PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mortimer Duke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Igali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Duke comes to the cage accompanied by Pink Floyd - Money. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Duke
vs
Igali

170 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

170 cm
20
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mortimer Duke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Daniel Igali!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Eddie Farnsworth and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Duke tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Duke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Duke tries to clinch up but Igali circles away and keeps his distance.

Igali closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Duke did well to prevent Igali getting side control.
Igali drops an elbow to the side of Duke's head.
Igali is looking to take a break and control but Duke is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Duke taking some punishment here, with Igali in his half guard.
Igali lands strikes from half guard.
Ground and pound from Igali.
Igali throws a strike but Duke avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Duke is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Igali is aware though and is defending well.

Duke looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Igali postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Igali has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Igali controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Igali lands a couple of digs.
Igali trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Igali working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Duke's head.
Igali trying to control the position from guard on top but Duke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Duke throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Igali landing some decent shots from guard.
Igali with a nice head shot there.
Igali postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Igali looking to sit in guard and control but Duke gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Duke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Duke decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Igali, up you get!
Igali lands a jab.

Igali closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Duke to the mat! Duke manages to get full guard.
Igali keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Duke's head.
Duke keeping moving, preventing Igali from controlling successfully.
Igali looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Igali got a little sloppy there for a moment and Duke has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Igali has managed to get both his arms back between Duke's legs - danger averted.

Duke had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Igali defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Igali makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Igali trying to control the position from guard on top but Duke is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Igali postures up in Duke's guard and throws a big left but Duke blocks it.
Igali postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Duke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Igali slips nicely into half guard.
Igali lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

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.
Igali seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Igali winds up and cracks Duke with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Duke on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Duke tries to get out of the position.
Igali trying to pass the guard but Duke defending well.
Igali with the ground and pound but Duke uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Igali is working Duke over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Igali looking to pass the guard.
Igali preventing the sweep.
Igali is working Duke over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Igali circles away from the clinch attempt.
Duke fails with the takedown

and Igali counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Igali uses his free foot to push down on Duke's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Duke.
Igali with the ground and pound from mount.
Igali cracks Duke with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Duke is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Duke is squirming around, avoiding Igali's attempts to control the action.
Igali is landing with some decent strikes but Duke is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Igali working the ground and pound effectively.
Igali with shots to the head and body - Duke looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Igali working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Igali landing punches.
Igali trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Igali in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Igali lands a big elbow.
Duke is squirming around, avoiding Igali's attempts to control the action.
Duke is looking to improve his position but Igali isn't that keen on the idea.
Igali trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Igali scoring with strikes but Duke is staying in there.
BOOM! Igali connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Igali raining down shots from the mount!
Igali prevents Duke from getting the reversal.
Igali with the ground and pound from mount.
Duke flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Igali wants to control the pace but Duke is squirming around nicely.
Igali landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke wants to get back to his feet.
Duke keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Igali punishing his opponent with strikes.
Duke is in a horrible position here. Igali smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Duke is trying desperately to improve position.
Duke in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Igali lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Duke hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Igali lands with some strikes.
Duke throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Igali with good strikes from the mount here!
Igali lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Igali with good strikes from the mount here!
Igali with a couple of short strikes.
Igali raining down shots from the mount!
Duke is in a horrible position here. Igali smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Igali pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Igali trying to control but Duke is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Igali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice uppercut lands for Igali. That snapped Duke's head back.

Duke looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Igali!

Duke is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Igali to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Igali shrugs it off.
Igali sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Duke thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Igali makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Duke drives through and clinches with Igali against the cage.
Duke is trying to drag Igali to the mat but Igali just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Duke creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Duke throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Duke tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Igali has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Duke avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Duke fails to pull guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Duke jumps guard.
Igali scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Igali keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Duke's head.
Igali is in close to Duke's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Duke looking for a guillotine here but Igali defends easily.
Igali lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Igali slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Igali working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Igali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Duke keeps working.
Duke takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Igali working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Duke takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Igali working the head with strikes.
Igali cracks Duke with a big right hand but Duke just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Duke is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Daniel Igali has got the better of the ground game so far.
Igali creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Igali working the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Igali lands a few punches from side control.
Duke tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Igali wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Igali landing strikes.
Igali creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Duke regains half guard.
Igali working over Duke with some ground and pound. Duke looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Duke tries to kick Igali off but Igali keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Igali working Duke over with strikes.
Igali frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Igali with good strikes from the mount here!
Mortimer Duke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Igali lands with some strikes.
Igali unloading with bombs!
Duke flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Duke tries to reverse the position but Igali maintains control.
Igali with shots to the head and body - Duke looks very uncomfortable down there.
Igali lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Duke hang on?
Duke takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Igali lands a big elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Igali lands a heavy elbow.
Igali can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Duke is looking to escape.
Daniel Igali is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Igali content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Igali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Igali 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 26:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 26:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Igali!