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Stepping Stone 2 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of Tokyo, with a TWGC record of 4 wins and 6 losses; Zhan Dhelan! And in the blue corner, fighting out of London, with a TWGC record of 0 wins and 0 losses; Jari Laitila!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.
The fighters connect hands in the middle of the mat and we are under way.
Dhelan has Laitila up against the ropes in a clinch.
Laitila has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Dhelan uses from the top position.
Dhelan passes easily into side control. Nice work. Score +3 for passing guard: Dhelan (3) vs (0) Laitila
Laitila is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Dhelan tries to move into full mount but can't pass Laitila's legs.
Laitila is not content to let Dhelan control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laitila is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Dhelan off and has taken his back! Score +4 for clean sweep to past guard: Dhelan (3) vs (4) Laitila
That's one minute gone in the round.
Laitila wants to control but Dhelan manages to buck him off and is now in Laitila's guard! Nice work there by Dhelan! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Dhelan (5) vs (4) Laitila
Dhelan wants to pass the guard but Laitila is keeping the position.
Laitila keeping moving, preventing Dhelan from controlling successfully.
Dhelan got a little sloppy there for a moment and Laitila has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dhelan has managed to get both his arms back between Laitila's legs - danger averted.
Laitila trying to control the position.
Laitila is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Dhelan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Laitila is keeping the position for now.
Dhelan 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.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Laitila is on top in guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Dhelan (5) vs (6) Laitila
Dhelan looking for a sweep. Not yet Dhelan, not yet.
Laitila must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Laitila stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dhelan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dhelan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Laitila defends it easily.
Laitila works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Laitila wants to advance to full mount but Dhelan doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Laitila stands and throws Dhelan's legs to the side, diving into side control. Score +3 for passing guard: Dhelan (5) vs (9) Laitila
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laitila is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Dhelan gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Laitila is looking to advance position but Dhelan won't allow it.
Dhelan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are battling for position here. Dhelan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Dhelan looking for a guillotine here but Laitila defends easily.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laitila trying to control but Dhelan is working from the bottom.
Laitila is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Dhelan is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Dhelan has escaped and now he's on top! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Dhelan (7) vs (9) Laitila
Dhelan wants to control from the top but Laitila keeps moving.
Dhelan is really struggling to control Laitila but he's trying to hold on to the position.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Laitila looking to control.
Laitila keeping moving, preventing Dhelan from controlling successfully.
Laitila looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Laitila is trying to hold Dhelan in close to prevent damage but Dhelan has managed to pass into half guard.
Dhelan is looking for a kimura but Laitila is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dhelan to get the leverage.
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Laitila keeps working.
Dhelan is looking to stall here but Laitila recovers full guard.
Laitila looking to control.
Dhelan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Dhelan controlling from the top position.
Dhelan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Laitila is keeping the position for now.
Dhelan passes easily into side control. Nice work. Score +3 for passing guard: Dhelan (10) vs (9) Laitila
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dhelan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Laitila looking for a sweep but Dhelan has passed into full mount! Oh no! Score +2 for reaching mount: Dhelan (12) vs (9) Laitila
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Laitila is squirming around, avoiding Dhelan's attempts to control the action.
Dhelan controlling the pace for now.
Dhelan moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Laitila has worked his arm free - good work by Laitila!
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Dhelan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Dhelan goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Laitila rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Dhelan's guard! Nice work there by Laitila! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Dhelan (12) vs (11) Laitila
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan trying to control the position.
Dhelan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Laitila wants to pass the guard but Dhelan is keeping the position.
Dhelan is looking for a triangle but Laitila pushes his legs off easily.
Dhelan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Laitila seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Laitila trying to control the position from guard on top but Dhelan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Laitila controls from within his opponent's guard.
Dhelan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Laitila controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Laitila looking to sit in guard and control but Dhelan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Dhelan (14) vs (11) Laitila
Laitila keeping moving, preventing Dhelan from controlling successfully.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Laitila is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Laitila is looking for a triangle but Dhelan pushes his legs off easily.
Laitila keeping moving, preventing Dhelan from controlling successfully.
Dhelan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Laitila swivels though and keeps the full guard.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Dhelan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Laitila tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dhelan trying to control but Laitila is working from the bottom.
Laitila working a defensive guard but Dhelan manages to pass into side control anyway.
Score +3 for passing guard: Dhelan (17) vs (11) Laitila
Laitila sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Laitila wants to get back to full guard.
Dhelan 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.
Dhelan stalling away here and it's allowed Laitila to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Laitila looking for a sweep. Not yet Laitila, not yet.
Laitila keeping moving, preventing Dhelan from controlling successfully.
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Laitila wants to sweep but no luck.
Dhelan trying to control but Laitila is working from the bottom.
Dhelan's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Dhelan trying to control but Laitila is working from the bottom.
Dhelan looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dhelan trying to control but Laitila is working from the bottom.
And that's the end of the fight!
Dhelan takes the fight on points by 17 to 11.
A relieved looking Zhan Dhelan thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it. |
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