PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jules Manning (ranked 23774 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dallas Sparks (ranked 5743 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Manning
vs
Sparks

188 cm
20
278 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

195 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jules Manning!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dallas Sparks!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Summer Carpenter and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparks fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Sparks fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Manning sprawls well initially but Sparks persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sparks perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Sparks is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

It looks like Jules Manning has been cut.

Sparks decides to stand and escape the position.

Sparks closes the distance and clinches.

Sparks escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Sparks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Manning lands a high kick!
Sparks misses with a takedown

and Manning counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Manning.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Sparks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sparks throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Manning tried to counter with a leg kick but Sparks avoided it.
Manning really is a fat lump.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sparks closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Manning quickly recovers to half guard.
Manning pushes Sparks off but Sparks dives into side control.
Manning struggling a bit here.
A lull in the action here.
Manning isn't going anywhere.

Sparks tries for a kimura but Manning is defending well.

Sparks working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sparks staying calm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparks throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Manning manages to get back to half guard.

Sparks decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Manning swings for the body but Sparks moves out of range.
Manning defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sparks.
Manning seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Jules Manning has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dallas Sparks.
Sparks fails with the takedown
and Manning counters with a one-two to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sparks gets the takedown into side control.
Sparks looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparks prevents Manning from escaping the position.
Sparks working away.
Sparks taking a breather here.
Sparks looking to control but instead Manning has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Manning punching from the bottom.
Manning is trying to stand up here but Sparks is controlling him well.
Sparks not doing much here.
Manning is trying to stand.

That's four 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.
Sparks prevents Manning from improving his position.
Sparks is trying to control the action in half guard but Manning is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sparks working over Manning with some ground and pound. Manning looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Sparks stands up and beckons Manning to join him on the feet.
A solid body kick from Manning.
Dallas Sparks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sparks shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Manning as he avoids it easily.
Sparks fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Sparks clinches up with Manning and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dallas Sparks will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jules Manning's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sparks shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Manning as he jumps to the side.
Nice takedown defense from Manning. No joy for Sparks on that attempt.
Dallas Sparks is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sparks takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Sparks misses with a takedown attempt - Manning sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jules Manning has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dallas Sparks.
Manning misses with a head kick.

Manning rushes Sparks and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manning struggles to land a body shot inside as Sparks controls his hands.

Sparks breaks from the clinch.
Manning fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sparks throws a sloppy head kick and Manning moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks checks the leg kick.
Sparks shoots in looking for a takedown but Manning manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Sparks's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Manning throws a lazy head kick
and Sparks counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sparks is breathing heavily.
Manning misses with a two punch combination.
Manning takes a jab right on the kisser.
Manning throws a head kick that misses
and Sparks makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Manning really felt that one!
Sparks throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Sparks fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manning is looking to land body kicks.
Sparks goes for a double leg but Manning avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Manning continues to drive forward.
Sparks shoots in for a takedown but Manning shows good takedown defense.
Manning is looking to land body kicks.
Manning throws a sloppy head kick and Sparks moves out of range easily.
Sparks misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Manning.
Sparks looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Manning misses the target.
Manning tries to clinch but Sparks moves out of range.
Manning shoots in and drives through. Sparks sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sparks looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Manning!
Sparks prevents Manning from escaping the position.

Sparks is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Manning knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sparks trying to control the action but Manning is working from the bottom.
Sparks tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sparks decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sparks fails to land the takedown.
Manning tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sparks manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sparks moves out of range of the body kick from Manning.
Jules Manning is winning the standup battle so far.
Sparks looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Manning is fending him off so far but Sparks persists. Nope, Manning circles away and we're back to standing.

Sparks gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Manning to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Sparks manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jules Manning will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jules Manning's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Manning moves out of range as Sparks throws a body kick.
Sparks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sparks lands with a kick to the temple. Manning shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Sparks clinches.

Sparks pulls guard effortlessly.
Sparks is pulling down on Manning's head to control his posture.
Sparks lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sparks has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Manning is proving hard to escape from.
Dallas Sparks has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sparks throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manning has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Sparks off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Manning displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sparks.
Sparks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A looping hook to the body misses from Manning. Sparks does a little dance to reset his feet.

Sparks moves into the clinch successfully.

Sparks decides to pull guard.
Manning throws an elbow that misses. Sparks uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Manning's guard. Nice move by Sparks!

Sparks preventing the sweep.
Manning has control of Sparks's left arm, preventing Sparks from doing any damage.
Manning's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manning is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Sparks thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Sparks. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Manning has a closed guard, preventing Sparks from standing up.
Sparks won't allow Manning to get back to his feet.
Sparks trying to control the position from guard on top but Manning is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sparks passes Manning's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manning has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sparks is working away from the top position though.
Manning is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sparks is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Sparks uses his free foot to push down on Manning's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Manning.
Sparks takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Manning is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Manning manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sparks stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Manning to get to his feet.
Sparks wants to clinch.
Manning throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sparks counters with a three punch combo that has Manning backing up. Manning nods at Sparks to acknowledge the strikes.

Sparks takes the fight into the clinch.
Manning tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sparks's elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sparks gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Manning is looking to get back to is feet but Sparks passes into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Sparks tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dallas Sparks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sparks 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Dallas Sparks!