PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mark Dill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steven Vilkas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dill kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Safri Duo - Played A Live. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dill
vs
Vilkas

173 cm
20
156 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mark Dill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steven Vilkas!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, John Roberts and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vilkas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vilkas looks to clinch
and Dill counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Dill moves in looking to clinch but Vilkas pushes him off.
Vilkas fails with a takedown attempt.
Vilkas fails with a takedown attempt.
Vilkas moves in looking to clinch but Dill pushes him off.

Dill darts in and clinches Vilkas up against the cage.

Dill breaks from the clinch.

Vilkas gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Dill tries to roll over but Vilkas keeps him under control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vilkas performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dill has hold of Vilkas's hands but Vilkas slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Vilkas seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dill is looking to escape.
Dill regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Vilkas.
Dill seems keen to control Vilkas's posture.
Vilkas trying to control but Dill is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Steven Vilkas was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Vilkas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Dill did well to prevent Vilkas getting side control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Vilkas lands a nice short elbow.
Vilkas frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Vilkas controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vilkas lands a nice shot to the head.
Vilkas has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dill is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vilkas lands with some strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vilkas trying to control but Dill is having none of it.
Vilkas controlling the pace for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Vilkas dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Vilkas has managed to clinch.
Dill crunches a lovely knee into Vilkas's ribcage.

Vilkas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vilkas tries to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Vilkas throws a sloppy head kick
and Dill makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Dill tries to bum rush Vilkas with a series of wild strikes but Vilkas uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Vilkas has Dill up against the cage in a clinch.
Dill lands a good knee to the midsection. Vilkas won't want to take too many of those.
Nice elbow from Dill.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dill is trying to pull guard but Vilkas has him pressed against the cage.

Vilkas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dill circles away from the clinch attempt.
Dill fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vilkas tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dill paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vilkas shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dill as he jumps to the side.

Dill gets caught napping as Vilkas dives in and scores a takedown. Dill manages to retain guard.
Dill keeping moving, preventing Vilkas from controlling successfully.
Vilkas throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dill wants to sweep but no luck.

Vilkas gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Vilkas has a takedown stuffed.
Dill shoots in for a double leg but Vilkas sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Dill scores with a crisp jab that stopped Vilkas in his tracks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dill lands with an overhand left.
Dill slips a jab and a cross from Vilkas.
Vilkas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mark Dill has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steven Vilkas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vilkas tries to clinch
and Dill counters with a stiff right hand.

Dill gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Vilkas to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Vilkas gets to his feet. Dill looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Vilkas tries to clinch there but Dill circles away.
Vilkas tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dill defends well and Vilkas ends up having to push Dill into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Dill creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Vilkas's defenses.

Vilkas has picked Dill up - he's going for a ride! Vilkas dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vilkas perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Dill gets back to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dill wants to stand but Vilkas is controlling the position.
Vilkas trying to control the position from guard on top but Dill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Vilkas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Vilkas tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dill is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Vilkas shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dill manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Vilkas gets to his feet - Dill follows without any prompting.
Dill has a takedown stuffed.
Dill swings for the body but Vilkas moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Vilkas. Those never looked like landing.
Dill misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vilkas has a takedown stuffed.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vilkas.

Dill moves into range and clinches up with Vilkas.

Dill pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dill keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vilkas tries to clinch up
letting Dill counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vilkas throws a sloppy head kick
and Dill counters with a stiff right hand.
Vilkas throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dill's waist but Dill gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Vilkas off to one side.
Mark Dill has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steven Vilkas.
Vilkas misses with a kick to the body
and Dill counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Vilkas thinking.

Dill has taken the fight to the clinch.
Vilkas tries for a takedown. No joy.
Dill unloads a knee to the mid-section. Vilkas lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Dill ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Dill no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Dill is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Dill might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dill keeping moving, preventing Vilkas from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vilkas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dill preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dill wants to get back to his feet but Vilkas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Vilkas 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Steven Vilkas wasn't active enough on the ground.
Dill defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Vilkas.
Vilkas shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Dill as he avoids it easily.
Vilkas fails with a takedown attempt.
Vilkas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vilkas throws a sloppy head kick
and Dill counters with a body kick.
Vilkas on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Dill fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vilkas stuffs the takedown attempt from Dill. Dill gets slowly back to his feet.
Mark Dill is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dill throws a nice head kick!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mark Dill.
I think Vilkas 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Vilkas!