PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dex Illing (ranked 3644 p4p, 2855 weight class) and Rico Suarez (ranked 327 p4p, 270 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Rico Suarez was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Illing
vs
Suarez

170 cm
26
140
1 - 0 - 0

159 cm
26
146
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Knockout power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dex Illing!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rico Suarez!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yukihiro Shimada and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Illing instigates a clinch.
A short uppercut from Illing.
Illing working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Illing lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Suarez backwards.
Illing lands a body punch.
Suarez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Illing is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Illing throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Suarez tries for a takedown. No joy.

Illing breaks the clinch.
Suarez misses with a straight left.

Illing closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Suarez tries to score a body lock takedown but Illing shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Dex Illing has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rico Suarez.
Suarez looking to stall.
I was talking to Illing's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Illing breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Illing clinches with his opponent.
Illing with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Rico Suarez has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Illing manages to break the clinch.

Suarez throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Illing tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Suarez is in Illing's guard.
Illing avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Suarez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Illing working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Suarez.
Suarez is in close to Illing's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Suarez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Suarez landing with the ground and pound.
Illing utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Suarez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Suarez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Illing is rocked!
Suarez working some strikes from top position.
Oh Illing is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Suarez arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Illing's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Rico Suarez!
During a confident post fight interview, Rico Suarez thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.