PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Darnielle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Fall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Darnielle
vs
Fall

197 cm
35
196 lbs
31 - 16 - 0

181 cm
31
185 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing

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 31 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Darnielle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jack Fall!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Fall shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Fall was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Darnielle taking a bit of punishment here - Fall scoring with strikes.
Darnielle avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Fall.
Darnielle has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Fall working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fall has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Darnielle is trying to control Fall's posture but Fall avoids it.

Fall is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Darnielle has escaped the position, nice work there.
Fall working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fall is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Darnielle has escaped the position, nice work there.

Fall looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Fall working the head and body with strikes.
Darnielle tries to improve position but can't.
An elbow from Fall crashes against the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fall is trying to get an arm triangle but Darnielle is defending well.

Fall is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Darnielle has escaped the position, nice work there.

Fall is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Darnielle has escaped the position, nice work there.
The ground and pound from Fall seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Fall controlling from side mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darnielle is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Fall off and has taken his back!
Fall can't escape the position.

Darnielle gets back to his feet from a dominant position... quite strange.
Fall closes this distance looking for a takedown but Darnielle circles away.
Darnielle stalks Fall and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Fall's face. Fall staggers backwards, shaken.

Fall drives through with a takedown into guard.
Darnielle will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Fall postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Darnielle is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Fall, into his guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Fall wants to hit a switch here but Darnielle passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Fall there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Darnielle stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Darnielle lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fall circles away quickly and effectively.
Darnielle moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Darnielle is looking to clinch but Fall is avoiding it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darnielle fails to land with a series of punches.
Darnielle throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Darnielle throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Darnielle throws a looping overhand right but Fall ducks down to avoid it.
Darnielle misses with an uppercut. Fall saw that one coming.
Darnielle misses with a looping left.

Fall shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Fall was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Fall wants to lay and pray for a moment but Darnielle keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Darnielle's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Darnielle is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Fall is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The ground and pound from Fall seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Fall wants to lay and pray for a moment but Darnielle keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fall working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Darnielle is looking for a sweep.

Fall is trying to get an arm triangle but Darnielle is defending well.
Fall working the head with strikes.

Fall tries for a kimura but Darnielle is defending well.
Darnielle manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fall sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Darnielle defending well though.

Fall seems to be working for a kimura but Darnielle defends the submission attempt.
Fall sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Darnielle defending well though.

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

Fall is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Fall is trying to control. Darnielle wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fall throws a strike but Darnielle avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Fall throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fall trying to control the position from guard on top but Darnielle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jack Fall has got the better of the ground game so far.
Darnielle looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Fall won't allow Darnielle to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fall tries to free his leg and advance position but Darnielle is retaining full guard.
Darnielle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Fall tries to free his leg and advance position but Darnielle is retaining full guard.
Fall wants to control from the top but Darnielle keeps moving.
Fall is looking to work some ground and pound but Darnielle has wrist control.
Fall missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fall wants to control from the top but Darnielle keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Darnielle throws a sloppy head kick and Fall moves out of range easily.
Fall throws a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Fall showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Darnielle tries to clinch but Fall is having none of it.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Darnielle.
Darnielle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice uppercut lands for Darnielle. That snapped Fall's head back.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Darnielle, as that shot connected.
Fall thuds his right hand into Darnielle's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A punch combination from Darnielle misses.
Fall shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Darnielle sprawls well. Darnielle wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Fall gets slowly back to his feet.
John Darnielle is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Darnielle throws a looping overhand right but Fall ducks down to avoid it.
Fall scores with a jab.
Darnielle misses the shot to the body.
Darnielle is looking to clinch but Fall is avoiding it.
Fall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fall with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darnielle moves in looking to clinch but Fall pushes him off.
Nice uppercut lands for Fall. That snapped Darnielle's head back.
Fall lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Darnielle circles away quickly and effectively.
Darnielle tries to clinch but Fall is having none of it.
Fall showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Darnielle.
John Darnielle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Darnielle tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Fall ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Fall thuds his right hand into Darnielle's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Darnielle is looking to clinch.
Fall avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fall is trying hard to land a takedown here. Darnielle sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Darnielle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Darnielle. Fall does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fall slips a jab and a cross from Darnielle.
Darnielle moves in looking to clinch but Fall pushes him off.
Fall has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Darnielle.
Darnielle throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fall.
Darnielle tries to clinch there but Fall circles away.
Fall dodges the punch combination from Darnielle.
Darnielle throws a poor cross that misses

and Fall counters with a nice double leg into side control. Darnielle won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Fall swings around for an armbar but Darnielle sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Fall's guard.
Fall has a closed guard, preventing Darnielle from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Fall looking for a guillotine here but Darnielle defends easily.

Fall is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fall is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Fall working a defensive guard here.
Fall lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Darnielle!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fall looking to control but Darnielle is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Darnielle is looking to improve his position but Fall isn't that keen on the idea.
John Darnielle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Fall lands a big elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darnielle tries to lock up and control but Fall gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fall has hold of Darnielle's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Darnielle manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Fall lands a nice shot to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Fall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Fall winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Fall!
A less than humble Jack Fall misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.