PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Picogram (ranked 22621 p4p, 1219 weight class) and Darren Dixon (ranked 512 p4p, 135 weight class). Darren Dixon has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Picogram
vs
Dixon

173 cm
26
155
0 - 3 - 0

169 cm
27
145
10 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Aaron Picogram!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Darren Dixon!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Picogram swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Dixon counters with a left to the body.
Picogram moves into range and connects with a jab.
Dixon has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Picogram misses with a left hand
and Dixon counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Picogram slips a straight right by Dixon.
A counter left hand to the body from Picogram misses its target.
Dixon misses the jab.
Picogram misses with a left hand
and Dixon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Dixon shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Dixon lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Picogram wants to improve his position but Dixon is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Dixon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Picogram defending well though.
Dixon not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dixon has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Picogram is staying active underneath Dixon, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Picogram blocking the ground and pound attempt from Dixon.
Dixon misses with a head shot. Picogram uses the momentum to regain guard.
Picogram is trying to control the position but Dixon postures up.

That's two 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.
Dixon slips nicely into half guard.
Dixon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Picogram defending well though.
Dixon is looking to advance position but Picogram won't allow it.
Dixon throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dixon is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Picogram!
Dixon thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Picogram wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Dixon.
Dixon throwing strikes here but Picogram is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon misses with a head shot.
Picogram tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dixon looking to ground and pound but Picogram is blocking nicely.
Picogram is bucking up trying to escape but Dixon cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Dixon looking to ground and pound but Picogram is blocking nicely.
Dixon lands a big shot there that rocks Picogram but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Dixon wants to control the pace but Picogram is squirming around nicely.
Poor strikes thrown by Dixon there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Picogram avoids a series of strikes thrown by Dixon.
Dixon unloads with some shots from mount but Picogram bucks and avoids them well.
Picogram knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Dixon on the ground.
Picogram is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon unloads with some shots from mount but Picogram bucks and avoids them well.
Dixon looking to finish with strikes here!
The referee warns Picogram that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dixon looking to control but Picogram is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Dixon throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Picogram is in a horrible position here. Dixon smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Picogram blocking the ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Dixon dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Picogram fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Dixon is out of range.
A nice side step and Dixon releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Picogram rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Dixon counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dixon.
Dixon keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Picogram's head.

Picogram is rocked!
Dixon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Oh Picogram is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Darren Dixon has got the better of the ground game so far.
Picogram controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dixon seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Picogram utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Picogram utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Picogram seems to have got his legs back now.
Picogram keeping moving, preventing Dixon from controlling successfully.
Dixon looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Picogram keeping moving, preventing Dixon from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Picogram haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Dixon chips away with some ground and pound.
Picogram trying to keep a closed guard but Dixon is proving a slippery customer.
Dixon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dixon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Dixon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Dixon throwing strikes from guard but Picogram blocks nicely.
Dixon trying to control but Picogram is working from the bottom.
Dixon stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Picogram swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Dixon works Picogram's body with a nice hook.
Picogram cracks Dixon with a right hand to the side of the head.
Dixon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Picogram.
Picogram misses with an uppercut
and Dixon counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Picogram.
Picogram swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Picogram fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dixon manages to avoid it.
Dixon appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

Dixon scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Dixon thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Dixon content to control rather than advance.
Picogram avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dixon.
Picogram avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dixon.
Dixon thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Picogram's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon is trying to control. Picogram wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Picogram avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dixon.
Dixon throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dixon missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Picogram on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Picogram tries to get out of the position.
Dixon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Picogram defending well though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dixon sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Picogram defending well though.
Dixon trying to control the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dixon not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Dixon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Dixon throws a jab when Picogram was well out of range.
Picogram moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Dixon has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Picogram throws a shot from downtown. Dixon moves away and avoids it.
Picogram lands a jab to the nose.
Dixon connects with a good right hand that stumbles Picogram. Picogram circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Picogram misses with a combination

and Dixon counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dixon throws a big elbow that misses.
Dixon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Picogram works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dixon trying to control the position from guard on top but Picogram is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dixon throws a big right hand that misses.
Dixon engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Dixon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Picogram works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dixon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dixon pushing down on Picogram's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Still in half guard, Dixon seems content to control.
Dixon throwing shots but Picogram is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Picogram is staying active underneath Dixon, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Dixon not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dixon throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dixon throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dixon is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Picogram misses with a leg kick
and Dixon counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Dixon lands a really nice looking cross but Picogram seems unphased.

Dixon shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Picogram napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dixon scores with a couple of short elbows.
Picogram defending against the ground and pound.
Picogram parries the strikes from Dixon easily there. Dixon is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Picogram to escape.
Picogram is working to avoid the ground and pound but Dixon connects with a decent elbow.
Picogram is trying to escape the position but Dixon is controlling the position.
An elbow from Dixon crashes against the mat.
Dixon wants to lay and pray for a moment but Picogram keeps working.
Dixon moves into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dixon controlling his opponent.
Picogram is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Dixon punching from mount but Picogram doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Dixon thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Picogram really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Darren Dixon is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dixon throwing strikes here but Picogram is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darren Dixon comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dixon 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darren Dixon!
After the big win, Darren Dixon made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Conviction and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.