PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Denny Sideman (ranked 1012 p4p, 127 weight class) and Travis Mitchell (ranked 881 p4p, 110 weight class). Denny Sideman had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Sideman
vs
Mitchell

183 cm
31
195 lbs
19 - 13 - 2

187 cm
29
190 lbs
15 - 10 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Threads of HARDCORE

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 19 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Denny Sideman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 1, fighting out of London, Travis Mitchell!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sideman misses with a body shot.
Sideman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Mitchell scores with a body shot.
Mitchell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mitchell takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Mitchell scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Mitchell postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Mitchell misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Mitchell misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Mitchell cracks Sideman with a big right hand but Sideman just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Mitchell cracks Sideman with an elbow. That is naaassty.
An elbow from Mitchell crashes against the mat.
Sideman is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at The Coffee Shop, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
The strikes coming from Mitchell are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sideman is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell lands a decent elbow from side control.
Mitchell is chipping away with strikes.
Sideman is trying to improve his position.
Mitchell lands a decent elbow from side control.
Sideman taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sideman manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Mitchell wants to get back to full guard.
Sideman wants to get back to his feet.
Sideman is pressing down on Mitchell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mitchell is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sideman is working hard here to advance position.
Mitchell wants to control but Sideman is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Mitchell wants to get back to full guard.
Mitchell has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Mitchell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sideman is trying to control. Mitchell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sideman with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Sideman is looking for a kimura but Mitchell is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sideman to get the leverage.

Sideman is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Sideman is keen to just control but Mitchell is a slippery customer.
Mitchell moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sideman engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sideman tries to free his leg and advance position but Mitchell is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mitchell wants to clinch
and Sideman counters with a nice uppercut.
Mitchell misses with an uppercut. Sideman saw that one coming.
Sideman ducks under a wild hook from Mitchell.
Sideman connects with a nice looking jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mitchell looks to score with a jab to the body but Sideman is just out of range.
Sideman throws an overhand right that lands on Mitchell's shoulder, as Mitchell tries to avoid the shot.

Mitchell looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sideman!
Sideman manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Travis Mitchell dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Sideman keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mitchell.

Sideman clinches up with Mitchell and pushes him back against the cage.
Mitchell looking to slow down the pace here.
Mitchell is trying to stall.
Mitchell wants to take the fight to the mat but Sideman manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Sideman.
Sideman blocks a body shot from Mitchell.
Nice body punch from Sideman - that landed with a thud.
Sideman doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Mitchell misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mitchell misses with a body punch.
Sideman lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Sideman is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Mitchell tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Mitchell blocks a body shot from Sideman.

Sideman breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell misses with a wild body shot.
Sideman ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mitchell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sideman throws out the jab.
Sideman throws a body punch but Mitchell moves out of range.
Nice shot by Sideman.
Mitchell misses with a looping left.
A big right from Sideman misses.
Mitchell on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Denny Sideman is winning the standup battle so far.
Mitchell pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sideman with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Mitchell manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sideman on his heels. He'll look to pass Sideman's guard now, I'm sure.
Mitchell wants to control from the top but Sideman keeps moving.
Mitchell postures up.
Sideman keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
Travis Mitchell has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
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!
Sideman is trying to control the position but Mitchell postures up.
Sideman controlling Mitchell's posture.

Sideman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mitchell doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mitchell manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sideman keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sideman trying to control the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A thudding body kick lands there by Mitchell!
Mitchell blocks a jab.
Mitchell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sideman scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sideman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mitchell with a jab.
Mitchell is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sideman.
Sideman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mitchell is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Mitchell swings widly with a right hand
and Sideman counters with a right hand to the body.
Mitchell keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mitchell lands with a good body shot.
Mitchell throws a hook but Sideman avoids it easily.
Mitchell misses with a looping right.
Sideman swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Mitchell uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sideman.
Sideman tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mitchell was well out of range. Poor timing from Sideman.
Sideman thuds his right hand into Mitchell's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sideman throws a body punch but Mitchell moves out of range.
Sideman swings for the body but Mitchell moves out of range.
Sideman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mitchell throws a body punch but Sideman moves out of range.
Mitchell swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sideman is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Mitchell tries to bum rush Sideman with a series of wild strikes but Sideman uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Mitchell misses with a hook. Sideman ducked under it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sideman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mitchell misses with an uppercut. Sideman saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Denny Sideman will probably get the nod.
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!

Mitchell throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mitchell. Sideman does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sideman moves out of range of the strikes.
Sideman lunges at Mitchell with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mitchell's hand.
Sideman moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sideman ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mitchell moves away.
Mitchell fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sideman manages to avoid it.

Sideman takes the fight into the clinch.
Mitchell misses with some punches.
Sideman misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sideman lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Mitchell digs a right hand into Sideman's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Sideman's gas tank.
Mitchell tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sideman's elbow.
Mitchell prevents a body shot from Sideman.
Mitchell working aggressively here.
A right hook to the body lands for Sideman.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell can't find room to land a body shot as Sideman controls the action.
Mitchell lands with a light punch inside.
Sideman lands an uppercut.
Mitchell prevents a body shot from Sideman.
Sideman is trying to maintain a safe position but Mitchell gets an underhook and turns Sideman into the cage.
Mitchell pushes Sideman back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Sideman is fighting off a takedown attempt but Mitchell is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Sideman to the mat. Sideman regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Sideman is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Mitchell is aware though and is defending well.
Mitchell controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mitchell is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sideman has momentary wrist control but Mitchell slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sideman is trying to control the position but Mitchell postures up.
Mitchell lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sideman seems keen to control Mitchell's posture.
Mitchell working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sideman's head.
Sideman wants to control but Mitchell passes easily into half guard.
Mitchell drops an elbow to the side of Sideman's head.
Sideman is looking to control Mitchell's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sideman avoid being mounted?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sideman is looking for a sweep. Mitchell is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mitchell is trying to control the action in half guard but Sideman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell lands strikes from half guard.
Mitchell drops an elbow to the side of Sideman's head.
Mitchell perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Mitchell working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sideman slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sideman is trying to keep Mitchell in close.
Mitchell is looking to work some ground and pound but Sideman has wrist control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sideman looking to control.

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

Mitchell closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Sideman!
Mitchell landing strikes from the mount and Sideman is in trouble!
Mitchell landing shots from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mitchell tries to control but Sideman wriggling away.
Mitchell landing strikes from the mount and Sideman is in trouble!
Mitchell lands a big shot there that rocks Sideman but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mitchell fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Mitchell with good strikes from the mount here!
Mitchell fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Sideman is rocked!
Mitchell trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis Mitchell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mitchell has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travis Mitchell!
During a confident post fight interview, Travis Mitchell thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.