PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Deviante Russell (ranked 1842 p4p, 248 weight class) and Dylan McDaniel (ranked 1493 p4p, 212 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Russell
vs
McDaniel

188 cm
26
206 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

188 cm
30
215 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Deviante Russell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dylan McDaniel!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McDaniel slips a straight right by Russell.
Russell scores with a jab to the body.
McDaniel is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Russell looks to throw the jab but McDaniel is out of range.
Russell misses the shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Russell. McDaniel does a little dance to reset his feet.
McDaniel connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Russell scores with a jab to the body.
Russell misses with a hook. McDaniel ducked under it nicely.
Russell throws a right hand that McDaniel ducks under and follows up with a left that McDaniel also avoids with ease.
McDaniel tries to clinch up but Russell circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Russell takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

It looks like Deviante Russell has been cut.
McDaniel closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A big left from Russell misses.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Russell scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Russell trying to control the position but McDaniel is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russell has knee on belly and moves into mount.
McDaniel holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Russell tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Russell misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Russell avoids the attempt from McDaniel to control.
McDaniel wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Russell.
Russell prevents McDaniel from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McDaniel wants to get back to his feet.
BOOM! Russell connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Russell trying to control but McDaniel is having none of it.
Russell thowing shots but they're missing.
Russell throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for McDaniel because Russell loaded up on that one.
Russell tries to control but McDaniel wriggling away.
Russell unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Russell goes for an armbar but he's not got it… McDaniel turns into him and now he's in Russell's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw McDaniel working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Russell is looking for a triangle but McDaniel pushes his legs off easily.

Russell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead McDaniel passes into side control.
Russell 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.
Russell is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McDaniel is looking to take a break and control but Russell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Russell tries to bench press McDaniel off him but McDaniel keeps the position.
McDaniel is looking to take a break and control but Russell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Russell tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Deviante Russell dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Deviante Russell's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

McDaniel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Russell fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McDaniel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Dylan McDaniel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McDaniel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Russell misses with a hook. McDaniel ducked under it nicely.

Russell gets tackled into the cage by McDaniel. McDaniel maintains the clinch.
I was talking to Russell's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from McDaniel fails to land.

Russell gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Russell in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Russell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McDaniel can do to turn this around?
Russell throws a big elbow that misses.
Russell throws a strike but McDaniel rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Russell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and McDaniel defends well.

Russell had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. McDaniel defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Russell working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McDaniel doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Russell is tightening it up a little... McDaniel has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! McDaniel reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! McDaniel taps out! Nice BJJ there by Russell!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Deviante Russell!
A relieved looking Deviante Russell thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
In defeat, Dylan McDaniel stepped up to the mic, saying 'I can still whoop his ass 9 out of 10 times!'.