PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hannibal Butrovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edmund Dantes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Butrovic
vs
Dantes

180 cm
21
168 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
165 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Amsterdam in London 95% Laundry

$10

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hannibal Butrovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Edmund Dantes!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dantes falls off balance throwing a combination

and Butrovic decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dantes's guard.
Butrovic controlling from the top position.
Dantes looking to control.
Butrovic tries to free his leg and advance position but Dantes is retaining full guard.
Butrovic trying to control but Dantes is working from the bottom.
Butrovic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dantes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Butrovic scoring with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dantes trying to control the position.
Butrovic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Dantes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Butrovic throwing strikes from guard but Dantes blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Dantes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Butrovic drops back looking for a leg! Dantes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Dantes manages to kick Butrovic off! Butrovic jumps back into Dantes's guard.
Dantes working a defensive guard but Butrovic manages to pass into side control anyway.
Dantes can't do much from the bottom here.
Dantes gets back to half guard.
Butrovic is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butrovic wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dantes keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dantes wants to get back to full guard.
Butrovic trying to control the pace.
Dantes trying to hold on to Butrovic's head to control him but Butrovic postures up.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Dantes keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butrovic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Dantes pinned against the cage. Dantes gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Butrovic drives through and clinches with Dantes against the cage.

Dantes works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantes trying to control the position from guard on top but Butrovic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Butrovic has his hands on Dantes's head, controlling the position.
Dantes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Butrovic shoots in for a double leg but Dantes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Dantes. No joy for Butrovic on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hannibal Butrovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dantes throws a big shot that misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Dantes enables Butrovic to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Dantes manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Dantes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Dantes is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Butrovic trying to control but Dantes is working from the bottom.
Dantes controlling the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Edmund Dantes wasn't active enough on the ground.
Dantes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A slow jab from Dantes misses its intended target.
Dantes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Butrovic manages to avoid it.
Edmund Dantes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Butrovic lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dantes circles away quickly and effectively.
Dantes connects with a body shot that sends Butrovic's belly button to the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Butrovic shoots in but Dantes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A punch lands to the side of Butrovic 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Butrovic shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dantes but Dantes pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Butrovic dodges the punch combination from Dantes.
Dantes throws a big shot that misses.

Butrovic fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Dantes to the ground. Butrovic is now in Dantes's guard.
Butrovic slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Dantes is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Butrovic throwing strikes from guard but Dantes blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butrovic keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Dantes's head.
Dantes working a defensive guard here.

Edmund Dantes has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Dantes just misses with a punch to the body.
Dantes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Butrovic doesn't seem bothered though.
Dantes missing with a left hand there. Butrovic was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dantes throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Butrovic on the side of the head.
Butrovic shoots and misses
and Dantes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hannibal Butrovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dantes moves into range and connects with a jab.
Dantes just misses with a punch to the body.
Dantes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dantes fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Butrovic avoids it really well and circles away.
Dantes missing with a left hand there. Butrovic was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic slaps away a takedown attempt from Dantes, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Dantes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Butrovic's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Butrovic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Dantes!
Dantes is trying desperately to improve position.
Dantes wants to hold on but Butrovic pushes him away.
Butrovic lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Butrovic looking to control but Dantes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dantes really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butrovic lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Hannibal Butrovic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Butrovic trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Butrovic controlling the position easily from mount.
Dantes wants to hold on but Butrovic pushes him away.
Butrovic landing shots from mount.
Dantes really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Butrovic pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Butrovic wants to control but Dantes has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Butrovic passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Butrovic can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Dantes is looking to escape.
Dantes regains half guard.
Dantes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Butrovic is working away from the top position though.
Dantes is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Butrovic is staying active.
Butrovic is looking to take a break and control but Dantes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Butrovic tries to pass the half guard into mount. Dantes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Dantes is refusing to be controlled, as Butrovic sits in half guard.
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 Hannibal Butrovic will probably get the nod.
That's time! Butrovic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Butrovic drives through with a takedown into Dantes's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Dantes is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Dantes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Butrovic prevents Dantes from getting back to his feet.
Butrovic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Butrovic throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Butrovic trying to control but Dantes is working from the bottom.
Butrovic landing with the ground and pound.
Butrovic postures up.
Butrovic has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dantes keeping moving, preventing Butrovic from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Butrovic lands a lovely overhand right.
A jab from Butrovic does it's job there.
No luck for Butrovic with that takedown attempt.
No joy there for Dantes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Butrovic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Dantes defends it nicely.

Butrovic decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dantes wants to improve his position but Butrovic is controlling well.
Butrovic throwing shots but Dantes is blocking nicely.

Dantes is defending against the submission attempts here by Butrovic.
Hannibal Butrovic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dantes slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Dantes keeping full guard, as Butrovic tries to pass.
Dantes is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butrovic stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dantes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dantes is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dantes has his hands on Butrovic's head, controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Butrovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Dantes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Edmund Dantes hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Dantes swings for the body but Butrovic moves out of range.
Edmund Dantes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nice jab there from Dantes.

Butrovic drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Butrovic works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Butrovic trying to control the position but Dantes is working away.
Dantes is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Butrovic off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dantes goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Butrovic escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Dantes wants to get back to full guard.
Butrovic perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Butrovic is keen to just control but Dantes is a slippery customer.
Dantes is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Butrovic scores with a couple of nice shots.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dantes trying to control but Butrovic postures up.
Butrovic controlling the pace.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hannibal Butrovic showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Butrovic, 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hannibal Butrovic!
Hannibal Butrovic gave a mention to Amsterdam in London 95% Laundry in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).