PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Damon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Szponder (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Edward Szponder will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Damon
vs
Szponder

190 cm
26
205 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Enjoys gardening

Outkast Clothing Line

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dirk Damon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Edward Szponder!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Damon wants to clinch but Szponder slips to the side

and Szponder counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Damon's guard now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Szponder prevents Damon from getting back to his feet.

Damon pushes Szponder off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Damon takes the fight into the clinch.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Damon is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder can't break the clinch.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Szponder working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Szponder's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon lands a knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon is controlling him.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Damon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Szponder is defending well for now.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder is looking to break free of the clinch but Damon has double underhooks.
Damon landing knees to the body.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon has him pressed against the cage.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Szponder is trying to break free.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szponder has had enough of the clinch but Damon keeps him there for the moment.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Szponder pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Damon tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Szponder counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
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!

Damon makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Damon closes the distance but Szponder moves to the side

and Szponder counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Damon is breathing heavily.

Damon kicks off Szponder and gets to his feet.
Szponder fails to land the takedown.
Damon moves to clinch but Szponder breaks away
and Damon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Damon has closed the distance and engaged Szponder in a clinch.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Damon unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Szponder in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Damon obliges.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Szponder wants to break free but Damon has control.
Szponder tries to break the clinch but Damon is controlling the position.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szponder working hard to break the clinch.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder tries to break the clinch but Damon is controlling the position.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon is controlling him.
Szponder is trying to force a seperation but Damon has the dominant position.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Szponder is trying to push Damon away but Damon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Szponder wants to get back to striking at distance but Damon won't allow it.
Szponder has had enough of the clinch but Damon keeps him there for the moment.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Szponder's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Szponder wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
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 Dirk Damon will probably get the nod.
That's time! Damon's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damon wants to clinch but Szponder slips to the side

and Szponder counters with a nice double leg into side control. Damon won't be happy with that.
Damon wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Damon throws Szponder to one side and escapes!
Szponder circles away from the clinch attempt

and Szponder counters with a takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damon wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Szponder stands up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Damon tries to clinch up

and Szponder counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Damon's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szponder tries to stand but Damon is controlling from the bottom.
Szponder stops Damon from standing up.
Szponder would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Damon wants to stand up but Szponder is controlling him.
Edward Szponder has got the better of the ground game so far.

Damon uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Damon looks to clinch

and Szponder counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Damon's guard now.

Damon has his feet on Szponder's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
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!
Damon tries to clinch

and Szponder counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Damon kicks Szponder off and gets to his feet.
Szponder looks for a takedown but Damon sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damon moves to clinch but Szponder breaks away

and Szponder counters with a nice double leg into side control. Damon won't be happy with that.
Szponder tries to stand but Damon is controlling his head.

Damon bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Dirk Damon is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Damon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Damon closes the distance but Szponder moves to the side

and Szponder decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Damon's guard.
Damon has a closed guard, preventing Szponder from standing up.

Damon has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Szponder off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Szponder keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damon darts in trying to clinch
and Damon takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Damon tries to clinch up.
Damon closes the distance looking to clinch

and Szponder decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Damon's guard.

Damon wriggles free and stands up.
Damon tries to clinch there but Szponder circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Damon tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Szponder counters with a shoot takedown. Damon fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Szponder trying to stand up but can't free himself from Damon's guard.

Damon has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Szponder off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
The fight stays on the outside here - Damon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Damon moves in looking to clinch but Szponder pushes him off.
Damon is looking to clinch.
Damon wants to clinch but Szponder slips to the side

and Szponder counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Damon's guard now.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Damon pushes Szponder off and scrambles back to his feet.
Szponder avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Szponder showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Damon closes the distance and clinches.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Damon has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon has him pressed against the cage.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Damon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Szponder is defending well for now.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Damon scores a nice knee to the body.
Damon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Szponder is defending well for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Szponder is trying to force a seperation but Damon has the dominant position.
Dirk Damon has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder is trying to break free.
Szponder has had enough of the clinch but Damon keeps him there for the moment.
Szponder tries to break the clinch but Damon is controlling the position.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.
Szponder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Szponder tries to circle away but Damon has him pinned against the cage.
Szponder is trying to push Damon away but Damon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Szponder is looking to break free of the clinch but Damon has double underhooks.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Damon has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Szponder's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Szponder working hard to break the clinch.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon has Szponder pressed against the cage, preventing Szponder from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Szponder is trying to break free.
Szponder is trying to break free.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szponder has had enough of the clinch but Damon keeps him there for the moment.
Szponder wants to break free but Damon has control.
Damon lands a good knee to the midsection. Szponder won't want to take too many of those.
Damon misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Szponder.
Szponder is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees to the body from Damon.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szponder is trying to break free.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Damon has him pressed against the cage.
Szponder wants to break free but Damon has control.
Damon utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon is controlling him.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Szponder avoiding damage as Damon throws knees to the body.
Damon missing with knees to the body.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder tries to break the clinch but Damon is controlling the position.
Szponder wants to break free but Damon has control.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Szponder is trying to push Damon away but Damon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Damon keeps control of Szponder as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Szponder wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Damon unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Szponder looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szponder on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Damon lands a knee to the body.
Damon landing knees to the body.
Damon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Szponder avoids it.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Szponder wants to get back to striking at distance but Damon won't allow it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Damon trying to land knees to the body.
Damon tries to land knees in the clinch but Szponder avoids the damage to the body.
Damon prevents Szponder from breaking the clinch.
Szponder has had enough of the clinch but Damon keeps him there for the moment.
Damon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Szponder is defending well for now.
Szponder is trying to break the clinch but Damon has him pressed against the cage.
Szponder is trying to push Damon away but Damon has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Szponder blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Szponder wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Szponder tries to break free but Damon pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Szponder's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Szponder managing to block the knees to the body from Damon.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dirk Damon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Damon 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dirk Damon!