PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Rand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dirk Ante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ante has chosen Da Mystery of Chessboxin' as his entrance music. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rand
vs
Ante

181 cm
22
181 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
176 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Daniel Rand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dirk Ante!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Donk. Rand catches Ante right on the button with a cross.
Rand misses with a head kick.
A combination from Ante does no damage.

Rand closes the distance and clinches.

Ante gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Rand regains guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ante is looking to work some ground and pound but Rand has wrist control.
Ante looking to pass the guard.

Ante drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rand looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rand looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rand!
Ante tries to buck Rand off but Rand is having none of it.
Ante wants to control but Rand postures up.
Ante is looking for a sweep.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Ante has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ante struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ante tries to bench press Rand off him but Rand keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ante is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rand throws a push kick but Ante slaps the foot to one side.
Ante fails to land with a series of punches.
Daniel Rand seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rand throws a sloppy head kick and Ante moves out of range easily.
Ante gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Rand throws a head kick but Ante moves out of range.
Rand misses with a head kick.
Rand pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rand is breathing heavily.
Ante will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rand falls off balance throwing a combination

and Ante counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rand's guard now.
Rand keeping moving, preventing Ante from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ante tries to free his leg and advance position but Rand is retaining full guard.

Ante drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Ante jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ante trying to control but Rand is working from the bottom.
Rand keeping full guard, as Ante tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rand prevents Ante from improving his position.
Ante is positioning himself well to prevent Rand advancing to mount.
Ante is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ante landing strikes from the bottom.

Ante looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ante is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rand's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rand's back!

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.
Rand prevents Ante from getting a body triangle.

Rand showing good submission defense here.
Ante is looking to control Rand but Rand is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Ante looking for the choke but no joy.

Ante has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Rand has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Ante dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ante looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ante shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Rand pinned against the cage. Rand gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A left and a right from Ante both land. Nice combination.
Rand throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rand takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rand tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rand throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A head kick by Rand misses

and Ante counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ante wants to control from the top but Rand keeps moving.
Ante stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rand swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ante trying to control the position from guard on top but Rand is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ante advances position into side control!

Ante is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Rand knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Ante tries to advance to mount but Rand instead regains half guard.
Ante is breathing heavily.
Ante trying to advance position but Rand counters by regaining guard.

That's two 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.
Ante wants to pass the guard but Rand is keeping the position.

Ante drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rand manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ante has Rand in his guard.

Ante looking for a guillotine here but Rand defends easily.
Ante keeping moving, preventing Rand from controlling successfully.
Dirk Ante has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ante looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rand is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ante manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rand manages to get himself to full guard.
Rand keeping full guard, as Ante tries to pass.
Ante passes into half guard.

Ante looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Ante is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Ante slows the pace down in half guard.
Ante trying to pass the guard but Rand defending well.
Ante passes to full mount!
BOOM! Ante connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Ante goes for an armbar but Rand turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Rand.
Rand sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Ante showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rand jabs Ante right on the nose. Ante blinks but takes it well.
Rand throws a sloppy head kick

and Ante counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rand!

Ante has control of Rand's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rand regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Rand wants to hold on but Ante pushes him away.

Ante working for a submission but Rand is keeping him at bay.
Rand wants to control but Ante is having none of it.

Ante has control of Rand's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rand regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ante wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
Ante tries to control but Rand wriggling away.

Ante swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Rand is now in Ante's guard. A big mistake from Ante there, giving up the dominant position!
Ante takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ante is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Ante is looking for a triangle but Rand pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rand wants to control from the top but Ante keeps moving.
Ante looking for a sweep. Not yet Ante, not yet.
Ante working a defensive guard here.
Rand content to stall in guard here.

Ante looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Rand has picked Ante up and slammed him! Ante can't keep hold of the triangle and Rand manages to pass to side control!
Ante tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ante gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ante moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Daniel Rand has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ante looking for a guillotine here but Rand defends easily.

Ante working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rand doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rand manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Rand trying to control the position from guard on top but Ante is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rand has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Ante looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Rand passes into half guard.

Ante is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Rand pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Ante looking for submissions off his back.
Ante wants to improve his position but Rand is controlling well.
Ante is trying to control but can't.
Ante is looking to improve his position.
Rand tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ante knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rand misses the body punch
and Ante counters with a two punch combo.

Ante decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rand punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Ante comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ante winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dirk Ante!