PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Butcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Love (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Love has chosen Afterworld as his entrance music. Dan Butcher has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Butcher
vs
Love

194 cm
24
183 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

180 cm
24
178 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Kemists ↑ 5x160Q
Milwaukee's Best 160

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dan Butcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kevin Love!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Love tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Butcher was well out of range. Poor timing from Love.
Butcher shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Butcher is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Butcher fails to land with a series of punches.
A leg kick checked by Love.
Love misses with a low kick as Butcher jumps back.
Love is looking to slow Butcher down with leg kicks.
Butcher plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Love takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Love moves out of range as Butcher throws a body kick.
Love moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Butcher delivers a nice body kick.
Butcher checks the leg kick.
Butcher tries to work over Love's front leg with a kick but Love checks it.
Love wants to land a leg kick but Butcher is out of range.
Butcher checks a low kick from Love.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Love throws a head kick that misses.
We've been told by Butcher's head coaches at Victory that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Love dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Butcher. That did some damage!
Love thows a left - swing and a miss!
Love connects with a nice looking jab.
Love throws a low kick but Butcher avoids it.
Butcher fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Love is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A leg kick checked by Love.
Love throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Love throws the kick towards the body but Butcher avoids it.
Love throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Butcher throws out a leg kick but Love moves out of range and Butcher only half commits.
Butcher throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Kevin Love seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Butcher avoids the body shot from Love.
Butcher is looking to score with low kicks.
Love is looking to score with low kicks.
Butcher delivers a nice body kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Butcher.
Butcher waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Love.
Butcher lands with a kick to the ribs.
Love thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Butcher if he has to take too many more of those.
Love moves out of range of the strikes.
Love checks a low kick from Butcher.
Love finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Love bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Love throws a low kick, looking for Butcher's leg but Butcher calmly moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Love attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nice straight punches there by Butcher. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Butcher.
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!
Butcher pivots, looking for a leg kick but Love is out of range and Butcher settles back down.
Love is looking to land body kicks.
Love keeps Butcher at a distance using the push kick.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Butcher looks to throw the jab but Love is out of range.
Butcher looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Butcher throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Butcher moves out of range of the leg kick from Love.
Butcher misses with a straight right.
Love tries a head kick but it misses.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Butcher does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Butcher feints and then cracks Love's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Love down.
Butcher checks a low kick from Love.
Love takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Love scoring well with a low kick there.
Love checks the leg kick nicely there.
Love cracks the inside of Butcher's front leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Love moves out of range as Butcher throws a body kick.
Butcher throws a shot from downtown. Love moves away and avoids it.
Butcher on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Love looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Butcher throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Love chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Butcher throws a leg kick which misses Love's front leg but catches the back leg as Love tries to avoid it.
Love throws a front kick that sends Butcher stumbling back into the cage.
Love throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Butcher tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Butcher throws the kick towards the body but Love avoids it.
Love avoids a punch combination nicely.
Love steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Butcher.
A bone on bone clash there as Love blocks the leg kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Love - that will leave a mark!
Butcher chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Love can pounce on him.
A leg kick checked by Love.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Love avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Love on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Butcher. Butcher obviously looking to wear him down.
Butcher misses with a looping right.
That kick from Love tenderised Butcher's leg. Butcher is trying to keep his angry face on.
Butcher tries to land a front kick but Love steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A telegraphed right hand from Butcher misses the target.
Butcher misses with a body kick.
An inside leg kick from Love misses.
Nice shot by Love.
A nice inside leg kick there by Love. That's going to slow Butcher down.
Butcher will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Love thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Butcher if he has to take too many more of those.
Butcher defending well as Love loads up on a big left hand.
Love lands with a thumping leg kick.
Love lands with a nice body kick.
Nice defenses there by Love.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Love misses with a kick to the body.
A slow jab from Butcher misses its intended target.
Love tries to land a front kick but Butcher steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Love throws a hook but Butcher blocks it.
Butcher with a nice cross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kevin Love will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Love lands with a hook. Butcher tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Love fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Butcher checks it well.
Butcher wants to slow Love down by chopping away at his legs.
Love displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Butcher throws out the jab.
A big left from Butcher misses.
Butcher missing with a left hand there. Love was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Butcher throws a right and a left that both miss.
Love goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Love throws a push kick but Butcher slaps the foot to one side.
A punch combination from Butcher misses.
Love fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Love lands with a good body shot.
Love throws a leg kick but Butcher sees it coming and moves out of range.
Love finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Love throws a half hearted mid kick.
Butcher throws a sloppy head kick and Love moves out of range easily.
Good leg kick by Butcher there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Love keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Butcher.
Love throws a half hearted mid kick.
Butcher throws a front kick aimed at Love's knee but Love avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love is looking to slow Butcher down with leg kicks.
Love attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Butcher throws a low kick but it's checked well by Love.
Love takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Butcher keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Love.
Love throws a low kick, looking for Butcher's leg but Butcher calmly moves out of range.
Butcher misses with an uppercut. Love saw that one coming.
Some bone on bone action there as Love checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Kevin Love seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Love needs to keep his hands up - Butcher had a free shot at his head there.
Butcher takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Butcher is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Love pivots, looking for a leg kick but Butcher is out of range and Love settles back down.
Butcher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Love tries to land a front kick but Butcher steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Love throws a low kick, looking for Butcher's leg but Butcher calmly moves out of range.
