PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Dann (ranked 5390 p4p, 586 weight class) and Corwin Valentine (ranked 5481 p4p, 594 weight class). Valentine has chosen I'm the Man as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dann
vs
Valentine

182 cm
29
196 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

182 cm
22
185 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

HGH Nutrients Q160 Tycoons Best Quality supps
RAGS of a RONIN

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brian Dann!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Corwin Valentine!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Mauricio Rocha and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Valentine instigates a clinch.
Dann with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Valentine with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Valentine misses with a knee to the head.
Valentine throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dann blocks it with crossed arms.
Valentine misses with a knee to the head.
Valentine with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Valentine misses with a knee to the head.
Valentine throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dann blocks it with crossed arms.
Valentine throws a knee to the head but misses.

Dann drags the fight down to the ground.
Dann bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Valentine's guard.

Dann passes Valentine's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Dann in particular looking to stall.
Valentine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dann is pressing down on Valentine's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valentine is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dann perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Dann seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Valentine for as long as he can get away with.
Valentine is trying to stand back up but Dann is controlling him
Dann content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Dann is looking to advance position but Valentine won't allow it.

That's two 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.
Valentine wants to get back to his feet.
Valentine regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Dann.
Valentine seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Valentine preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dann won't allow Valentine to get back to his feet.

Valentine throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Dann trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dann throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Dann is looking to slow Valentine down with leg kicks.
Valentine is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Valentine tries to clinch but Dann moves out of range.
Dann shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dann tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Valentine swivels and escapes.
Valentine tries to clinch up but Dann circles away and keeps his distance.
Dann seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Dann looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Dann trying to control the position from guard on top but Valentine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dann is one step ahead there.

Dann stands and steps away. Valentine gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Dann looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Valentine!

Valentine bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Valentine rushes Dann and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Corwin Valentine will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Valentine tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Dann paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Valentine has closed the distance and engaged Dann in a clinch.
Valentine with a knee to the head.
Valentine with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Valentine blocks the elbow strike.

Dann turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dann manages to end up in side control.
Valentine can't do much from the bottom here.

Dann is trying to get an arm triangle but Valentine is defending well.
Valentine tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dann wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Dann controls the position from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentine tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Dann wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dann is working Valentine over with some ground and pound from side control.
Valentine is trying to control Dann's posture but Dann avoids it.

Dann swings around for an armbar but Valentine sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Dann's guard.
Valentine would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Valentine trying to control but Dann is working from the bottom.

Dann had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Valentine defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Valentine stands and steps away. Dann gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Valentine instigates a clinch.
Valentine missing with knees to the body.

Dann ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Dann no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Dann is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Valentine working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Valentine postures up.
Valentine would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Dann has control of Valentine's left arm, preventing Valentine from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine wants to pass the guard but Dann is keeping the position.
Valentine throws a big elbow that misses.

Valentine stands up and waves to Dann to follow him.
Corwin Valentine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valentine doesn't manage to clinch there - Dann circles away.

Dann has closed the distance and engaged Valentine in a clinch.
Valentine tries a knee to the head but Dann blocks it.
Valentine looking to throw knees to the head but Dann is blocking nicely.
Valentine throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dann blocks it with crossed arms.
Valentine tries a knee to the head but Dann blocks it.
Valentine with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Dann jumps into guard, dragging Valentine to the mat.
Dann trying to keep a closed guard but Valentine is proving a slippery customer.
Brian Dann overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Dann is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Valentine is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine looking to pass the guard.

Valentine stands up and waves to Dann to follow him.

Valentine clinches.
Valentine connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dann's face.
Valentine looking to throw knees to the head but Dann is blocking nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valentine tries a knee to the head but Dann blocks it.
Dann is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Valentine misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corwin Valentine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! 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.

Valentine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Dann, pushing him back against the cage.

Dann escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Valentine is looking to clinch.
Valentine closes the distance but Dann moves to the side

so Dann counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Valentine wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Dann manages to pass to side control.

Dann is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Valentine sees it coming and defends easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dann is looking to take a break and control but Valentine is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dann wants to pass to mount but Valentine is defending the position.

Valentine kicks Dann off and gets back to his feet.
Dann fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Valentine has closed the distance and engaged Dann in a clinch.
Dann on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Valentine misses with a knee to the head.

Dann has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Valentine uses from the top position.
Valentine trying to control but Dann is working from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Dann holds on and takes a little breather.
Dann working a defensive guard here.
Valentine throws a big right hand that misses.

Dann looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Valentine gets to his feet - Dann follows without any prompting.

Valentine darts in and clinches Dann up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine throws a knee to the head but misses.
Valentine throws a knee to the head but misses.

Dann's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Dann will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Valentine tries to close the distance and clinch but Dann swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Valentine drives through and clinches with Dann against the cage.
Valentine tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Valentine misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dann.

Dann pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dann looks to score with a jab to the body but Valentine is just out of range.

Valentine forces Dann back against the cage and clinches.
Valentine using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dann has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Valentine tries to land a knee to the head but Dann blocks with his arms.
Valentine takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dann tries to pull guard but Valentine holds him up against the cage and eventually Dann drops back down to his feet.
Corwin Valentine is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Dann. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valentine tries a knee to the head but Dann blocks it.
Valentine throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dann blocks it with crossed arms.

Dann's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Dann closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Valentine's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dann postures up and lands a big shot to Valentine's brow.

Valentine is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Valentine is working an open guard so Dann takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Dann swats away the attempt to clinch by Valentine.
Dann is looking for a counter combo.
Brian Dann has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Dann.

And that's the end of the fight!
Corwin Valentine comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Valentine winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Corwin Valentine!
Corwin Valentine took to the mic in his post fight interview and said 'I've fought in Vegas, Japan, and now in Brazil. My fighting has taken me everywhere and I will always love the fans for being there for me.'.