PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Dodson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dodson
vs
Worner

167 cm
36
130 lbs
22 - 26 - 0

170 cm
27
135 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Dodson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xavier Worner!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice inside leg kick there by Worner. That's going to slow Dodson down.
Worner shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Dodson counters with a left to the body.
Worner doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Dodson counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Worner!

Dodson decides to stand back up. Dodson steps back and let's Worner get back to his feet.
Worner has his takedown stuffed

and Dodson counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Worner!
John Dodson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Xavier Worner.
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!
Dodson in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
A control attempt from Worner but he's now mounted!
Dodson controlling the pace for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dodson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Worner reaches up to try and control the position but Dodson seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Worner rolls and tries to escape and now Dodson has his back!
Worner rolls, trying to escape but Dodson keeps control of the position.
Dodson slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Dodson lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Dodson trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Worner doesn't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Worner defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Dodson's arms.

Dodson is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner trying to control the hands but Dodson breaks the grip.

Dodson is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Worner has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Worner is trying to get back to his feet but Dodson has full control of the position and if anything, Worner has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Dodson controlling the position well here. Worner rolled but Dodson kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

Worner defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Worner preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Dodson.
Worner turns into Dodson and is now in his guard.

Dodson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Worner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dodson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Worner manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Worner is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Worner wants to stand but Dodson is controlling the position.
Worner working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Worner had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Dodson defends it easily.
Worner being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Dodson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Dodson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Worner sprawls well initially but Dodson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Dodson works his way into side control.

Dodson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dodson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Worner is trying to control Dodson's posture but Dodson avoids it.
John Dodson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dodson taking a breather here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dodson passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Worner!
Worner is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dodson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Dodson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Worner's face.
Worner is desperately trying to improve his position but Dodson has a good base and remains in mount.
Worner tries to hold on but Dodson pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dodson controlling from the full mount.
Worner keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dodson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Dodson breaks from Worner's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Dodson lands a nice shot to the head.
Dodson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Worner can do to turn this around?
Worner keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dodson working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dodson controlling from mount.
Dodson with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Dodson controlling his opponent.
Dodson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dodson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Worner really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Worner wants to control but Dodson is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dodson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Dodson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Dodson closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Worner quickly recovers to half guard.
Worner has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Dodson is working away from the top position though.

Worner looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Dodson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Worner with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Dodson stops Worner from getting back to his feet.
Dodson trying to mount his opponent but Worner defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Worner moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Dodson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dodson pushing down on Worner's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Worner wants to get back to full guard.
Dodson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Worner wants to get back to full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Worner misses with a wild combination.

Dodson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Worner did well to prevent Dodson getting side control.
Dodson is looking to advance position but Worner won't allow it.
Dodson controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dodson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Dodson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Dodson controlling the pace.
Worner manages to get to full guard.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Worner looking for a sweep. Not yet Worner, not yet.
Dodson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Worner tries a head kick but it misses.
Worner shoots and misses

and Dodson counters by clinching up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Worner is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Dodson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Dodson closes the distance and clinches.
Xavier Worner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Dodson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Dodson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Worner is trying to keep an underhook but Dodson manages to get the takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Dodson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dodson, 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Dodson!
A pretty intense looking John Dodson took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.