PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dean Waters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miro Lightning (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dean Waters has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Waters
vs
Lightning

190 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dean Waters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Miro Lightning!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Chris Saunders and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Waters is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lightning sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nice sprawl there from Lightning as Waters shoots in.
Dean Waters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Waters has Lightning up against the cage in a clinch.
Waters tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lightning just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Waters. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Waters drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Waters has a closed guard, preventing Lightning from standing up.
Waters knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lightning on the ground.
Waters controlling the position.
Lightning wants to get up but he can't break Waters's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Waters pushes Lightning off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters misses with a kick to the body.
Horrible takedown by Lightning or perhaps it was just good defense by Waters which made him look bad.
Waters shoots for a takedown but Lightning saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Waters shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lightning sprawls well. Lightning wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Waters gets slowly back to his feet.

Waters moves into range and clinches up with Lightning.
Waters wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lightning has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Waters looking for a takedown.
Waters fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Lightning wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Waters wants to get back to striking at distance but Lightning won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Waters as Lightning tries to tie him up.
Waters keeps control of Lightning as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Waters jumps guard but Lightning turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lightning to keep the fight standing.
Lightning doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Waters wants a takedown but no success here.
Waters has Lightning pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Lightning manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Waters is breathing heavily.
Waters misses with an elbow strike.
Waters tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lightning smiles and moves away.
Waters misses with an uppercut.
Lightning shoots for a double leg takedown but Waters sprawls well. He's pushed Lightning's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waters misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Lightning counters with a straight right hand.
Waters fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Waters tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Lightning swivels and escapes.
Waters fails with a takedown attempt.
Lightning misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Waters takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Waters throws a sloppy head kick
and Lightning counters with a lovely straight right hand!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dean Waters will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Lightning shoots in looking for a takedown. Waters tries to sprawl out of it but Lightning keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Waters manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Waters scores with a shot to the body.

Waters takes the fight into the clinch.
Waters stalling against the cage.
Waters tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lightning smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters fails with the takedown.
Waters tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Waters shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lightning pinned against the cage. Lightning gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Waters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lightning uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lightning shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Waters as he jumps to the side.
Lightning stuffs the takedown attempt from Waters. Waters gets slowly back to his feet.
Lightning stuffs the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Waters swats away the attempt to clinch by Lightning.
Waters misses with a series of wild punches.
Waters is trying hard to land a takedown here. Lightning sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Waters. Those never looked like landing.
Waters shoots and misses
and Lightning counters with a nice low kick that buckles Waters's knee momentarily.
Lightning is looking to clinch.
Lightning throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Waters on the side of the head.
Waters keeps the fight on the outside.
Lightning is looking to clinch.
Lightning looks to clinch
and Waters counters with a nice uppercut.
Waters defending well as Lightning loads up on a big left hand.
Waters fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lightning avoids it really well and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lightning scores with a hook to the body. Waters takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lightning is trying hard to land a takedown here. Waters sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lightning is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Lightning uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Lightning will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lightning scores with a jab to the head.
Waters changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lightning tries to avoid it but Waters manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lightning to the ground. Lightning escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Waters swats away the attempt to clinch by Lightning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Miro Lightning will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Waters fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Waters shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lightning but Lightning pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Waters throws a combination that misses
and Waters takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lightning lands a really nice looking cross but Waters seems unphased.

Lightning gets tackled into the cage by Waters. Waters maintains the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lightning blocks a body shot from Waters.
Waters tries to pull guard but Lightning won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Waters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Waters drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lightning's efforts to push away.
Lightning goes for a takedown in the clinch but Waters prevents it.
Waters lands a body punch in the clinch.
Lightning lands a hook to the side of the head.

Lightning breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lightning tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Waters counters with a stiff right hand.
Lightning stuffs the takedown attempt from Waters. Waters gets slowly back to his feet.
Waters shoots for a double leg takedown but Lightning sprawls well. He's pushed Waters's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Lightning tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Waters paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Waters shoots in looking for a takedown but Lightning manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Waters's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lightning tries to close the distance and clinch up but Waters swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lightning keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lightning shoots in looking for a takedown but Waters manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lightning's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Lightning wants to clinch up but Waters keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lightning.
Lightning defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Waters.
Dean Waters is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Waters shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lightning sprawls well. Lightning wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Waters gets slowly back to his feet.
Waters avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Waters swats away the attempt to clinch by Lightning.
Lightning tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Waters paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Waters swats away the attempt to clinch by Lightning.
Lightning fails with a takedown attempt.
Waters has a takedown stuffed.
Waters tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Waters throws a body kick, spinning off balance
enabling Lightning to counter with a crisp jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Miro Lightning.
I think Lightning 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miro Lightning!
Miro Lightning was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.