PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Kodiyak Redd (ranked 598 p4p, 793 weight class) and Nightey Knights (ranked 31 p4p, 41 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Redd
vs
Knights

165 cm
27
141
10 - 2 - 0

168 cm
27
135
9 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kodiyak Redd!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nightey Knights!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Redd drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Knights can do anything to dispel that myth.

Redd is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Knights knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Redd looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Redd is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Knights is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Redd has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
You can see the frustration on Knights's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Knights keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knights tries to buck Redd off but Redd is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knights can't do much from the bottom here.
Redd in side control, throwing shots but Knights defends.
Who's going to make the next move?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knights is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Knights really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Redd. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Redd tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Redd wants to control but Knights is keeping him busy.
Redd fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Redd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Knights keeps working.
Redd working the head with strikes.
Redd tries to score with some ground and pound. Knights controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Knights tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Redd is looking to take a break and control but Knights is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Knights is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redd working away.
Redd postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Knights looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Redd tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Redd has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Redd cracks Knights with a big right hand but Knights just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Knights can't do much from the bottom here.
Redd tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Knights is working to avoid the ground and pound but Redd connects with a decent elbow.

Redd tries for a kimura but Knights is defending well.
Knights parries the strikes from Redd easily there. Redd is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Knights to escape.
Redd trying to control the position but Knights is working away.
Knights tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Redd wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Knights, who protects the arm well.
Knights defending against the ground and pound.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
A control attempt from Knights but he's now mounted!
Redd avoids the attempt from Knights to control.
Knights is wriggling around trying to escape.
Redd is landing with some decent strikes but Knights is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Redd misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Knights really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Redd putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Knights working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Redd lands a big elbow.

It looks like Nightey Knights has been cut.
Knights tries to hold on but Redd postures up.
Knights is bucking up trying to escape but Redd cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knights wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Redd.
Knights is wriggling around trying to escape.
Knights tries to lock up and control but Redd gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Redd lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Redd cracks Knights with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Knights is trying to escape the mount.
Knights wants to hold on but Redd pushes him away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kodiyak Redd dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nightey Knights's cut.
That's time! Redd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Knights swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Redd has closed the distance and engaged Knights in a clinch.

Redd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Redd gets a double leg takedown into Knights's guard.
Redd trying to control but Knights is working from the bottom.
Redd won't allow Knights to sweep him here.
Redd postures up and lands a big shot to Knights's brow.
Redd trying to control the position from guard on top but Knights is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Knights looking to hit a scissor sweep but Redd is one step ahead there.
Redd has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Redd trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knights utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Redd lands a couple of elbows.
Knights manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Redd manages to get himself to full guard.

Redd keeping moving, preventing Knights from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Redd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Knights defends well.
Knights trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Knights is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Redd wants to sweep here but Knights controlling him for the moment.
Knights controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Knights stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Redd swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Redd looking for a guillotine here but Knights defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Redd can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Knights controls the pace.
Redd wants to sweep here but Knights controlling him for the moment.

Redd has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Knights can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Redd looking to control.
Knights engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Kodiyak Redd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Knights looking to pass the guard.
Knights is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Redd wants to sweep but no luck.

Redd working for a triangle but Knights defends it easily.
Knights sitting in guard here, content to control.
Knights pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Redd is keeping the position for now.

Redd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Knights defends well.
Knights controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Knights advances position into side control!
The referee asks Knights politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Knights prefers to stall for the moment though.
Redd is trying to control Knights's posture but Knights avoids it.
Redd prevents Knights from moving into mount.
Redd tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Knights controlling the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Knights trying to control the position but Redd is working away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kodiyak Redd will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nightey Knights's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Knights lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Knights misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Redd.
Knights changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Knights connects with a looping right hand.

Redd decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Knights wants to control but Redd is keeping busy.
Redd drops an elbow to the side of Knights's head.
Knights avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Redd.

Redd looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Redd throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knights is looking for a sweep. Redd is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Redd looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Knights wants to improve his position but Redd is controlling well.
Knights is concentrating on defense, preventing Redd from advancing position.

Redd is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Knights controlling the position for now.
Knights is looking to control Redd's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Knights avoid being mounted?
Redd trying to mount his opponent but Knights defends it.
Knights is trying to control but Redd passes into side control!
Knights is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knights gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Knights wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Redd.
Redd trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Redd throwing strikes here but Knights is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Redd has hold of Knights's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Knights manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Redd misses with a head shot.
Redd trying to control but Knights is having none of it.
Redd with the ground and pound from mount.
Knights avoids a series of strikes thrown by Redd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knights tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Knights wants to hold on but Redd pushes him away.
Redd wants to control the pace but Knights is squirming around nicely.
Knights doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Knights keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Redd lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Knights hang on?
Knights tries to reverse the position but Redd maintains control.
Knights takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Redd looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Knights is trying to escape the mount.
Redd is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knights can't escape the position.
Knights tries to hold on but Redd postures up.
Knights is in all sorts of trouble here.

Redd is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Knights to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Knights shrugs it off.
Redd wants to control the pace but Knights is squirming around nicely.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Knights is trying to escape the mount.
Redd lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kodiyak Redd clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Nightey Knights's cut.
That's time! Redd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Knights scores with a sloppy right hand. Redd should have avoided that one.

Redd closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Knights's guard.
Redd works over Knights with some ground and pound from guard.
Redd working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Knights looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Knights seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Redd missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Knights is pulling down on Redd's head to control his posture.
Knights trying to keep a closed guard but Redd is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knights has control of Redd's left arm, preventing Redd from doing any damage.
Knights not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Redd pushing down on Knights's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knights is in trouble now - Redd has advanced to mount!
Redd in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Redd avoids the attempt from Knights to control.
Redd lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Redd raining down hammerfists from mount.
A nice elbow there by Redd.

Redd looking for a guillotine from mount but Knights is having none of it.
Redd trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Redd thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Knights wants to hold on but Redd pushes him away.
Redd pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Knights is trying to escape the mount.
Redd breaks from Knights's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knights tries to lock up and control but Redd gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
BOOM! Redd connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Knights is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Redd has control of Knights's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Knights regains control of the situation pretty easily.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Knights is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Redd throwing strikes here but Knights is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Knights can't escape the position.
Knights tries to hold on but Redd pushes him away.
Redd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Knights can do to turn this around?
Redd throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Knights just holding on.
Knights wants to control but Redd is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Redd scoring with strikes but Knights is staying in there.
Redd working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Redd lands a couple of good shots and Knights has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Knights holding on to Redd's left wrist, preventing the choke.

Redd working for the choke.
Redd is not going to allow Knights to sit and survive in this position.
Knights tries to roll but Redd sticks to his back.

Knights preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Redd.
Knights tries to escape but Redd has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Knights is still trying to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Redd is landing with strikes from the back.

Redd sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Knights taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Kodiyak Redd!
Kodiyak Redd is the new bantamweight champion!
After winning the bout, Kodiyak Redd thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.