PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dracule Mihawk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vinny Wesley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Mihawk
vs
Wesley

190 cm
23
192 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
197 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dracule Mihawk!
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, Vinny Wesley!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Alyssa Summers and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wesley shoots in looking for a takedown. Mihawk tries to sprawl out of it but Wesley keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mihawk manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Mihawk drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wesley takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Wesley is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Mihawk has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Wesley wants to control but Mihawk postures up.
Mihawk works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wesley tries to improve position but can't.
Wesley tries to strike but it doesn't land.
You can see the frustration on Wesley's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Wesley has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wesley is not content to let Mihawk control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wesley is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Wesley tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Mihawk is working Wesley over with some ground and pound from side control.
Wesley wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Wesley wants to control but Mihawk postures up.
Mihawk cracks Wesley with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Wesley sneaks back into half guard.

Mihawk is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Wesley has managed to free his arm - good work.

Wesley with the active half guard here but Mihawk passes nicely into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wesley tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mihawk wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Mihawk slows the pace down.
Wesley manages to work his way to half guard, despite Mihawk's best efforts.
Wesley has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mihawk is working away from the top position though.
Wesley works his way to full guard. Good work.

Wesley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mihawk is aware though and is defending well.
Wesley looks gassed!
Wesley controls Mihawk momentarily but Mihawk frees himself.

Wesley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mihawk is aware though and is defending well.
Mihawk lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wesley keeping full guard, as Mihawk tries to pass.
Mihawk lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Wesley throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Wesley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mihawk is aware though and is defending well.
Mihawk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wesley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mihawk won't allow Wesley to sweep him here.
Mihawk is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Mihawk scoring with some ground and pound.

Mihawk got a little sloppy there for a moment and Wesley has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Mihawk has managed to get both his arms back between Wesley's legs - danger averted.
Mihawk won't allow Wesley to get back to his feet.

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.
Mihawk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wesley is keeping the position for now.
Mihawk is in close to Wesley's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Mihawk gets to his feet - Wesley follows without any prompting.
Wesley has his takedown stuffed

and Mihawk counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mihawk.
Wesley prevents the takedown attempt.

Mihawk gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Wesley regains guard.
Wesley controls Mihawk momentarily but Mihawk frees himself.

Wesley looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Mihawk trying to control the position from guard on top but Wesley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dracule Mihawk dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Wesley throws a lazy head kick

and Mihawk counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Wesley has his foot on Mihawk's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mihawk works his way back into a safe position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wesley keeping moving, preventing Mihawk from controlling successfully.
Mihawk seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mihawk stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wesley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mihawk postures up.

Wesley isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Mihawk stacks Wesley on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Mihawk!
Mihawk lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mihawk tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wesley is working to avoid the ground and pound but Mihawk connects with a decent elbow.
Wesley looking for a sweep but Mihawk has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Wesley really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Wesley regains half guard.
Wesley is looking to control Mihawk's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Wesley avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wesley wants to control but Mihawk passes into side.
Wesley is trying to get back to half guard.

Mihawk looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Wesley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Wesley is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mihawk is putting a hurting on Wesley here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wesley wants to control but Mihawk postures up.
Wesley looking for a sweep but Mihawk has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Wesley's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Mihawk landing strikes, looking to finish!

Mihawk wants to finish this one by submission but Wesley is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mihawk.
A nice elbow there by Mihawk.
Mihawk tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Mihawk working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Wesley is desperately trying to improve his position but Mihawk has a good base and remains in mount.
Wesley tries to hold on but Mihawk pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wesley is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mihawk trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Mihawk avoids the attempt from Wesley to control.
Mihawk lands a big elbow.
Wesley regains half guard.

Wesley actively working from the bottom here.

Wesley looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Mihawk scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dracule Mihawk dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Mihawk feints and as Wesley raises his hands in defense, Mihawk changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mihawk has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Wesley has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mihawk can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Wesley is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Wesley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Mihawk lands a couple of digs.
Wesley working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mihawk.
Mihawk content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Wesley working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Mihawk has passed into half guard!

Mihawk is trying to work for a kimura but Wesley is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mihawk is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wesley is trying to maintain the position but Mihawk is very close to passing his half guard.
Mihawk thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Wesley's head.
Dracule Mihawk overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wesley regains full guard. Nicely done.

Wesley is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Mihawk has his hands clasped together but Wesley extends an breaks Mihawk's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Wesley.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Vinny Wesley!