PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Zhan Dhelan (ranked 3743 p4p, 331 weight class) and Masamune Date (ranked 24179 p4p, 594 weight class). Date has chosen Peak Times by Switch as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Dhelan
vs
Date

150 cm
19
145 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

176 cm
26
150 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zhan Dhelan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masamune Date!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Dean Styles and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dhelan tries to clinch up.
Despite the aggression on Date's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
A head kick misses from Date.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Dhelan on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Date finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

Dhelan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Date with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Date wants to get back to striking at distance but Dhelan won't allow it.
Date tries to break free but Dhelan pushes him back against the ropes.
Date pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the ropes.
Date throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Date tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Dhelan avoids it.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Dhelan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Dhelan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Date trying to land knees to the body.
Dhelan tries to stall but Date uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Dhelan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Dhelan dodges an elbow strike from Date.
Dhelan has Date pressed against the ropes, preventing Date from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dhelan is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Date tries to land a knee to the head but Dhelan blocks with his arms.
Date is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dhelan is defending well for now.
Dhelan avoids the elbow strike from Date, against the ropes.
The referee calls for Dhelan to work.

Dhelan lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Date looks like he's trying to stand up.
Dhelan passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Date!
Date is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Dhelan tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Dhelan has hold of Date's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Date manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Dhelan trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Date tries to buck Dhelan off but he can't manage it.

Dhelan working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Date looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Dhelan! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Zhan Dhelan!
After the fight, Zhan Dhelan was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.