PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Josef Dietrich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Afro Ninja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ninja comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Enter The Ninja kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Afro Ninja 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!

Dietrich
vs
Ninja

178 cm
25
175 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

185 cm
22
180 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

M/S Paint Fightwear **Laundry service**

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josef Dietrich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Afro Ninja!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dietrich dips to his left and cracks Ninja with an uppercut!
Dietrich dodges the punch combination from Ninja.
Dietrich gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Ninja clinches up against the cage.
Dietrich looking to slow down the pace here.
Dietrich's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Dietrich tries to land knees in the clinch but Ninja avoids the damage to the body.
Dietrich swings wildly with an uppercut but Ninja uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ninja throws a punch but it's blocked by Dietrich.
Dietrich misses with a short punch on the inside.

Dietrich breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dietrich ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ninja rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Dietrich counters with a nice uppercut.
Afro Ninja seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ninja just misses with a punch to the body.
Ninja misses with a left hand

and Dietrich counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ninja pulls Dietrich in close to his closed guard and prevents Dietrich from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dietrich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ninja is keeping the position for now.
Dietrich wants to control from the top but Ninja keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dietrich accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dietrich being controlled here momentarily.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ninja preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ninja is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Dietrich slips nicely into half guard.
Ninja is looking to improve his position.

Dietrich is working for a kimura here but Ninja manages to reverse the position and he's now in Dietrich's guard.
Ninja tries to free his leg and advance position but Dietrich is retaining full guard.
Ninja tries to stand but Dietrich is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Dietrich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ninja controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ninja trying to control the position from guard on top but Dietrich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Afro Ninja wasn't active enough on the ground.
Ninja waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dietrich.

Dietrich moves into the clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Dietrich tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ninja smiles and moves away.
Ninja with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ninja throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dietrich counters with a nice uppercut.
Ninja swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dietrich counters with a nice uppercut.
Ninja misses with a double jab

and Dietrich counters with a shoot takedown. Ninja fights it but they end up in guard.
Dietrich trying to control but Ninja is working from the bottom.
Dietrich sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ninja's guard.
Ninja is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josef Dietrich dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nice takedown defense from Ninja. No joy for Dietrich on that attempt.
Ninja misses with a double jab.
Ninja throws a right hand that Dietrich ducks under and follows up with a left that Dietrich also avoids with ease.
No joy there for Ninja, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ninja takes a swing at Dietrich's ribcage but misses.
Ninja thows a left - swing and a miss!
Afro Ninja is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Dietrich drives through with a takedown into Ninja's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Dietrich trying to control the position from guard on top but Ninja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ninja wants to stand up but Dietrich is controlling him.
Dietrich trying to control the position from guard on top but Ninja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dietrich looking to pass the guard.
Dietrich wants to control from the top but Ninja keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Josef Dietrich.
Ninja misses with a left hand
and Dietrich counters with a low kick, right behind Ninja 's knee.
Ninja throws an off balance right hand
and Dietrich counters with a nice uppercut.
Ninja throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ninja misses with a hook to the body
and Dietrich counters with a stiff right hand.
Ninja keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ninja lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Dietrich at a distance.
Ninja throws a combination that misses
and Dietrich connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dietrich drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Good leg kick by Ninja there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Good exchange - Dietrich coming out on top.
Ninja throws a left and a right that both miss

and Dietrich counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ninja's guard now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ninja lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Dietrich!
Ninja controlling his opponent.
Dietrich is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ninja takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Dietrich working to try and regain half guard.
Ninja controlling the position easily from mount.
Dietrich is wriggling around trying to escape.
Dietrich is working hard here to advance position.
Dietrich is squirming around, avoiding Ninja's attempts to control the action.

That's four 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.
Dietrich tries to hold on but Ninja postures up.
Dietrich keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ninja takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ninja tries to control but Dietrich wriggling away.
Dietrich is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dietrich can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Josef Dietrich will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Crunch! Ninja slams his shin into Dietrich's torso.
Ninja misses with a lunging right hand

and Dietrich counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ninja's guard now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dietrich in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Ninja pushes Dietrich off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Ninja looks to score with a jab to the body but Dietrich is just out of range.
Ninja throws a hook but Dietrich blocks it.
Dietrich drops his hands momentarily and Ninja takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Ninja attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ninja throws an off balance right hand

and Dietrich counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dietrich.
Ninja lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ninja blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ninja softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dietrich tries a knee to the head but Ninja blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ninja is trying to stall.
Dietrich tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ninja is pressed up against the cage. Dietrich has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ninja down to the mat. Ninja avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Ninja throws a right hand that misses
and Dietrich counters with a nice uppercut.
Afro Ninja is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Dietrich shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Dietrich is looking for a kimura but Ninja is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dietrich to get the leverage.
Ninja is trying to control but can't.
Dietrich thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ninja's head.
Ninja wants to control but Dietrich is keeping busy.
Dietrich trying to mount his opponent but Ninja defends it.
Josef Dietrich is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Dietrich in particular looking to stall.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Dietrich defending well as Ninja loads up on a big left hand.
Dietrich moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ninja throws out a loose jab but Dietrich uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ninja comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Ninja misses with a hook. Dietrich ducked under it nicely.
A right-left combo lands from Ninja.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ninja throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Dietrich.
Ninja misses with an uppercut

and Dietrich counters with a takedown into side control.
Dietrich is staying tight to Ninja's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Ninja is looking for a sweep.
Dietrich trying to control the action but Ninja is working from the bottom.
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Josef Dietrich overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ninja is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Dietrich is controlling him well.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Ninja is looking for a sweep.
Dietrich controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Josef Dietrich.
Ninja works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Afro Ninja has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An inside leg kick lands from Ninja.
Ninja misses with a left hand
and Dietrich counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dietrich feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ninjas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Ninja sizes up Dietrich with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josef Dietrich showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dietrich, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josef Dietrich!