PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Dess (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Talib Kweli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kweli has chosen 2Pac - Hit em up as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Dess
vs
Kweli

175 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

160 cm
27
152 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Dess!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Talib Kweli!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kweli drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Dess throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kweli.
Nice takedown defense from Dess. No joy for Kweli on that attempt.
Kweli swings widly with a right hand
and Dess counters with a stiff right hand.

Kweli changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Dess looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Kweli looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Dess is looking to regain half guard here but Kweli keeps moving and retains side control.
Kweli controls the position.
Kweli fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Dess wants to control but Kweli postures up.
Kweli working the strikes but Dess uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Kweli wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dess keeps working.
Dess won't allow Kweli to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kweli looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Dess is not content to let Kweli control the position.

Kweli is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Dess doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kweli.
Dess is looking for a sweep. Kweli is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kweli is trying to control. Dess wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Dess wants to control but Kweli is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dess keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

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.
Kweli trying to control the action but Dess is working from the bottom.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Dess trying to control here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Dess jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Dess fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
John Dess is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dess throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
That kick from Dess tenderised Kweli's leg. Kweli is trying to keep his angry face on.
Kweli shoots in for a takedown but Dess shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Dess connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Dess stuffs the takedown.
John Dess has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Talib Kweli.
Dess cracks Kweli with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Dess throws a sloppy head kick and Kweli moves out of range easily.
Kweli throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dess counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Kweli feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kweli trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kweli trying to control the position from guard on top but Dess is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kweli in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dess wants to sweep but no luck.
Kweli throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dess works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kweli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dess swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Kweli postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Dess is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kweli, into his guard.
Kweli has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dess won't allow Kweli to sweep him here.

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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dess wants to stand but Kweli has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Kweli looking for a guillotine here but Dess defends easily.
Dess postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Dess dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dess pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kweli is out of range and Dess settles back down.
Kweli takes a jab right on the kisser.
Kweli tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Dess was well out of range. Poor timing from Kweli.
Kweli throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dess counters with a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Dess. That's going to slow Kweli down.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dess.
Kweli swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Dess counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Kweli scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kweli sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Dess is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Kweli taking a breather here.
Dess manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Kweli wants to pass the guard but Dess is defending well.
Dess is staying active underneath Kweli, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dess is holding on to half guard well.
Kweli wants to control but Dess is keeping him busy.
Kweli looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Dess is looking for a sweep. Kweli is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Talib Kweli was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Dess throws out a powerful jab.
Kweli throws a poor cross that misses
and Dess counters with a nice uppercut.
Kweli shoots in looking for a takedown. Dess tries to sprawl out of it but Kweli keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dess manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dess fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kweli.
Talib Kweli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kweli swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Dess counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Dess. Kweli shrugs it off though.
Horrible takedown by Kweli or perhaps it was just good defense by Dess which made him look bad.
Dess slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Kweli looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Dess!
Kweli is breathing heavily.
Kweli controlling from mount.
Dess is working to get back to half guard.
Kweli lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kweli prevents Dess from getting the reversal.
Dess on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Dess tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dess holds on to Kweli around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.

Kweli looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Kweli trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kweli sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Dess is squirming around, avoiding Kweli's attempts to control the action.

That's four 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.
Dess working to try and regain half guard.

Kweli looking to secure an arm triangle but Dess defends it well.
Kweli trying to control but Dess is having none of it.
Kweli lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kweli content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that John Dess will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Horrible takedown by Kweli or perhaps it was just good defense by Dess which made him look bad.
Dess scores with a hook.
Dess throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kweli shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dess sprawls well. Dess wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kweli gets slowly back to his feet.
Kweli misses with a right hand
and Dess counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kweli falls off balance throwing a combination
and Dess counters with a leg kick.
Dess slaps away a takedown attempt from Kweli, before circling back to the center of the mat.
John Dess has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Talib Kweli.
Kweli with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dess counters with a right hand to the body.
Kweli takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dess scores with a head kick.
Kweli swings widly with a right hand
and Dess makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Dess goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Dess scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A cross from Dess lands.
Talib Kweli is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dess bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kweli's head backwards.
Kweli misses with a right hand
and Dess counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Kweli is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Dess scoring well with a low kick there.
Kweli chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Dess can pounce on him.
Kweli is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
A good leg kick by Dess.
Dess is looking to slow Kweli down with leg kicks.
Dess digs a good hook to Kweli's body.
Dess lands a really nice looking cross but Kweli seems unphased.
Kweli shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kweli on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dess. Dess obviously looking to wear him down.
Dess lands a high kick!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Dess moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dess lands a nice hook to Kweli's body. Kweli takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kweli throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dess counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kweli takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Dess throws a nice inside leg kick.
Kweli takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Dess lands with a kick to the temple. Kweli shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Dess, as that shot connected.
Kweli's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Kweli on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Dess scores with a shot to the body.
Dess fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kweli looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
John Dess is winning the standup battle so far.
Kweli's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Dess connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Kweli scrambles back to his feet.
Kweli walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Dess.
Dess misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dess chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Dess gets caught napping as Kweli dives in and scores a takedown. Dess manages to retain guard.
Kweli stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dess swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dess 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.
Dess keeping moving, preventing Kweli from controlling successfully.
Dess is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kweli is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kweli trying to control but Dess is working from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Kweli wants to pass the guard but Dess is keeping the position.
Kweli stopping the sweep attempt from Dess.
Talib Kweli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kweli tries to free his leg and advance position but Dess is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kweli scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Kweli throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Dess counters with an outside leg kick.
John Dess is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kweli throws a predictable looking body shot
and Dess counters with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Dess showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dess, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Dess!