PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Baxter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Vaughn Dez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Vaughn Dez told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Baxter
vs
Vaughn Dez

187 cm
25
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

199 cm
20
205 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ryan Baxter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eric Vaughn Dez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vaughn Dez gets caught flat footed, as Baxter shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baxter throws and elbow that misses. Vaughn Dez uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Baxter's guard. Nice move by Vaughn Dez!

Vaughn Dez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Vaughn Dez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Baxter has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vaughn Dez has managed to get both his arms back between Baxter's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vaughn Dez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baxter preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Baxter trying to keep a closed guard but Vaughn Dez is proving a slippery customer.
Vaughn Dez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Baxter is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vaughn Dez misses with a takedown attempt

so Baxter counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Baxter throwing strikes from guard but Vaughn Dez blocks nicely.

Vaughn Dez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Baxter is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter trying to control but Vaughn Dez is working from the bottom.
Baxter trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Vaughn Dez manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Vaughn Dez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Vaughn Dez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Baxter looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Vaughn Dez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Vaughn Dez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Baxter doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Vaughn Dez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Vaughn Dez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

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.
Vaughn Dez in side control, throwing shots but Baxter defends.
Sloppy strikes there by Vaughn Dez.
Baxter manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Baxter is breathing heavily.
Vaughn Dez is looking to escape.
Vaughn Dez wants to control but Baxter is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vaughn Dez is staying active underneath Baxter, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Baxter not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Baxter throwing shots but Vaughn Dez is blocking nicely.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Vaughn Dez tries to clinch but Baxter moves away

and Baxter decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Vaughn Dez's guard.
Vaughn Dez is trying to control the position but Baxter postures up.
Baxter working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Vaughn Dez's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baxter throws a strike but Vaughn Dez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Baxter controls Vaughn Dez momentarily but Vaughn Dez frees himself.

Vaughn Dez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Baxter has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vaughn Dez has managed to get both his arms back between Baxter's legs - danger averted.
Vaughn Dez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Baxter works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Vaughn Dez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Baxter's guard.
Baxter is refusing to be controlled, as Vaughn Dez sits in half guard.

Vaughn Dez is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Baxter wants to control but Vaughn Dez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Baxter looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Vaughn Dez works his way into side control.

Vaughn Dez is trying to get an arm triangle but Baxter is defending well.
Vaughn Dez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Baxter tries to improve position but can't.
Vaughn Dez moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Vaughn Dez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Baxter knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baxter stops Vaughn Dez from passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ryan Baxter will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Vaughn Dez fails with the takedown

and Baxter counters by moving into the clinch.

Baxter has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Vaughn Dez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Baxter doesn't have the hooks in and Vaughn Dez manages to turn into his guard.

Vaughn Dez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Vaughn Dez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Baxter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Baxter had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Vaughn Dez defends it easily.

Baxter working for a triangle but Vaughn Dez defends it easily.

Baxter is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn Dez is in close to Baxter's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Vaughn Dez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Baxter keeping moving, preventing Vaughn Dez from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vaughn Dez fails with the takedown

and Baxter counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Vaughn Dez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Baxter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vaughn Dez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Baxter won't allow Vaughn Dez to sweep him here.
Baxter trying to control but Vaughn Dez is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baxter loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Baxter is looking to advance position but Vaughn Dez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Vaughn Dez wants to control the pace but Baxter is squirming around nicely.
Vaughn Dez controlling his opponent.
Vaughn Dez fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Vaughn Dez looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
A nice elbow there by Vaughn Dez.
Baxter wants to control but Vaughn Dez is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baxter working to try and regain half guard.
Vaughn Dez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Vaughn Dez lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Baxter sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Vaughn Dez is trying to control. Baxter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ryan Baxter overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vaughn Dez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Vaughn Dez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Baxter is just riding it out for now. Vaughn Dez eventually gives up the hold.

Baxter looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vaughn Dez wants to work for an arm triangle but Baxter is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Vaughn Dez has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Vaughn Dez looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Baxter tries to hold on but Vaughn Dez postures up.
Baxter keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eric Vaughn Dez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Vaughn Dez fails with the takedown

and Baxter counters by moving into the clinch.
Vaughn Dez looking to slow down the pace here.
Baxter wants a takedown but no success here.
Baxter is working for takedown but Vaughn Dez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Baxter has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Vaughn Dez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Baxter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vaughn Dez looking for a takedown.
Vaughn Dez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vaughn Dez taking a breather.
Vaughn Dez jumps guard but Baxter stands there with Vaughn Dez around his waist. Vaughn Dez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Baxter can't get the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaughn Dez tries for a takedown but Baxter manages to get underhooks.
Vaughn Dez jumps guard but Baxter stands there with Vaughn Dez around his waist. Vaughn Dez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Vaughn Dez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Vaughn Dez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Baxter just stands there and leans against the cage.

Baxter has picked Vaughn Dez up - he's going for a ride! Baxter dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Vaughn Dez makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Vaughn Dez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Baxter tries to avoid it but Vaughn Dez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Baxter to the ground. Baxter escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Vaughn Dez doesn't manage to clinch there - Baxter circles away.
Ryan Baxter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Baxter stuffs the takedown attempt from Vaughn Dez. Vaughn Dez gets slowly back to his feet.
Baxter throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vaughn Dez tries for a takedown but Baxter circles away easily

and Baxter counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Vaughn Dez!
Baxter fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Baxter throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Baxter 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.
Vaughn Dez avoids a series of strikes thrown by Baxter.
Baxter throwing strikes but Vaughn Dez bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.

Vaughn Dez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Baxter defends it easily.
Baxter might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baxter trying to control but Vaughn Dez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baxter is looking to work some ground and pound but Vaughn Dez has wrist control.
Vaughn Dez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Baxter has gone for a leg lock! Vaughn Dez slips out almost immediately though and dives into Baxter's guard.
Vaughn Dez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Vaughn Dez postures up in Baxter's guard and throws a big left but Baxter blocks it.
Vaughn Dez slips nicely into half guard.
Ground and pound from Vaughn Dez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter wants to control but Vaughn Dez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vaughn Dez is looking to take a break and control but Baxter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Baxter is looking for a sweep. Vaughn Dez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Baxter wants to get back to full guard but Vaughn Dez has passed into side control.
Baxter wants to hold on but Vaughn Dez pushes him away.
Baxter is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Vaughn Dez unloading with bombs!
Vaughn Dez looking to control but Baxter is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Vaughn Dez working the ground and pound effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ryan Baxter.
I think Baxter 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Ryan Baxter!