PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mike Durham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dude Love (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Durham kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mercy. Love has chosen Imagine as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Durham
vs
Love

170 cm
26
144 lbs
16 - 6 - 1

150 cm
27
149 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

[WOT] DTK Designs (Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Mike Durham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dude Love!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durham throws out a loose jab but Love uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice combination there by Durham.
Durham scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A slow jab from Durham misses its intended target.
Love shoots in for a takedown but Durham shows good takedown defense.
Love displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Durham throws out the jab.

Love closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Durham to the mat! Durham manages to get full guard.
Love wants to pass the guard but Durham is keeping the position.
Durham is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Love has hold of Durham's hands but Durham slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Durham will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Durham is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Durham is keen to just control but Love is a slippery customer.
Durham slips a nice elbow through Love's hands, connecting with Love's forehead.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Durham takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Durham scoring with some ground and pound.

Love escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Durham gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Durham postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Love looking for a guillotine here but Durham defends easily.
Love has momentary wrist control but Durham slips an elbow through the middle.

Love pushes Durham off and gets back to his feet.
Donk. Durham catches Love right on the button with a cross.
Mike Durham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Durham misses with a wild combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Durham stuffs the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham lands a lovely overhand right.
Durham with a hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Durham.
Love staying out of range there.
Durham waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Love.
Durham jabs Love right on the nose. Love blinks but takes it well.
Love fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Mike Durham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dude Love.
Love ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Love staying out of range there.
Love slips a jab and a cross from Durham.
Durham scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham digs a good body shot into Love's ribs.
Durham misses with a looping left.
Durham misses with a wild combination.
Mike Durham seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Durham throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A punch combination from Durham misses.
Love slips under a jab.
Love uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Durham.
Love dodges the punch combination from Durham.
Love moves out of range as Durham strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Durham, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Love ducks under a wild hook from Durham.
Durham throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Durham throws a jab when Love was well out of range.
Love bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Durham looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Durham misses with an uppercut. Love saw that one coming.
Durham misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Love slips a straight right by Durham.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Durham!
Love throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Durham's waist but Durham gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Love off to one side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Love.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Durham dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice jab there from Durham.
Durham throws a right and a left that Love avoids nicely.
Durham lands the left hand.
Durham throws a series of punches but Love moves out of range.
Dude Love is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Love shoots in looking for a takedown. Durham tries to sprawl out of it but Love keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Durham manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Durham throws a body punch but Love moves out of range.
Love walks into a stiff left hand from Durham.
Durham misses with a series of wild punches.
A big left from Durham misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham misses with a right hand

and Love counters with a single leg into guard. Durham didn't expect that.
Love stopping the sweep attempt from Durham.

Love 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Love tries to free his leg and advance position but Durham is retaining full guard.
Durham throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Dude Love has got the better of the ground game so far.
Love is looking to stand up but Durham won't let him.
Durham trying to strike off his back.

Love thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Love stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Durham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Love postures up.

Love thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Love 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.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Love drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Love jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Durham bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Love's guard.
Durham cracks Love with a solid left hand.
Love looking for a sweep. Not yet Love, not yet.

Love is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Durham content to stall in guard here.
Durham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Love is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham is pushing down on Love's leg trying to pass to half guard. Love is fighting to maintain full guard but Durham has managed to sneak the leg through.

Durham is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Love sees it coming and defends easily.

Love actively working from the bottom here.
Durham looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Durham controlling the pace.
Durham missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Durham is looking to take a break and control but Love is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Durham prevents Love from improving his position.
Love is refusing to be controlled, as Durham sits in half guard.
Durham is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Love is pressing down on Durham's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Love wants to sweep but no luck.
Durham keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Love's head.

Love is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Durham trying to control but Love is working from the bottom.
Love looking to hit a scissor sweep but Durham is one step ahead there.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Durham scoring with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Durham throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Love works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Durham is looking to work some ground and pound but Love has wrist control.
Durham postures up and lands a big shot to Love's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Durham dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Durham misses with a wild body shot.
Durham stuffs the takedown.
Durham lands a jab-cross combination.
Durham throws a shot from downtown. Love moves away and avoids it.
Durham throws the left hand but Love avoids the punch easily.
Love moves out of range as Durham strikes.
Durham throws a nice looking combination but Love bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Durham will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Durham misses with a body punch

and Love counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Love is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Love seems to be working for a kimura but Durham defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Love looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Love prevents Durham from improving his position.
Durham wants to control but Love is keeping busy.
Durham is trying to get back to full guard.
Durham is working hard here to advance position.

Love is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Durham doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Love.
Dude Love has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Love is thwarting Durham's attempts to control the position.
Durham keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Durham moves into full guard.
Love preventing the sweep.
Love pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Durham is keeping the position for now.

Love has gone for a leg lock! Durham slips out almost immediately though and dives into Love's guard.
Durham is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham pushes down on Love's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Love manages to get to full guard.
Durham looking to pass the guard.
Love avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Durham tries to free his leg and advance position but Love is retaining full guard.

Love working for a triangle but Durham defends it easily.

Love is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Durham lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham connects with a couple of short punches.
Durham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Durham trying to control the position from guard on top but Love is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Love escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Durham gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Love escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Durham gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Love takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Love looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Love working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Durham doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Durham manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mike Durham is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Durham postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dude Love.
I think Durham has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Durham!
Mike Durham decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.