PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Dante (ranked 6048 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ikaika Kealoha (ranked 5815 p4p, 0 weight class). Ikaika Kealoha has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dante
vs
Kealoha

184 cm
25
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
179 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bruce Dante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ikaika Kealoha!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Michael Johnstone and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dante cracks Kealoha with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Kealoha walks into a straight right hand from Dante.
Dante attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Kealoha clinches up with Dante and pushes him back against the cage.
Kealoha misses with a punch to the body.
Dante misses with a punch on the inside.
Kealoha swings wildly with an uppercut but Dante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dante managing to block the knees to the body from Kealoha.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kealoha.
Dante wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dante blocks a body shot from Kealoha.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kealoha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dante is defending well for now.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kealoha throws a knee to the head but misses.
Kealoha with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kealoha gets underhooks to prevent Dante's takedown attempt.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kealoha keeps control of Dante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Dante wants a takedown.
Dante wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Dante. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dante managing to block the knees to the body from Kealoha.
Dante wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kealoha unloads a knee to the mid-section. Dante lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kealoha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Dante.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha is controlling him.
Kealoha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Dante tries to break free but Kealoha pushes him back against the cage.
Kealoha missing with knees to the body.
Kealoha with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dante is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kealoha struggles to land a body shot inside as Dante controls his hands.
Nice body punch from Kealoha.
Dante blocks a body shot from Kealoha.
Kealoha with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Dante tries to break free but Kealoha pushes him back against the cage.
Kealoha is struggling to control the position.
Kealoha lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Knees in the clinch landing for Kealoha.
Dante stalling in the clinch.
Kealoha lands a good knee to the midsection. Dante won't want to take too many of those.
Kealoha looks winded!
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dante wants to get back to striking at distance but Kealoha won't allow it.
Kealoha misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kealoha tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dante's elbow.
Kealoha misses with a knee to the head.
Kealoha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dante avoids it.
Dante prevents a body shot from Kealoha.
Kealoha tries a body shot but Dante blocks it.

Dante pulls Kealoha into guard.

Dante is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Kealoha has Dante pressed against the cage, preventing Dante from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dante wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kealoha trying to land knees to the body.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Dante takes a knee right on the jaw!
Dante working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Dante looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Dante has had enough of the clinch but Kealoha keeps him there for the moment.
Dante is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dante wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dante leaning against his opponent.
Kealoha tries to land knees in the clinch but Dante avoids the damage to the body.
Dante tries to break the clinch but Kealoha is controlling the position.
Dante blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ikaika Kealoha dominated that round.
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.

Dante drives through and clinches with Kealoha against the cage.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but Dante blocks it.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Kealoha scores a nice knee to the body.
Dante blocks a body shot from Kealoha.
Kealoha landing knees to the body.
Kealoha lands with a light punch inside.
Dante takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kealoha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dante avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kealoha with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kealoha has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kealoha is breathing heavily.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kealoha lands a hook that snaps the head of Dante backwards.
Kealoha looking to throw knees to the head but Dante is blocking nicely.
Dante wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kealoha lands a nice knee to the body.
Kealoha content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but Dante blocks it.
Dante is trying to maintain a safe position but Kealoha gets an underhook and turns Dante into the cage.
Dante looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Dante leaning against his opponent.
Dante is trying to force a seperation but Kealoha has the dominant position.
Dante drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kealoha gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha is controlling him.
Dante is looking to break free of the clinch but Kealoha has double underhooks.
Dante takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dante is trying to break free.
Kealoha connects with a nasty looking knee right to Dante's face.
Kealoha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dante avoids it.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Dante.
Dante wants to get back to striking at distance but Kealoha won't allow it.
Dante wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Dante looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Ikaika Kealoha seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kealoha misses with a body punch.
Kealoha missing with knees to the body.
Kealoha keeps control of Dante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kealoha prevents Dante from breaking the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Dante wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kealoha looking to throw knees to the head but Dante is blocking nicely.
Kealoha prevents Dante from breaking the clinch.
Kealoha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dante's efforts to push away.
Dante wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dante is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dante wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Kealoha tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dante's elbow.
Kealoha misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dante can't break the clinch.
Dante is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kealoha misses with a body punch.
Kealoha misses with a body punch.
Dante has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kealoha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dante's efforts to push away.
Dante blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kealoha swings wildly with an uppercut but Dante uses good head movement to avoid it.
Dante pressing his opponent against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ikaika Kealoha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dante misses with a low kick.
Kealoha on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Dante scores with a punch to the head.
Dante darts in looking for a takedown but Kealoha gets double underhooks and turns Dante into the cage.
Dante closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kealoha circles away.
Dante tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kealoha sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Dante somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Dante. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dante misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kealoha.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kealoha! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dante shoots in but Kealoha avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Dante is looking to chop away at Kealoha's legs.
As Dante backs off Kealoha throws a huge counter combo but Dante manages to avoid it all.

Kealoha has Dante up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dante wants to break free but Kealoha has control.
Kealoha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dante avoids it.
Dante has had enough of the clinch but Kealoha keeps him there for the moment.
Kealoha using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Dante has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Dante wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kealoha tries a body shot but Dante blocks it.
A right handed body shot lands from Kealoha.
Kealoha misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dante has had enough of the clinch but Kealoha keeps him there for the moment.
Kealoha tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kealoha takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kealoha lands a right hand.
Kealoha looking to throw knees to the head but Dante is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kealoha with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kealoha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kealoha tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Dante blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kealoha with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kealoha misses with a knee to the head.
Dante taking a breather.
Dante is trying to break the clinch but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Dante wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Kealoha keeps control of Dante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kealoha throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kealoha misses with a body punch.
Dante working hard to break the clinch.
Dante trying to stall but Kealoha improves his position.
Kealoha looking to slow down the pace here.
Dante wants to get back to striking at distance but Kealoha won't allow it.
Kealoha keeps control of Dante as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Dante blocks a body shot from Kealoha.
Kealoha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dante is defending well for now.
Dante wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dante is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kealoha to keep the fight standing.
Dante taking a breather.
Dante wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kealoha has him pressed against the cage.
Ikaika Kealoha is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Kealoha is trying to stall.
Dante is trying to force a seperation but Kealoha has the dominant position.
Dante working hard to break the clinch.
Kealoha has Dante pressed against the cage, preventing Dante from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dante on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kealoha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dante avoids it.
Dante goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kealoha prevents it.
Bruce Dante has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dante working hard to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ikaika Kealoha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kealoha 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ikaika Kealoha!