Love goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Butcher looks to land a left hand but Love moved out of range nicely.
Love misses with a leg kick.
Butcher throws a head kick but Love moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Butcher scores with a leg kick.
Butcher checks a low kick from Love.
Butcher throws a push kick but Love slaps the foot to one side.
A head kick misses from Butcher.
Love throws a low kick but Butcher moves out of range easily.
Butcher connects with a nice looking jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Butcher buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Love uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Butcher.
Love looks to land a left hand but Butcher moved out of range nicely.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Love pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Butcher connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Butcher misses with a leg kick
and Butcher takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Butcher swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Love tries a low kick but Butcher avoids it.
Butcher moves out of range of the body kick from Love.
Butcher throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Love scores with a spinning back kick!
Love cracks a nice hook into Butcher's ribs.
Love does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Love avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Love throws a leg kick that misses.
Love on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Love on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Love throws a leg kick but Butcher sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Love throws a leg kick that is checked
and Love takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Love finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Love looks to score with a jab to the body but Butcher is just out of range.
Butcher ducks under a wild hook from Love.
Love bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Butcher's head.
Butcher swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Butcher checks the leg kick.
Butcher throws a big shot that misses.
Butcher tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Love is able to avoid easily.
Love avoids a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butcher throws a low kick, looking for Love's leg but Love calmly moves out of range.
Butcher tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Love misses with an attempted mid kick.
Butcher cracks Love with an open hand slap.
Butcher shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Butcher throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Butcher scores with a jab to the head.
Love connects with an inside leg kick.
Love lands with a thumping leg kick.
Butcher scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Love takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Butcher misses with a low kick as Love jumps back.
Love catches Butcher with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Love throws the kick towards the body but Butcher avoids it.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Love throws a leg kick but Butcher checks it.
Butcher misses with a looping right.
Love throws a nice inside leg kick.
Love bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Butcher's head.
Butcher takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kevin Love will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Butcher's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Love walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Butcher checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Love throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Love looks for the body kick but Butcher saw that one coming.
Butcher misses with a hook.
Love uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Butcher has time to react.
Love throws a wild body kick that Butcher sees coming a mile off.
Butcher checks a leg kick.
Love tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Butcher is able to avoid easily.
Love clobbers Butcher with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Butcher lands a front kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Butcher.
Nice defenses there by Love.
Love throws a leg kick but Butcher moved away.
Love connects with an inside leg kick.
Butcher throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Butcher throws a leg kick but Love sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Love finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Love looks to land a body kick but Butcher moved away.
Love scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Love takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Love ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Butcher connects with a solid leg kick.
A jab lands there for Love.
A cross from Love lands.
Butcher takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A nice inside leg kick there by Love. That's going to slow Butcher down.
Love throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Butcher throws a leg kick but Love checks it.
Love throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Butcher counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Butcher moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Love takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Butcher connects with a good right hand that stumbles Love. Love circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Love needs to keep his hands up - Butcher had a free shot at his head there.
Butcher keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Love gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Love throws a leg kick that misses.
Love looks to land a body kick but Butcher moved away.
Butcher throws a low kick, looking for Love's leg but Love calmly moves out of range.
Love slips a jab and a cross from Butcher.
Butcher avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Love thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Butcher if he has to take too many more of those.
Butcher throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Love sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Butcher is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Love.
Love takes a swing at Butcher's ribcage but misses.
Love throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Love lands with a straight right. Butcher didn't see that one coming.
Love moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Love blocks the leg kick.
Love checks a leg kick nicely.
Butcher tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Love is able to avoid easily.
Butcher wants to land a leg kick but Love is out of range.
Love swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Butcher throws a front kick aimed at Love's knee but Love avoids it well.
Dan Butcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher throws a sloppy head kick and Love moves out of range easily.
Butcher throws a leg kick but Love sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Butcher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Love throws out the jab.
Butcher throws a solid leg kick but Love takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Butcher.
Love checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
That kick from Love tenderised Butcher's leg. Butcher is trying to keep his angry face on.
Butcher tries to work over Love's front leg with a kick but Love checks it.
Butcher misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Love checks a leg kick nicely.
Butcher misses with a low kick.
Love looks for the body kick but Butcher saw that one coming.
Love lands with a thumping leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Butcher.
Butcher blocks the body kick.
Love fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Butcher.
Good work by Butcher as he checks the leg kick.
Butcher pivots, looking for a leg kick but Love is out of range and Butcher settles back down.
The fighters circle momentarily. Butcher darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Love misses with a low kick.
Butcher pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Butcher thumps Love with a low kick.
Butcher swinging wildly here.
Love lands a nice leg kick that just misses Butcher's sensitive parts.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Love looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Love scoring well with a low kick there.
Butcher on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Butcher will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Love buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Butcher throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Love.
Butcher throws a leg kick but Love sees it coming and moves out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A slapping leg kick lands for Love.
Love throws a head kick but Butcher moves out of range.
Love moves away from the strike by Butcher.
Love thuds his shin into the meat of Butcher's side.
Butcher tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kevin Love.
Well Love has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Love!
In his post fight interview, Kevin Love started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.