PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Dardar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Rowles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dardar comes to the cage accompanied by Trial by Fire. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Dardar
vs
Rowles

185 cm
25
205 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

184 cm
24
216 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Final Strike Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesse Dardar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Rowles!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rowles fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dardar manages to avoid it.
Rowles throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rowles throws the left hand but Dardar avoids the punch easily.
Jesse Dardar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Rowles!
Dardar throws a shot to the body.
Rowles takes a swing at Dardar's ribcage but misses.
Rowles moves out of range of the body kick.
Dardar looks to land a body kick but Rowles moved away.
Dardar bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rowles's head.
Dardar chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Dardar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rowles is fending him off so far but Dardar persists. Nope, Rowles circles away and we're back to standing.
Dardar throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rowles's waist but Rowles gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Dardar off to one side.
Rowles slips under a jab.
Dardar misses with a jab to the body
and Rowles counters with a right hand to the body.
Rowles throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dardar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dardar tries to clinch there but Rowles circles away.
Dardar lands with a cross.
Rowles keeps the fight on the outside.
Rowles misses with a body shot.
Rowles just misses with a punch to the body.
Dardar misses with the combination.
Rowles misses the jab.
Dardar shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Rowles but Rowles pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesse Dardar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot by Dardar.
Dardar listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dardar misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dardar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dardar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rowles will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Dardar slips a jab and a cross from Rowles.

Dardar drives through with a takedown into guard.
Dardar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Dardar wants to control from the top but Rowles keeps moving.
Rowles is trying to control the position but Dardar postures up.
Rowles keeping moving, preventing Dardar from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dardar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dardar misses the jab.
Rowles misses with a hook.
Dardar throws a shot from downtown. Rowles moves away and avoids it.
Rowles lands with a shot to the body.

Dardar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Dardar moves into full mount! Rowles won't be happy about that!
Rowles really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dardar controlling the position easily from mount.
Dardar can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rowles is looking to escape.

Dardar goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rowles turns into him and now he's in Dardar's guard.
Rowles passes Dardar's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Dardar regains full guard. Nicely done.
Dardar keeping moving, preventing Rowles from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Dardar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dardar scores with a one two! Rowles had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Dardar slips a straight right by Rowles.
Dardar avoids the head kick by Rowles.
Jab from Dardar.
Dardar throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Rowles counters with a big head kick but Dardar shrugs it off.
Rowles blocks a jab.
Rowles circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rowles throws a chopping leg kick but Dardar manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Rowles tests Dardar's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Dardar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rowles lands a nice hook to Dardar's body. Dardar takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dardar takes a swing at Rowles's ribcage but misses.
Rowles is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Dardar rather than just go for the knockout.
Dardar throws a front kick aimed at Rowles's knee but Rowles avoids it well.
Dardar is looking to clinch.
Rowles dodges the punch combination from Dardar.
The fighters circling - Dardar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Dardar tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rowles was well out of range. Poor timing from Dardar.
Dardar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rowles tries to avoid it but Dardar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rowles to the ground. Rowles escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rowles throws a lazy right hand but Dardar sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Dardar throws a leg kick that is checked
and Rowles counters with a series of strikes. Dardar will be more careful next time no doubt.
Dardar thows a body shot but no joy.
Dardar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rowles moves away.
Dardar throws a one two combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dardar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A combination from Dardar does no damage.
Dardar uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rowles.
Dardar cracks Rowles with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Dardar moves out of range of the strikes.
Dardar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rowles moves away.
Rowles throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dardar's waist but Dardar gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rowles off to one side.

Rowles looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Dardar throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Dardar trying to control the position.
Rowles stopping the sweep attempt from Dardar.
Dardar controls Rowles momentarily but Rowles frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dardar looking for a sweep. Not yet Dardar, not yet.

Dardar looking for subs off his back but Rowles has passed one foot through into half guard.
Rowles thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dardar's head.
Rowles not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dardar misses with a straight right.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dardar.
A punch lands to the side of Rowles 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rowles cracks Dardar with a good jab.
Dardar lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rowles backs up against the cage.
Rowles throws a jab but it's blocked by Dardar.
Dardar tries to close the distance and clinch but Rowles swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A big right from Rowles misses.
Dardar throws a right and a left that Rowles avoids nicely.
Rowles avoids the body shot from Dardar.
Dardar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Paul Rowles seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rowles drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Dardar lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rowles circles away quickly and effectively.
Rowles swings away with a body shot that misses
and Dardar counters with a good low kick that Rowles was not able to check.

Dardar decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Rowles will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Dardar throws a low kick, looking for Rowles's leg but Rowles calmly moves out of range.
Rowles keeps the fight on the outside.
Dardar takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Dardar tries to score with a low kick but Rowles moves his leg out of the way.
Dardar throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rowles sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Dardar gets a takedown into half guard.
Rowles is positioning himself well to prevent Dardar advancing to mount.
Rowles is staying active underneath Dardar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dardar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rowles knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Rowles wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dardar is looking to take a break and control but Rowles is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dardar performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dardar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rowles is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rowles defending well as Dardar loads up on a big left hand.
Dardar tries to land a leg kick but Rowles saw it coming and moves away.
Rowles takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Dardar throws a body punch but Rowles moves out of range.
Dardar throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Rowles takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The fighters circling - Rowles throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Dardar tries to clinch up
and Rowles counters with a left to the body.
Dardar throws a jab when Rowles was well out of range.
Dardar fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rowles looks for the body kick but Dardar saw that one coming.
A punch combination from Dardar misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dardar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rowles slips under a jab.
A good leg kick by Dardar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dardar tries to clinch up

and Rowles counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Dardar looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dardar wants to sweep but no luck.
Rowles must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dardar is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rowles trying to hold on to Dardar's head to control him but Dardar postures up.
Dardar throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dardar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rowles keeps working.

Dardar is trying to work for a kimura but Rowles is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dardar missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rowles is not content to let Dardar control the position.
Dardar wants to advance to full mount but Rowles doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Rowles is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Rowles trying to mount his opponent but Dardar defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dardar trying to get back to full guard but Rowles takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jesse Dardar.
Well Dardar has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jesse Dardar!