PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dimebag Darrell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wateru Keyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Darrell
vs
Keyes

182 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
23
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dimebag Darrell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Wateru Keyes!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keyes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Darrell sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Keyes somewhat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Darrell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Darrell stuffs the takedown.
Darrell keeps the fight on the outside.
Keyes shoots in looking for a takedown. Darrell tries to sprawl out of it but Keyes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Darrell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dimebag Darrell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wateru Keyes.
Keyes shoots in looking for a takedown but Darrell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Keyes's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nice sprawl there from Keyes as Darrell shoots in.
Darrell fails with a takedown attempt.
Keyes wants to clinch up but Darrell keeps it at a distance.
Darrell looks to land a body kick but Keyes moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keyes fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Darrell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Keyes as he jumps to the side.
Darrell shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Keyes sprawls well. Keyes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Darrell gets slowly back to his feet.
Darrell connects with a body shot.
Darrell fails with the takedown.
Keyes leaves Darrell with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
No luck for Darrell with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darrell darts in and clinches Keyes up against the cage.
Keyes is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Keyes prevents Darrell from breaking the clinch.

Keyes manages to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keyes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Darrell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Keyes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Darrell is one step ahead there.
Darrell looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrell stopping the sweep attempt from Keyes.
Darrell knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Keyes on the ground.
Keyes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Keyes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Keyes trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darrell keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
You get the feeling that Darrell really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Darrell really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Keyes with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Keyes throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Poor strikes thrown by Keyes there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Wateru Keyes 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.

Darrell shoots in but no luck this time.
Darrell moves in looking to clinch but Keyes pushes him off.

Darrell bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Darrell is looking to take a break and control but Keyes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Keyes manages to get back to half guard.
Darrell is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Keyes reverses the position - he's now on top in Darrell's guard.
Darrell is trying to keep Keyes in close.
Keyes trying to control but Darrell is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrell working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Keyes.
Darrell trying to keep a closed guard but Keyes is proving a slippery customer.
Keyes wants to control from the top but Darrell keeps moving.

Darrell looking for subs off his back but Keyes has passed one foot through into half guard.
Darrell might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Keyes trying to mount his opponent but Darrell defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keyes wants to stand up but Darrell is controlling the position.
Darrell is trying to maintain the position but Keyes is very close to passing his half guard.
Keyes thows a huge punch but Darrell dodges it nicely.

Keyes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Darrell to stand up.
Keyes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Darrell uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Keyes.
Some wild striking there from Darrell.
Darrell shoots in but Keyes avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrell tries to clinch up but Keyes circles away and keeps his distance.

Keyes has Darrell up against the cage in a clinch.
Keyes prevents a body shot from Darrell.
Darrell jumps guard but Keyes turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dimebag Darrell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darrell.
Darrell fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Keyes stops a takedown attempt from Darrell.
Keyes goes for a takedown attempt but Darrell pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Darrell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darrell stuffs the takedown attempt from Keyes. Keyes gets slowly back to his feet.

Darrell throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Keyes tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Darrell is in Keyes's guard.
Wateru Keyes has got the better of the ground game so far.

Keyes working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Darrell doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Darrell manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Keyes controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Keyes is on top in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Keyes wants to control from the top but Darrell keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Wateru Keyes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Darrell has a takedown stuffed.
Dimebag Darrell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Keyes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Darrell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Keyes swivels and escapes.
Keyes fails to land with a series of punches.

Darrell looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Darrell stands up and waves to Keyes to follow him.
The fighters circling - Darrell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Darrell. That's going to slow Keyes down.
Darrell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Keyes stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dimebag Darrell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Darrell moves in looking to clinch but Keyes pushes him off.
A head kick by Darrell misses

and Keyes counters by moving into the clinch.
Keyes fails to pull guard.
Keyes prevents a body shot from Darrell.
Nice body punch from Darrell - that landed with a thud.
Keyes's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Keyes tries to pull guard but Darrell won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darrell gets control of Keyes's arms and successfully pulls guard. Darrell will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Darrell trying to keep a closed guard but Keyes is proving a slippery customer.
Darrell will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Darrell looking to control but Keyes passes into half guard.
Darrell tries to get to full guard but Keyes has control of the leg.
Darrell is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Keyes stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Darrell fails to land the takedown.
Darrell shoots in for a double leg but Keyes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Darrell shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Keyes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Darrell - that will leave a mark!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crunch! Darrell slams his shin into Keyes's torso.
Keyes throws a head kick that Darrell semi-blocks.
Darrell throws a jab but it's blocked by Keyes.
Keyes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Darrell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Darrell throws a lazy head kick
and Keyes counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Keyes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Darrell tries for a takedown. No joy.
Keyes stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Keyes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Dimebag Darrell has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wateru Keyes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Keyes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dimebag Darrell showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Keyes 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wateru Keyes!