PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Dunlop (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Funch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Dunlop
vs
Funch

179 cm
22
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

173 cm
22
146 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, James Dunlop!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricardo Funch!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Richard Clark and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dunlop tries to close the distance and clinch but Funch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dunlop tries a head kick but it misses.
Dunlop tries to close the distance and clinch but Funch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Funch misses with the combination.
Dunlop stuffs the takedown attempt from Funch. Funch gets slowly back to his feet.
Dunlop swinging wilding here.
Funch throws a series of strikes that have Dunlop backpedaling.
Dunlop doesn't manage to clinch there - Funch circles away.
Funch shoots in for a takedown but Dunlop shows good takedown defense.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dunlop looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James Dunlop seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Dunlop moves into the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Dunlop.
Dunlop with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dunlop tries a knee to the head but Funch blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dunlop has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Funch clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Dunlop is hanging on to Funch's back as he tries to escape.
Funch is trying to get back to his feet but Dunlop has full control of the position and if anything, Funch has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Funch showing good submission defense here.
Dunlop doesn't have the hooks in and Funch manages to turn into his guard.

Dunlop is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Dunlop misses with a short punch on the inside.
Funch misses with a hook from the clinch.

Dunlop manages to break the clinch.

Dunlop rushes Funch and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Dunlop lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Funch misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funch swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Dunlop fails to pull guard.

Dunlop breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dunlop tries to clinch up.
Funch fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
James Dunlop has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Funch.

Dunlop closes the distance and pushes Funch back into the cage.

Dunlop turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dunlop manages to end up in side control.
Funch is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Dunlop asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Funch looks gassed!
Funch manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Dunlop punching from the bottom.
Dunlop pushes Funch off looking to stand but Funch dives back in and keeps control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dunlop trying to control but Funch postures up.

Funch is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Dunlop doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Funch.
Dunlop knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Funch on the ground.
Dunlop is trying to get back to full guard.
Dunlop wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Dunlop tries to keep at a distance but Funch has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A head punch on the inside from Funch fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Funch.
Funch is looking to break free of the clinch but Dunlop has double underhooks.
Dunlop lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Funch or not.

Dunlop manages to break the clinch.
Funch throws a sloppy head kick

and Dunlop counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dunlop.
Funch doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dunlop is working for takedown but Funch is calmly controlling the position for now.

Funch lands a takedown into guard.
Funch preventing the sweep.
Funch stops Dunlop from standing up.
Funch wants to control from the top but Dunlop keeps moving.
Funch works a leg free and moves into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Funch connects with a solid leg kick.
Funch fails with the takedown.
Dunlop throws a leg kick that is checked

and Funch counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Dunlop!
Funch wants to control the pace but Dunlop is squirming around nicely.
Dunlop working to try and regain half guard.
Dunlop tries to hold on but Funch postures up.

Funch swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Dunlop is now in Funch's guard. A big mistake from Funch there, giving up the dominant position!
Dunlop throwing strikes from guard but Funch blocks nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dunlop gets to his feet - Funch follows without any prompting.
Dunlop keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Dunlop pushes Funch up against the cage in a clinch.

Dunlop's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dunlop misses with an uppercut. Funch saw that one coming.
Funch fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Dunlop closes the distance and clinches.

Funch breaks from the clinch.
Funch misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Dunlop, right into the meat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Funch checks a leg kick.
Dunlop swinging wilding here.
Dunlop tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Funch counters with a stiff right hand.
Funch fails with the takedown.
James Dunlop has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Funch.
Funch walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dunlop fails to pull guard.
Dunlop doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dunlop lands a body punch.

Dunlop decides to pull guard.
Funch wants to stand but Dunlop has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Dunlop pushes Funch off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dunlop tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Funch paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Dunlop drives through and clinches with Funch against the cage.

Dunlop gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Funch striking from the bottom.
Funch keeping full guard, as Dunlop tries to pass.
Dunlop really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Funch pushes Dunlop off and scrambles back to his feet.

Funch takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funch wants to get back to striking at distance but Dunlop won't allow it.
Dunlop is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Funch wants to get back to striking at distance but Dunlop won't allow it.
Funch wants to break free but Dunlop has control.

Funch jumps guard and drags Dunlop to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Dunlop drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Funch dives on top into guard.
Dunlop keeping moving, preventing Funch from controlling successfully.
Dunlop wants to stand up but Funch is controlling him.
Funch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dunlop works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
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 James Dunlop will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Funch fails with the takedown.
Dunlop tries to clinch up but Funch circles away and keeps his distance.
Dunlop tries to clinch but Funch moves out of range.
Dunlop stuffs the takedown attempt from Funch. Funch gets slowly back to his feet.

Dunlop closes the distance and clinches.
Funch wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Dunlop creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Funch is looking to break free of the clinch but Dunlop has double underhooks.
Funch takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dunlop lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Dunlop escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dunlop lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Dunlop.
Dunlop misses with a kick to the body
and Funch counters with a low kick, right behind Dunlop 's knee.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Funch.
James Dunlop has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Funch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dunlop shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Funch throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dunlop is looking to work some ground and pound but Funch has wrist control.
Dunlop has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dunlop wants to control from the top but Funch keeps moving.
Funch preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funch tries to strike from the bottom.
Funch is wriggling around but Dunlop manages to pass to half guard.
Funch tries to get to full guard but Dunlop has control of the leg.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Funch throws a head kick but Dunlop moves out of range.
Dunlop will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Funch misses with a takedown

and Dunlop counters by moving into the clinch.
Dunlop lands an elbow inside that Funch shrugs off.
Dunlop tries to land knees in the clinch but Funch avoids the damage to the body.
Funch on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Funch dodges an elbow strike from Dunlop.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funch works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Funch tries to break the clinch but Dunlop is controlling the position.
Funch is looking to break free of the clinch but Dunlop has double underhooks.
Funch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Funch is trying to break the clinch but Dunlop has him pressed against the cage.
Funch tries to land knees in the clinch but Dunlop avoids the damage to the body.
Dunlop throws an elbow that misses.

Dunlop breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Funch shoots in but no luck this time.
Dunlop tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Funch counters with a nice uppercut.
Dunlop is looking to clinch but Funch is avoiding it.
Funch with a poor takedown
and Dunlop counters with a series of strikes. Funch will be more careful next time no doubt.
Funch keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Funch is looking to clinch but Dunlop is avoiding it.
Dunlop tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Funch counters with a single leg into guard. Dunlop didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dunlop seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Funch tries to stand but Dunlop is controlling from the bottom.
Dunlop keeping moving, preventing Funch from controlling successfully.

Dunlop is looking for a triangle but Funch pushes his legs off easily.

Dunlop is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Funch lands with a short shot to the head.
Ricardo Funch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Dunlop is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Funch with an attempt at a knee that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Dunlop showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dunlop has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Dunlop!