PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leo Vuce (ranked 3653 p4p, 301 weight class) and Desmond Darby (ranked 3705 p4p, 304 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Vuce
vs
Darby

180 cm
19
153 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Bee Krazy

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Leo Vuce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Desmond Darby!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Glass and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darby forces Vuce back against the cage and clinches.

Vuce drags the fight down to the ground.

Vuce pushes Darby off and scrambles back to his feet.
Vuce slips under a jab from Darby.

Vuce clinches up with Darby and pushes him back against the cage.
Darby prevents the takedown attempt.
Darby trying to land knees to the body.
Vuce is working for takedown but Darby is calmly controlling the position for now.

Darby is fighting off a takedown attempt but Vuce is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Darby to the mat. Darby regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Vuce prevents Darby from getting back to his feet.
Vuce wants to stand and escape but instead Darby has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Vuce is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Death Valley Training Facility that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Darby gets to his feet. Vuce looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Darby is looking to clinch but Vuce is avoiding it.
Darby tries a low kick but Vuce avoids it.

Vuce closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Vuce is trying to drag Darby to the mat but Darby just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leo Vuce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Vuce has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Darby uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darby throwing strikes but missing.

Vuce is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Darby tries to pull guard but Vuce forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Vuce has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Darby avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Darby tries to work over Vuce's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Darby.

Vuce decides to pull guard.
Darby stands up over Vuce, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Darby wants to stand but Vuce has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Darby landing some decent shots from guard.

Vuce wriggles free and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darby gets tackled into the cage by Vuce. Vuce maintains the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vuce lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Vuce gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Darby is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Vuce's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Vuce postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Vuce postures up and lands a big shot to Darby's brow.

Vuce decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Darby tries to work over Vuce's front leg with a kick but Vuce checks it.
Vuce looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Darby is fending him off so far but Vuce persists. Nope, Darby circles away and we're back to standing.
Darby looks to land a right hand but Vuce moved out of range.
As Darby tries to get set, Vuce tries to push him back and clinch up but Darby manages to avoid the attempt.

Vuce looking to score a takedown here. Darby is defending well but Vuce drives through and ends up in Darby's guard.

Darby has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Vuce off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darby scores with a nice strike.

Vuce fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Darby, pushing him back against the cage.
Darby stops a takedown attempt from Vuce.
Vuce is looking to take this one to the mat.
Vuce is breathing heavily.
Darby misses with a short punch on the inside.

Vuce has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Darby regains guard immediately.
Vuce cracks Darby with a solid left hand.
Darby throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Darby wants to stand up but Vuce is controlling him.
Vuce loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vuce scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Vuce not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've been informed that Darby has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Vuce trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vuce's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Darby is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A big right from Vuce misses.
Vuce fails with a takedown attempt.
A swing and a miss from Darby.
Darby misses with a head kick.
Darby misses with a leg kick.
Darby throws a right hand that Vuce ducks under and follows up with a left that Vuce also avoids with ease.
Vuce feinted with a counter takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Darby misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Vuce dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Vuce shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Vuce was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Vuce decides to stand back up. Vuce steps back and let's Darby get back to his feet.
Vuce slips under a jab from Darby.
Vuce is looking to counter punch.

Vuce has taken the fight to the clinch.

Vuce lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Vuce controlling the action here.
Vuce has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Vuce trying to control from Darby's half guard. Darby has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Vuce scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vuce passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vuce creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Vuce lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Vuce is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Darby knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Darby takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Vuce has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Nice jab there from Darby.
Vuce uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darby.

Vuce darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vuce throwing shots but Darby is blocking nicely.

Vuce is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Vuce is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Darby is staying active underneath Vuce, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Darby with the active half guard here but Vuce passes nicely into side control.
Vuce staying calm.
Vuce working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Vuce in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Vuce tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Vuce wants to take a breather but Darby manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Vuce.
Vuce seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Vuce is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Darby is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Darby has escaped and now he's on top!

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Vuce dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Darby throws a right and a left that both miss.
Darby tries a head kick but it misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Vuce misses the target.

Vuce gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vuce jumps guard but Darby turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Vuce goes for a takedown in the clinch but Darby prevents it.
Darby throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vuce blocks it with crossed arms.
Vuce is working for takedown but Darby is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leo Vuce. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vuce tries for a takedown but Darby manages to get underhooks.
Darby tries to land a knee to the head but Vuce blocks with his arms.

Vuce has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Darby uses from the top position.
Vuce wants to get back to his feet but Darby is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darby working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Darby makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vuce avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Leo Vuce overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vuce is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Darby is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darby stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Nice shot lands for Darby.
Vuce misses with a body shot.
Darby stuffs the takedown attempt from Vuce. Vuce gets slowly back to his feet.
Vuce uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darby.
Vuce looks to score with a jab to the body but Darby is just out of range.
Vuce tries to clinch but Darby is having none of it.
Vuce fails to land the takedown.
Vuce displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darby throws out the jab.
Vuce changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Darby tries to avoid it but Vuce manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Darby to the ground. Darby escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Darby missing with a left hand there. Vuce was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Vuce tries to land a front kick but Darby steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darby with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Vuce takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Darby uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Vuce has time to react.
Desmond Darby seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Darby looks to land a right hand but Vuce moved out of range.
Darby connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Vuce fails with the takedown.
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!
Vuce takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Darby throws a body shot but no joy.
Vuce displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Darby throws out the jab.
A slow jab from Darby misses its intended target.

Vuce scores with a takedown into Darby's guard.
Darby is looking to stand up but Vuce isn't so interested in that idea.
Vuce with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darby keeping moving, preventing Vuce from controlling successfully.
Vuce wanted to stand there but Darby had control of the position.
Vuce seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Darby is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vuce looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vuce won't allow Darby to sweep him here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Vuce throws a big shot that misses.
Darby goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Darby ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Vuce moves away from the strike by Darby.
Darby throws a hook to the side of Vuce's head but Vuce sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Darby misses with a looping left.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vuce throws a jab but it's blocked by Darby.
Horrible takedown attempt by Vuce or perhaps it was just good defense by Darby, which made it look bad.
Desmond Darby has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darby misses with a looping right.

And that's the end of the fight!
Desmond Darby comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vuce 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Vuce!
A victorious Leo Vuce thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.