank trying to pass the guard but Dixon defending well.
Hank works his way into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hank trying to control the action but Dixon is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dixon wants to control but Hank postures up.
Dixon might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Hank haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Dixon is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hank's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Hank is looking to pass Dixon's guard but actually Dixon recovers to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hank postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hank works over Dixon with some ground and pound from guard.
Hank stays in close to Dixon's body and controls the position.
Hank working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hank working some strikes from top position.

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.

Hank drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Dixon manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hank has Dixon in his guard.

Hank has his feet on Dixon's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Hank defending well as Dixon loads up on a big left hand.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Dixon.
Dixon swats away the attempt to clinch by Hank.
Dixon jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Hank closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Dixon quickly recovers to half guard.

Dixon has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Hank is on him like a limpet, forcing Dixon back against the cage.
Hank tries to land a knee to the head but Dixon blocks with his arms.
Hank goes for a takedown attempt but Dixon pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Hill Billy Hank will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Dixon will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dixon looks to throw the jab but Hank is out of range.
Hank drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Hank shoots in for a double leg but Dixon sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hill Billy Hank is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A shot to the liver by Dixon. Beautiful body shot.

Hank darts in and clinches Dixon up against the cage.
Dixon misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hank swings wildly with an uppercut but Dixon uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dixon stops a takedown attempt from Hank.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hank is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Dixon pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hill Billy Hank. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hank looking for a takedown.
Dixon is trying to stall.
Hank pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Dixon prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon tries to stall but Hank uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hank looking for a takedown.
Hank blocks a body shot from Dixon.
Dixon misses with a punch to the body.
Hank changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Dixon fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Dixon throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hank shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dixon as he jumps to the side.
Dixon getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Some wild striking there from Dixon.
Hank tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dixon swivels and escapes.
Dixon scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Dixon stuffs the takedown attempt from Hank. Hank gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Dixon finds it's target.
Dixon might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Dixon jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Dixon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dixon lands a slapping body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dixon scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Dixon throws a jab but it's blocked by Hank.
Hank slips a straight right by Dixon.
As Dixon tries to get set, Hank tries to push him back and clinch up but Dixon manages to avoid the attempt.
A lazy left from Dixon finds it's target.
Dixon throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hank keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dixon looks to score with a jab to the body but Hank is just out of range.
Dixon swinging wildly here.
Hank fails with the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Dixon as Hank shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hank drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dixon wants to get back to his feet but Hank is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hank wants to control from the top but Dixon keeps moving.
Dixon looking for a sweep. Not yet Dixon, not yet.
Hank sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Dixon is trying to control the position but Hank postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hank trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hank loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ali Dixon seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Some wild striking there from Dixon.
Hank tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dixon paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dixon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dixon scores with a hook to the body. Hank takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hank takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Hank gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Dixon.
Hank on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hank tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Dixon swivels and escapes.
Ali Dixon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hill Billy Hank is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hank fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ali Dixon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hank 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ali Dixon!
Hill Billy Hank was interviewed post fight and said 'Beats going hungry '.