PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dusty Rousey (ranked 4062 p4p, 3273 weight class) and Darius Holloway (ranked 515 p4p, 433 weight class). Dusty Rousey had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Rousey
vs
Holloway

185 cm
19
192
1 - 3 - 0

183 cm
23
184
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dusty Rousey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Darius Holloway!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Holloway moves into the clinch.
Holloway wants to take the fight to the mat but Rousey manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Holloway works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Holloway wants to control from the top but Rousey keeps moving.
Rousey trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holloway trying to control the position from guard on top but Rousey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rousey is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holloway wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holloway trying to control here.
Rousey has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rousey controlling from mount.
Rousey trying to control but Holloway is having none of it.
Holloway wants to hold on but Rousey pushes him away.

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.
Rousey trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rousey is looking to work his way around to Holloway's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Holloway can't escape the position.
Holloway is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Holloway manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Rousey wants to control but Holloway is keeping him busy.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Holloway can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rousey is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rousey stands up and beckons Holloway to join him on the feet.

Holloway fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rousey, pushing him back against the cage.
Rousey is trying to pull guard but Holloway turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Rousey can't get the takedown.
Rousey tries to pull guard but Holloway forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dusty Rousey. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Holloway breaks from the clinch.
Holloway misses the shot to the body.
Holloway fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rousey fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rousey tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holloway defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Rousey.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holloway has his takedown stuffed
and Rousey cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice takedown defense from Rousey. No joy for Holloway on that attempt.
Rousey fails with a takedown attempt.
Rousey tries to close the distance and clinch but Holloway swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Holloway has managed to clinch.

Holloway drags the fight down to the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Holloway looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rousey passes into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Rousey is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Holloway defends it well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Darius Holloway will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rousey closes the distance and clinches up with Holloway, looking for a takedown. Rousey pushes Holloway against the cage but Holloway circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Holloway with the counter takedown but Rousey avoids it easily.
Holloway tries for a takedown but Rousey sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rousey fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rousey tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Holloway defends well and Rousey ends up having to push Holloway into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Holloway! But no joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dusty Rousey. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rousey wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Rousey pulls guard successfully.
Holloway trying to control the position from guard on top but Rousey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holloway pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rousey is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rousey is pulling down on Holloway's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holloway is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Holloway keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rousey's head.
Holloway 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.
Holloway scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Rousey looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Holloway controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

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.
Rousey is adopting a defensive guard.
Holloway with a nice head shot there.
Holloway slips nicely into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Holloway connects with a nice short shot to Rousey's temple.
Rousey wants to control but Holloway is keeping busy.
Rousey is staying active underneath Holloway, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We've been informed that Holloway has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rousey wants to control but Holloway passes into side.
Holloway wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rousey keeps working.
Rousey taking a bit of punishment here - Holloway scoring with strikes.
Holloway has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Holloway is looking to take a break and control but Rousey is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holloway working away.

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.
Rousey wants to get back to his feet but Holloway drags him back down.
Holloway tries to advance to mount but Rousey denies him.
Rousey is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Holloway has just dragged him back down to the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Holloway takes the fight into the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Holloway can't get the takedown.

Holloway's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Darius Holloway showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Rousey throws a sloppy head kick

and Holloway counters with a single leg into guard. Rousey didn't expect that.

Rousey pushes Holloway off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Jab from Holloway.

Holloway gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Holloway pulls Rousey into guard.
Rousey looking to pass the guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rousey trying to control the position from guard on top but Holloway is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Holloway is trying to hold Rousey in close to prevent damage but Rousey has managed to pass into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holloway wants to get back to full guard but Rousey has passed into side control.
Holloway is trying to control Rousey's posture but Rousey avoids it.
Rousey in side control, throwing shots but Holloway defends.
A control attempt from Holloway but he's now mounted!
Rousey thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Holloway really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rousey. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rousey throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Holloway is squirming around, avoiding Rousey's attempts to control the action.
Holloway tries to hold on but Rousey postures up.
Rousey throws a strike there. Holloway manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.
Holloway keeping control of the position.
Rousey stalling away here and it's allowed Holloway to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holloway trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Holloway is trying to control the position but Rousey postures up.
Holloway bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rousey's guard.

Rousey controls Holloway momentarily but Holloway frees himself.
Holloway postures up and lands a big shot to Rousey's brow.

Rousey is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Holloway presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holloway manages to break the clinch.

Holloway moves into the clinch.

Holloway manages to pull guard.
Holloway is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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

Rousey manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Holloway manages to get himself to full guard.

Dusty Rousey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darius Holloway is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holloway working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Darius Holloway.
I've got Holloway 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight for Darius Holloway!
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight for Darius Holloway!
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight for Darius Holloway!

Darius Holloway wins by unanimous decision!
A determined Darius Holloway didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!