PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Dominguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Dover (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Dover has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Rafael Dominguez's chin.

Dominguez
vs
Dover

156 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
19
167 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Dominguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ben Dover!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dover shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dominguez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dominguez has Dover pulled in close to control his posture.
Dominguez continues to stall.
Dover wants to get up but he can't break Dominguez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Dominguez has his hands on Dover's head, controlling the position.
Dover trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dover trying to control the position from guard on top but Dominguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dover working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dover missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Nice body punch from Dover.
Dover throws a chopping leg kick but Dominguez manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
It looked like Dominguez was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Ben Dover seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Dover shoots in and bounces Dominguez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dominguez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Dover trying to control but Dominguez is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dover throws a big elbow that misses.

Dominguez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dover defends well.
Dover looking to sit in guard and control but Dominguez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Dover trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Dominguez is working Dover over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dominguez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dominguez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dominguez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Dover wants to sweep but no luck.
Dominguez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dominguez landing some decent shots from guard.
Dominguez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dover works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dover looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Dover shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Dover tries to pass to full mount but Dominguez defends it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dominguez keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Dover dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dominguez gets a takedown into half guard.

Dominguez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Dominguez is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominguez stops Dover from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dover manages to get to full guard.

Dover looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dominguez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Dover looking for a sweep. Not yet Dover, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Dover preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dover wants to stand and escape but Dominguez is having none of it.
Dominguez is working Dover over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dover is trying to control the position but Dominguez postures up.
Dominguez with a nice head shot there.
Dover is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Dominguez dives into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Dominguez tries for a kimura but Dover is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dover is trying to improve his position.
Dover is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Dominguez thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Dover is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Dominguez swings around for an armbar but Dover sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Dominguez's guard.
Dominguez being controlled here, momentarily.
Dover trying to control the position from guard on top but Dominguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Dover drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dominguez dives on top into guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Dominguez dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dover closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Dominguez's guard.
Dominguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Dominguez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dominguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dover wants to control from the top but Dominguez keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dover accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dominguez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dover is pressing down on Dominguez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Ben Dover has got the better of the ground game so far.

Dover is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dominguez landing some decent shots from guard.

Dover looking for subs off his back but Dominguez has passed one foot through into half guard.
Dover is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dover takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dover is trying to control but Dominguez passes into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dover is trying to improve his position.

Dominguez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Dover is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
You can see the frustration on Dover's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dominguez is trying to get an arm triangle but Dover is defending well.

Dominguez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Dover has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Dominguez but great work by Dover.
Dover throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Dominguez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Dominguez is trying to maintain the position but Dover is very close to passing his half guard.
Dover not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dover has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Dominguez works to full guard.
Dover must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Dominguez has control of Dover's left arm, preventing Dover from doing any damage.
Dominguez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Dover stands up from guard. Let's bang!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ben Dover.
Well Dover 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Dover!