PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darren Dixon (ranked 149 p4p, 106 weight class) and Lindsay Apollo (ranked 15 p4p, 9 weight class). Lindsay Apollo 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!

Dixon
vs
Apollo

169 cm
36
145
32 - 16 - 2

168 cm
31
140
23 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Conviction

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Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Darren Dixon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lindsay Apollo!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dixon staying out of range there.
Apollo waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dixon.
Dixon walks into a jab.
Dixon fails to land the takedown.
Lindsay Apollo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A low kick lands for Apollo.
Apollo throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Dixon on the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Apollo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Dixon appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Dixon tries to keep at a distance but Apollo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Apollo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Apollo misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon looking for a takedown.
Apollo struggles to land a body shot inside as Dixon controls his hands.
A right hand to the body from Apollo.
A short right from Dixon on the inside.
Apollo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dixon lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Apollo is working Dixon over against the cage.
Apollo prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Darren Dixon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Apollo tries to work over Dixon's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Apollo breaks from the clinch.
Dixon moves out of range of the strikes.
Dixon appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Dixon closes the distance and clinches up with Apollo, looking for a takedown. Dixon pushes Apollo against the cage but Apollo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Apollo misses the shot to the body.
Dixon on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Apollo. Apollo obviously looking to wear him down.
Apollo misses with a straight right.
Dixon feinted with a counter takedown.
Dixon ducks under a wild hook from Apollo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apollo jabs Dixon right on the nose. Dixon blinks but takes it well.

Dixon gets a takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Apollo wants to improve his position but Dixon is controlling well.
Apollo is trying to control but can't.
Dixon prevents Apollo from improving his position.
Dixon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Apollo keeps working.
Apollo trying to hold on to Dixon's head to control him but Dixon postures up.
Apollo is staying active underneath Dixon, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon is looking to stall here but Apollo recovers full guard.
Dixon is stalling in the full guard.
Apollo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Apollo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Apollo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dixon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Apollo is keeping the position for now.
Dixon advances position into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apollo is trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Apollo keeps trying to improve his position.
Apollo is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Dixon off and has taken his back!
Apollo tries to get the hooks in deep but Dixon pushed the leg off.

Apollo looking to break Dixon's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Dixon remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Apollo will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Apollo is looking for the choke from the back position but Dixon is controlling his hands well.
Dixon tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Dixon is trying desperately to improve position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lindsay Apollo dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Dixon drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Dixon trying to control but Apollo is working from the bottom.
Dixon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Apollo is keeping the position for now.

Apollo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dixon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Apollo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Apollo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Apollo wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apollo looking to control.
Dixon controlling from the top position.
Dixon wants to control from the top but Apollo keeps moving.

Apollo looking for a guillotine here but Dixon defends easily.
Apollo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Apollo keeping moving, preventing Dixon from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Apollo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Apollo trying to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Apollo looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Dixon fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Apollo to the ground. Dixon is now in Apollo's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon wants to control from the top but Apollo keeps moving.

Dixon got a little sloppy there for a moment and Apollo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dixon has managed to get both his arms back between Apollo's legs - danger averted.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but Apollo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dixon's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Apollo can't keep his opponent in guard - Dixon advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Dixon wants to work for an arm triangle but Apollo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Apollo is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Apollo moves into full guard.
Dixon trying to control but Apollo is working from the bottom.
Dixon slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Apollo is looking for a sweep.
Apollo regains half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Apollo tries to get to full guard but Dixon has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Apollo is pressing down on Dixon's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Dixon dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Dixon drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Dixon.
Dixon advances to full mount.

Dixon has control of Apollo's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Apollo regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Apollo regains half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Apollo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Dixon pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apollo trying to control from the bottom.

Dixon is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Apollo has managed to free his arm - good work.
Dixon trying to control the action but Apollo is working from the bottom.
Apollo is looking to get back to full guard here but Dixon has managed to pass to side control instead.
Apollo is looking for a sweep.

Dixon wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Apollo, who protects the arm well.
Dixon trying to control the position but Apollo is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Apollo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Dixon sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Apollo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dixon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dixon's back!
Dixon tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Apollo controlling from the full mount.
Dixon tries to hold on but Apollo pushes him away.
Dixon can't escape the position.
Dixon is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at King's Cross MMA , so we'll see if he gets out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apollo wants to control the pace but Dixon is squirming around nicely.
Dixon is trying desperately to improve position.
Dixon manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Apollo is pressing down on Dixon's thigh, looking to free his foot. Dixon is holding on for now.
Dixon wants to improve his position but Apollo is controlling well.
Dixon trying to control but Apollo postures up.
Dixon is pressing down on Apollo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dixon is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Apollo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dixon swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dixon trying to control the position.
Apollo stopping the sweep attempt from Dixon.
Apollo trying to control the position from guard on top but Dixon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dixon is trying to keep Apollo in close.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darren Dixon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dixon 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darren Dixon!
Darren Dixon was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.