PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ben Askren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Kaplan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kaplan is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Tenderness by General Public. Dave Kaplan is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Askren
vs
Kaplan

179 cm
20
153 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

Good wrestling
Good kicks
Very quick

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Askren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, Dave Kaplan!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Jorge Garcia and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kaplan slaps away a takedown attempt from Askren, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Askren wants to clinch.
Askren connects with a solid leg kick.
Kaplan slaps away a takedown attempt from Askren, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kaplan stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Askren. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren shoots in looking for a takedown. Kaplan tries to sprawl out of it but Askren keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kaplan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Askren shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren trying to pass the guard but Kaplan defending well.
Askren is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kaplan gets full guard.
Askren stopping the sweep attempt from Kaplan.
Kaplan lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Kaplan looking for a sweep. Not yet Kaplan, not yet.
Askren with a nice head shot there.
Kaplan wants to sweep here but Askren controlling him for the moment.

Kaplan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Askren defends it easily.
Askren chips away with some ground and pound.
Askren has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kaplan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Askren.

Kaplan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kaplan working for a triangle but Askren defends it easily.
Askren cracks Kaplan with a solid left hand.
Askren lands a couple of digs.
Askren with a flurry of punches that miss.
Askren working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kaplan will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Askren working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Askren content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kaplan has momentary wrist control but Askren slips an elbow through the middle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Askren's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Askren stopping the sweep attempt from Kaplan.
Askren makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan has momentary wrist control but Askren slips an elbow through the middle.
Kaplan doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Askren keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Kaplan's head.
Askren chips away with some ground and pound.
Kaplan is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Askren stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kaplan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Askren working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kaplan's head.
Kaplan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Askren is one step ahead there.
Askren scoring with some ground and pound.
Askren is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kaplan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Askren is one step ahead there.
Askren postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren stands up over Kaplan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Kaplan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Askren with a nice head shot there.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kaplan is on top in guard.
Kaplan wants to pass the guard but Askren is keeping the position.
Kaplan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kaplan thows a big elbow that misses.
Kaplan wants to control from the top but Askren keeps moving.
Askren working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kaplan.
Askren preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Askren dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kaplan gets caught flat footed, as Askren shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kaplan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Askren manages to get himself to full guard.
Askren is pulling down on Kaplan's head. It's preventing any offense from Kaplan, at least for the moment.
Kaplan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kaplan trying to control the position from guard on top but Askren is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kaplan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Askren bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kaplan's guard.
Askren stopping the sweep attempt from Kaplan.
Kaplan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren wants to control but Kaplan is having none of it.
Askren is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kaplan landing shots from mount.
Kaplan with the ground and pound from mount.
Askren holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Kaplan tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Askren is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren wants to try and get back to his feet.
Askren on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Askren tries to get out of the position.
Kaplan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kaplan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kaplan thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
A nice elbow there by Kaplan.
Askren avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kaplan.
Askren is squirming around, avoiding Kaplan's attempts to control the action.
Kaplan putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan with good strikes from the mount here!
Askren wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Kaplan.
Kaplan lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Kaplan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The referee warns Askren that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Askren blocking the ground and pound.
Askren is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Askren somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Askren shoots in but no luck this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan tries for a takedown but Askren circles away easily

and Askren counters with a shoot takedown. Kaplan fights it but they end up in guard.
Kaplan wants to sweep here but Askren controlling him for the moment.
Kaplan lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Askren!
Kaplan is breathing heavily.
Askren is trying to stand up.
Kaplan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Kaplan thowing shots but they're missing.
Askren is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dave Kaplan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Askren pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kaplan is out of range and Askren settles back down.
Askren cracks the inside of Kaplan's front leg.
Askren scores with a kick to the body.
Askren gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Kaplan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Askren has his hands clasped together around Kaplan's back. He's all about the action.
Askren keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Kaplan sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Askren defending well though.
Kaplan wants to take a breather but Askren is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren is trying to stand.
Kaplan throwing shots but Askren is blocking nicely.
Kaplan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kaplan is trying to control. Askren wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Askren rushes Kaplan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Askren prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kaplan can't get the takedown.
Kaplan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kaplan is working for takedown but Askren is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ben Askren has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Kaplan.
Kaplan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Askren gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Askren gets control of Kaplan's arms and successfully pulls guard. Askren will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Ben Askren overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kaplan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Askren wants to stand but Kaplan is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kaplan throwing strikes from guard but Askren blocks nicely.
Askren utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kaplan throwing strikes but missing.
Kaplan stopping the sweep attempt from Askren.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Askren.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Askren cracks Kaplan with a big right hand but Kaplan just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Askren is chipping away with strikes.
Askren lands a nice forearm strike.
Askren is putting a hurting on Kaplan here, landing some big shots from side control.
Kaplan is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Askren's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Askren looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Askren working Kaplan over with strikes.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Askren connects with a nice short shot to Kaplan's temple.
Askren working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kaplan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Askren.
Kaplan wants to improve his position but Askren is controlling well.
Kaplan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Askren scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Kaplan flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Kaplan gets full guard.
Askren scoring with punches to the head and body.
Askren working some strikes from top position.
Kaplan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Askren's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Askren preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kaplan is on top in guard.
Askren working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kaplan.

Askren has his feet on Kaplan's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Askren gets a takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Askren showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Askren has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Askren!