PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Drake Monaco (ranked 4739 p4p, 4724 weight class) and Dan Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Monaco
vs
Jones

179 cm
18
240
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
25
263
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Drake Monaco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dan Jones!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Dirk Anderson and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Monaco gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Jones counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Drake Monaco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Monaco misses with a takedown
and Jones counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Jones is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Jones lands a head shot.
Jones cracks Monaco with an open hand slap.

Monaco shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Monaco is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones tries to kick Monaco off but Monaco keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Jones is looking to control Monaco's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jones avoid being mounted?
Monaco drops an elbow to the side of Jones's head.
Jones avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Monaco.
Jones looks like he's trying to stand up.
Monaco is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monaco throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Monaco sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two 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.
Monaco prevents Jones from standing back up.
Well, if Monaco is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Monaco has his takedown stuffed
and Jones counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Monaco dives in and scores a takedown into Jones's guard.
Monaco throws a big elbow that misses.
Jones preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Monaco sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monaco throwing strikes but missing.
Jones looks winded!
Monaco 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.
Jones wants to get back to his feet but Monaco is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Monaco tries to free his leg and advance position but Jones is retaining full guard.
Monaco working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Monaco accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Monaco content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Monaco scoring with punches to the head and body.
Monaco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Monaco's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Monaco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jones swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Monaco showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dan Jones will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Monaco misses with a takedown attempt
and Jones counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Monaco with a poor takedown
and Jones counters with a straight right hand.
Monaco shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Jones counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Drake Monaco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Monaco shoots in looking for a takedown but Jones manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Monaco's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Jones lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Jones enables Monaco to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Jones manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Monaco makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Monaco not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Monaco with a flurry of punches that miss.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monaco sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jones is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monaco content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Monaco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Monaco stands up over Jones, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Monaco stays in close to Jones's body and controls the position.
Monaco seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Jones for as long as he can get away with.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monaco is in close to Jones's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Drake Monaco overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jones can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Monaco controls the pace.
Monaco might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Monaco chips away with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monaco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Monaco lands a couple of digs.
Monaco chips away with some ground and pound.
Monaco is in close to Jones's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Monaco throws a big right hand that misses.
Monaco controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monaco is in close to Jones's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Monaco passes into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Monaco lands a nice short elbow.
Monaco looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Jones with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Monaco is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Monaco working Jones over with strikes.
Monaco has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Monaco controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monaco has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Jones is working to get back to half guard.
Jones takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Monaco controlling from the full mount.
Jones is in a horrible position here. Monaco smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Monaco unloading with bombs!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Monaco controlling the pace for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Drake Monaco dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Monaco shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense.
Jones appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Jones changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Monaco with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jones counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Monaco tries for a takedown but Jones circles away easily
and Jones makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Drake Monaco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Monaco with a poor takedown
and Monaco takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monaco has his takedown stuffed
and Jones counters with a nice uppercut.
Monaco gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Jones counters with a right hand to the body.
Dan Jones seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monaco fails with the takedown
and Jones connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Monaco tries for a takedown but Jones circles away easily
and Jones counters with a stiff right hand.
Monaco with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jones counters with a straight right hand.
Drake Monaco is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Horrible takedown attempt by Monaco or perhaps it was just good defense by Jones, which made it look bad.
Monaco misses with a takedown
and Jones connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Monaco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Jones circles away.
Monaco shoots for a takedown but Jones saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jones swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Monaco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Jones swivels and escapes.
Monaco dives in and grabs Jones's left leg, looking for a takedown. Jones pushes down on Monaco's head and hops out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monaco with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Jones counter with a right hand.
Jones has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jones lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Monaco shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Monaco shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jones as he jumps to the side.
It seemed like Jones was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Monaco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Jones counters with a stiff right hand.
Monaco gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Jones counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Monaco shoots for a takedown but Jones saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Monaco misses with a takedown attempt
and Jones counters with a left and a right that stings Monaco.
Monaco misses with a takedown attempt
and Jones cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monaco tries for a takedown but Jones circles away easily
and Jones counters with a straight right hand.
Monaco takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Monaco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Jones circles away.
Dan Jones is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Monaco shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jones pinned against the cage. Jones gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Monaco shoots in looking for a takedown. Jones tries to sprawl out of it but Monaco keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Jones manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Monaco shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Jones counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Drake Monaco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monaco misses with a takedown attempt - Jones sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Monaco shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Jones sprawls well. Jones wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Monaco gets slowly back to his feet.

Monaco closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Jones did well to prevent Monaco getting side control.
Nice strikes from Monaco there.
Monaco stalling.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jones can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jones wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Jones comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jones 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:29
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Jones!