PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mew Choo (ranked 2008 p4p, 1940 weight class) and Khaba Dagestanskiy (ranked 280 p4p, 273 weight class). Khaba Dagestanskiy told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Choo
vs
Dagestanskiy

180 cm
43
183
31 - 24 - 0

175 cm
31
175
13 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mew Choo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Khaba Dagestanskiy!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Damien Edna and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Choo instigates a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Choo fails to land.
Dagestanskiy blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Dagestanskiy manages to break the clinch.
Dagestanskiy walks into a stiff left hand from Choo.
Choo moves out of range of the strikes.
Choo is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Dagestanskiy.
Dagestanskiy uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Choo.
Dagestanskiy connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Choo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dagestanskiy throws out the jab.
Dagestanskiy waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Choo.

Dagestanskiy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Choo parries the strikes from Dagestanskiy easily there. Dagestanskiy is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Choo to escape.
The ground and pound from Dagestanskiy seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Choo wants to control but Dagestanskiy postures up.
Dagestanskiy is staying tight to Choo's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Dagestanskiy scoring with punches and elbows.
Dagestanskiy landing strikes.
Choo is not content to let Dagestanskiy control the position.
Choo defending against the ground and pound.
Choo is not content to let Dagestanskiy control the position.
Choo is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy controls the position from side control.
Choo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Dagestanskiy's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Choo taking some punishment here, with Dagestanskiy in his half guard.
Dagestanskiy looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Choo with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Dagestanskiy is taking a breather. Choo 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.
Dagestanskiy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Choo to regain full guard.
Dagestanskiy scoring with some ground and pound.
Dagestanskiy working some strikes from top position.
Dagestanskiy working some strikes from top position.

Choo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dagestanskiy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Choo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dagestanskiy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dagestanskiy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Dagestanskiy postures up.
Dagestanskiy is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Dagestanskiy postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Dagestanskiy with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dagestanskiy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dagestanskiy wants to control from the top but Choo keeps moving.
Dagestanskiy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dagestanskiy chips away with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khaba Dagestanskiy dominated that round.
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.

Dagestanskiy moves into the clinch.
Dagestanskiy stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Choo throws a punch but it's blocked by Dagestanskiy.
Choo throws a punch but it's blocked by Dagestanskiy.

Dagestanskiy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dagestanskiy throws a series of strikes that have Choo backpedaling.
Choo is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Mew Choo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Choo.
A left lands for Dagestanskiy.
Choo throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Dagestanskiy to counter with a crisp jab.
Khaba Dagestanskiy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dagestanskiy is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Choo gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Dagestanskiy to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Khaba Dagestanskiy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Choo is looking for a triangle but Dagestanskiy pushes his legs off easily.
Dagestanskiy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy stands up over Choo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Dagestanskiy scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Dagestanskiy throws a big elbow that misses.

Choo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dagestanskiy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dagestanskiy chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dagestanskiy slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Choo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dagestanskiy stands up over Choo, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dagestanskiy trying to control the position from guard on top but Choo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dagestanskiy with a nice head shot there.
Dagestanskiy throws a big right hand that misses.
Choo keeping moving, preventing Dagestanskiy from controlling successfully.
Dagestanskiy keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Choo's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy distracts Choo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Dagestanskiy with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Dagestanskiy works over Choo with some ground and pound from guard.

Choo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dagestanskiy working some strikes from top position.

Dagestanskiy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Dagestanskiy makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dagestanskiy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dagestanskiy wants to control from the top but Choo keeps moving.
Dagestanskiy looking to pass the guard.
Dagestanskiy makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Choo throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Dagestanskiy escapes and throws Choo's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Choo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dagestanskiy is working Choo over with some ground and pound from side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Khaba Dagestanskiy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Choo lands with a hook. Dagestanskiy tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Choo ducks under a wild hook from Dagestanskiy.

Dagestanskiy tries to keep at a distance but Choo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Choo misses with a hook from the clinch.

Dagestanskiy successfully pulls guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dagestanskiy holds on and takes a little breather.
Dagestanskiy is trying to control the position but Choo postures up.
Dagestanskiy has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Choo trying to control but Dagestanskiy is working from the bottom.

Choo is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Dagestanskiy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Dagestanskiy has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Choo keeping moving, preventing Dagestanskiy from controlling successfully.
Dagestanskiy landing some decent shots from guard.
Dagestanskiy lands a couple of elbows.
Dagestanskiy throws a big elbow that misses.
Dagestanskiy throwing strikes from guard but Choo blocks nicely.

That's two 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.
Dagestanskiy works over Choo with some ground and pound from guard.
Dagestanskiy wants to control from the top but Choo keeps moving.

Choo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Dagestanskiy passes into side control.
Choo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy cracks Choo with a big right hand but Choo just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Dagestanskiy lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Choo down.
Dagestanskiy lands an elbow.
Dagestanskiy cracks Choo with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Dagestanskiy working the ground and pound from side control.
Dagestanskiy laying and praying for a moment but Choo takes advantage and regains half guard.

Dagestanskiy seems to be looking for submissions.

Choo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dagestanskiy wants to control but Choo is keeping him busy.
Mew Choo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Khaba Dagestanskiy is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Ground and pound from Dagestanskiy.
Dagestanskiy lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Dagestanskiy is controlling the pace.
Dagestanskiy drops an elbow to the side of Choo's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khaba Dagestanskiy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Dagestanskiy winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khaba Dagestanskiy!
A victorious Khaba Dagestanskiy thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.