PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Junior Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Donald Akers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Donald Akers 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!

Dos Santos
vs
Akers

191 cm
25
225 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

196 cm
23
265 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

RIOT Fightwear
RIOT Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight 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, Junior Dos Santos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Donald Akers!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dos Santos closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dos Santos working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Dos Santos is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Akers sees it coming and defends easily.
Dos Santos prevents Akers from improving his position.
Akers blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dos Santos.
Akers keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dos Santos with the ground and pound but Akers uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Dos Santos throwing strikes from guard but Akers blocks nicely.
Dos Santos trying to stand up but can't free himself from Akers's guard.
Akers trying to control the position here.

Dos Santos has gone for a leg lock! Akers slips out almost immediately though and dives into Dos Santos's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos working a defensive guard here.
Akers has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Dos Santos is proving hard to escape from.
Dos Santos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Akers manages to get himself to full guard.

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.

Dos Santos is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Dos Santos postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Akers is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Dos Santos, into his guard.

Dos Santos is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Dos Santos turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dos Santos manages to end up in side control.
Dos Santos tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dos Santos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Akers has escaped the position, nice work there.

Dos Santos tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dos Santos has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Akers is looking to regain half guard here but Dos Santos keeps moving and retains side control.

Dos Santos stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown
and Akers cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Dos Santos shoots and misses
letting Akers counter with a right hand.
Dos Santos is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akers tries to clinch there but Dos Santos circles away.
Dos Santos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Akers moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Akers pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dos Santos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Akers makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Dos Santos really felt that one!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akers throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Akers closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Dos Santos has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Dos Santos is trying to buck Akers off.
Dos Santos can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Donald Akers will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Akers throws a series of punches but Dos Santos moves out of range.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown
and Akers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Junior Dos Santos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dos Santos fails with the takedown

and Akers counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Dos Santos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dos Santos is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Akers scores with a couple of nice shots.
Akers is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dos Santos is looking to escape.
Dos Santos trying to control from the bottom.
Akers looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Dos Santos wants to control but Akers is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Junior Dos Santos wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A slapping leg kick lands for Akers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Dos Santos with a poor takedown

and Akers counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Akers.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Akers lands a good knee to the midsection. Dos Santos won't want to take too many of those.
Dos Santos is working for takedown but Akers is calmly controlling the position for now.
Akers stops a takedown attempt from Dos Santos.
Dos Santos is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Akers pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Akers escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Akers throws a leg kick which misses Dos Santos's front leg but catches the back leg as Dos Santos tries to avoid it.
Dos Santos gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Akers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Akers misses with a jab, cross combination.

Dos Santos scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Dos Santos is working for a kimura but Akers is defending it quite comfortably.
Akers avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dos Santos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akers is concentrating on defense, preventing Dos Santos from advancing position.

Dos Santos gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Dos Santos has a takedown stuffed.

Akers shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Akers showed some decent athleticism there.
Akers prevents Dos Santos from standing back up.
Akers really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dos Santos. 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos trying to control from the bottom.
Akers seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Dos Santos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dos Santos wants to control but Akers is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Dos Santos looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Dos Santos is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Akers pulls his head out easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dos Santos is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donald Akers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Dos Santos's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Good exchange - Dos Santos coming out on top.
Dos Santos with a poor takedown
and Akers counters with a one-two to the body.
Dos Santos fails with a takedown attempt.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt
and Akers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Junior Dos Santos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dos Santos has his takedown stuffed

and Akers counters with a shoot takedown. Dos Santos fights it but they end up in guard.
Dos Santos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Akers is stalling in the full guard.
Akers tries to stand but Dos Santos is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akers wants to pass the guard but Dos Santos is keeping the position.

Dos Santos looking for a guillotine here but Akers defends easily.
Dos Santos wants to stand up but Akers is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Akers!

Dos Santos has control of Akers's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Akers regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Akers taking shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos trying to control but Akers is having none of it.
Dos Santos landing strikes from the mount.
Dos Santos trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Dos Santos is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Akers is surviving well by controlling Dos Santos's body position as best he can.
Dos Santos cracks Akers with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Junior Dos Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Dos Santos.

Dos Santos is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Dos Santos scores with a three punch combo!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Dos Santos is defended easily by Akers.
Dos Santos shoots in for a double leg but Akers sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown
and Akers counters with a body kick that stops Dos Santos in his tracks momentarily.
Akers lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dos Santos looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Akers is fending him off so far but Dos Santos persists. Nope, Akers circles away and we're back to standing.
Dos Santos misses with a takedown attempt

and Akers counters by clinching up.
Donald Akers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Akers stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Dos Santos has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Akers avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

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 Junior Dos Santos.
I think Akers has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Donald Akers!