PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dantae Funete (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Funete
vs
Anderson

179 cm
21
184 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

183 cm
21
198 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

1337 ANZAC

1337 ANZAC
Seven Sins™

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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dantae Funete!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Apollo Anderson!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funete looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Funete shoots in looking for a takedown but Anderson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Funete's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Funete has his takedown stuffed
and Anderson counters with a head kick.
Funete checks a leg kick nicely.
Anderson shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Anderson takes the fight into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Anderson.
Anderson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Funete has Anderson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Anderson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dantae Funete. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anderson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Anderson is trying to trip Funete. He has hold of a leg but Funete is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Anderson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Anderson throwing strikes from guard but Funete blocks nicely.
Anderson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Anderson wants to control from the top but Funete keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson preventing the sweep.

Funete looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Anderson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Funete swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Anderson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Funete. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Funete throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funete keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.
Anderson with a nice head shot there.
Anderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Funete is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anderson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Anderson slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Anderson lands a nice forearm strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson controlling from side mount.
Funete tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Anderson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Anderson lands a decent elbow from side control.
Funete is looking to reverse the position.
Anderson works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Anderson tries to advance to mount but Funete denies him.
Funete is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderson working the ground and pound from side control.
Funete trying to remain calm as Anderson controls from the top position.
Anderson throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Funete works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Funete is looking for a sweep. Anderson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Funete is working hard here to advance position.
Anderson controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Anderson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Anderson throws a leg kick but Funete sees it coming and moves out of range.
Anderson pivots, looking for a leg kick but Funete is out of range and Anderson settles back down.
Good leg kick by Anderson there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Anderson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Anderson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Funete misses with a takedown
and Anderson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dantae Funete is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Anderson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Anderson moves into the clinch.
Funete goes for a takedown in the clinch but Anderson prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dantae Funete. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Anderson tries to score a body lock takedown but Funete shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A head punch on the inside from Anderson fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funete jumps guard but Anderson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Anderson is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Anderson scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Dantae Funete has been cut.
Anderson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Funete prevents it.
Funete is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Funete is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Anderson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Funete tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Funete has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Anderson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Anderson misses with a knee to the head.
Funete prevents a body shot from Anderson.

Anderson turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anderson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Funete down.
Anderson lands a decent elbow from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Funete is letting Anderson control him for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson is trying to ground and pound but Funete uses the momentary lack of control by Anderson to regain half guard.
Anderson slows the pace down in half guard.
Anderson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Funete regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson looking to pass the guard.
Anderson wants to control from the top but Funete keeps moving.
Anderson throws a big right hand that misses.
Anderson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Anderson lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funete wants to sweep here but Anderson controlling him for the moment.
Anderson is looking to work some ground and pound but Funete has wrist control.
Funete looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Funete keeping full guard, as Anderson tries to pass.
Funete utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Funete throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Anderson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Anderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dantae Funete's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Anderson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Funete takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Funete tries to bench press Anderson off him but Anderson keeps the position.
Anderson trying to control the action but Funete is working from the bottom.
Funete tries to improve position but can't.
Funete manages to get back to half guard.
Anderson lands with a punch from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson slips a nice elbow through Funete's hands, connecting with Funete's forehead.
Anderson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Funete is refusing to be controlled, as Anderson sits in 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. Anderson connects with a nice short shot to Funete's temple.
Anderson trying to control the action but Funete is working from the bottom.
Anderson content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Apollo Anderson.
Anderson misses with a takedown attempt - Funete sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Funete avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anderson connects with a high kick.
Anderson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some bone on bone action there as Funete checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Anderson shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Anderson staying out of range there.
Anderson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Anderson closes the distance and clinches.
Apollo Anderson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Funete is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Anderson is fighting off a takedown attempt but Funete is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Anderson to the mat. Anderson regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Anderson wants to sweep but no luck.
Funete is fighting to break Anderson's control of his arms but Anderson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Anderson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Funete is controlling him.
Anderson pulls Funete in close to prevent any damage.
Dantae Funete has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funete postures up in Anderson's guard and throws a big left but Anderson blocks it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Anderson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Funete pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Anderson is keeping the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Apollo Anderson.
Anderson throws a looping overhand right but Funete ducks down to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Funete avoids a kick to the body.
Anderson looks to land a left hand but Funete moved out of range nicely.
Anderson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Funete.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head kick misses from Anderson.
Funete swats away the attempt to clinch by Anderson.
Funete throws a sloppy head kick and Anderson moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Apollo Anderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Anderson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Apollo Anderson!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Apollo Anderson made sure he mentioned Seven Sins™, along with how happy he was to win his fight.