PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Samson Dandrakulo (ranked 989 p4p, 1165 weight class) and Edgars Al Dariush (ranked 150 p4p, 181 weight class). Dandrakulo's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Candyman Theme Song. Edgars Al Dariush told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Dandrakulo
vs
Al Dariush

190 cm
21
210
7 - 1 - 0

187 cm
21
207
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Samson Dandrakulo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edgars Al Dariush!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Steve Smith and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Dariush scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Dandrakulo scores with a decent looking hook.
Dandrakulo blocks the body kick.
Al Dariush doesn't manage to clinch there - Dandrakulo circles away.
A shot to the liver by Dandrakulo. Beautiful body shot.
Dandrakulo tries a head kick but it misses.
Al Dariush connects with a right hand. Dandrakulo shakes it off.
Dandrakulo lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Al Dariush keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Dandrakulo.
Al Dariush on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Al Dariush displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dandrakulo throws out the jab.
Samson Dandrakulo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Dariush looks to score with a jab to the body but Dandrakulo is just out of range.
Al Dariush takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Dandrakulo takes a swing at Al Dariush's ribcage but misses.
Al Dariush displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dandrakulo throws out the jab.
Al Dariush throws a leg kick that misses.
Dandrakulo scores with a decent looking hook.
Dandrakulo misses with an uppercut.
Al Dariush ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dandrakulo slips under a jab.
Dandrakulo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Al Dariush throws a leg kick but Dandrakulo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Al Dariush on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Al Dariush takes one to the chin there.
Dandrakulo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Dandrakulo sets himself, and Al Dariush steps forward looking for the clinch! Dandrakulo avoids it this time.
A jab from Dandrakulo does it's job there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dandrakulo misses with a head kick.
Al Dariush tries to score with a low kick but Dandrakulo moves his leg out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dandrakulo lands with a slapping head kick.
Al Dariush avoids a kick to the body.
Dandrakulo throws a shot from downtown. Al Dariush moves away and avoids it.
Al Dariush throws out a counter right but Dandrakulo avoids it with no problem.
We've been told by Dandrakulo's head coaches at Fist of Fury Training Center that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Dandrakulo throws a body punch but Al Dariush moves out of range.
Al Dariush staying out of range there.
Dandrakulo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Dandrakulo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Al Dariush blocks a head kick by Dandrakulo.
Dandrakulo misses with a leg kick
and Al Dariush counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Dariush lands a really nice looking cross but Dandrakulo seems unphased.
Dandrakulo throws a body kick that misses
and Al Dariush counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Al Dariush blocks a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dandrakulo throws the kick towards the body but Al Dariush avoids it.
Dandrakulo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Al Dariush doesn't seem bothered though.
Dandrakulo misses with a straight right.
Al Dariush connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dandrakulo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A little jabbing left from Al Dariush on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Dandrakulo throws a poor cross that misses
and Al Dariush counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Samson Dandrakulo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A punch lands to the side of Al Dariush 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Al Dariush throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
It looked like Dandrakulo was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Al Dariush.
Dandrakulo tests Al Dariush's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Dandrakulo throws a sloppy head kick
and Al Dariush counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dandrakulo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Al Dariush can do to turn this around?
Al Dariush scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A telegraphed right hand from Dandrakulo misses the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dandrakulo connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Al Dariush's hands.
Al Dariush scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Dandrakulo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Dandrakulo does it's job there.
Al Dariush tries to clinch
and Dandrakulo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Al Dariush throws a lazy uppercut
and Dandrakulo counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Dandrakulo misses with a kick to the body
and Al Dariush counters with a stiff right hand.
Dandrakulo misses with a right hand
and Al Dariush counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Dandrakulo throws a jab but it's blocked by Al Dariush.
Al Dariush is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Dandrakulo throws a jab but it's blocked by Al Dariush.
Dandrakulo punishes Al Dariush's body with a nice straight punch.
Al Dariush scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dandrakulo in his tracks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Dariush staying out of range there.
Al Dariush looks to land a right hand but Dandrakulo moved out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dandrakulo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Dandrakulo throws a leg kick that is checked
and Al Dariush counters with a straight right hand.
Al Dariush lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Dandrakulo throws a right hand that misses
and Al Dariush counters with a solid body kick.
Dandrakulo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dandrakulo takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Dariush slips a straight right by Dandrakulo.
Al Dariush staying out of range there.
Al Dariush throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Dandrakulo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dandrakulo throws a leg kick that is checked
and Al Dariush counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Dandrakulo misses with a body kick.
Dandrakulo misses with an uppercut
and Al Dariush counters with a stiff right hand.
A head kick by Dandrakulo misses
and Al Dariush counters with a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dandrakulo throws a nice inside leg kick.
A low kick from Dandrakulo misses
and Dandrakulo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dandrakulo uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Al Dariush has time to react.

Al Dariush moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Dandrakulo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dandrakulo is leaning against Al Dariush and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Dandrakulo blocks an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Al Dariush creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Al Dariush tries a body shot but Dandrakulo blocks it.
Dandrakulo has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Dandrakulo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Al Dariush tests Dandrakulo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Dandrakulo scores with a nice right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Edgars Al Dariush showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Al Dariush throws a right hand that misses
and Dandrakulo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Dandrakulo misses.
Al Dariush wants to counter the offense by Dandrakulo and move into the clinch position.

Al Dariush sends Dandrakulo crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Al Dariush is motioning to the referee to let Dandrakulo up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Dandrakulo is rocked!
Al Dariush throws a nice outside leg kick.
Oh Dandrakulo is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Al Dariush bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Al Dariush is trying to counter with his kicks.
Dandrakulo seems to have got his legs back now.
Dandrakulo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Al Dariush looks to land a right hand but Dandrakulo moved out of range.
Dandrakulo throws a body kick that misses.
Dandrakulo takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Dariush with a nice calf kick.
Al Dariush waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dandrakulo.
Dandrakulo throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Al Dariush counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Al Dariush cracks Dandrakulo with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Dandrakulo looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Al Dariush finish him?
Dandrakulo misses with a straight right.
Al Dariush is trying to counter with his kicks.
Dandrakulo just misses with a punch to the body.
Dandrakulo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dandrakulo throws a leg kick
and Al Dariush counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Al Dariush instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dandrakulo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Dandrakulo wants to break the clinch but can't.

Dandrakulo breaks from the clinch.
Al Dariush defending well as Dandrakulo loads up on a big left hand.
Al Dariush tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Dandrakulo throws a shot to the body.
Al Dariush digs a good body shot into Dandrakulo's ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dandrakulo misses with a body shot.
Al Dariush walks into a jab.
Al Dariush ducks under a wild hook from Dandrakulo.
Al Dariush follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Dariush looks to land a left hand but Dandrakulo moved out of range nicely.
Dandrakulo tries to score with a low kick but Al Dariush moves his leg out of the way.
Dandrakulo misses with a low kick as Al Dariush jumps back.
Al Dariush wants to counter with a clinch but Dandrakulo pushes him away.
Dandrakulo throws a leg kick but Al Dariush sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Dandrakulo misses with a leg kick
and Al Dariush counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Al Dariush instigates a clinch.
Al Dariush lands with a left to the head.

Al Dariush pulls Dandrakulo into guard.
Dandrakulo controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Dariush trying to control the position here.
Dandrakulo trying to control but Al Dariush is working from the bottom.
Dandrakulo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgars Al Dariush comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Al Dariush 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgars Al Dariush!
Our winner, Edgars Al Dariush, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.