PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Luke Withers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirk Hall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Withers comes to the cage accompanied by Snap your fingers snap your neck. Hall is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by "On My Way to the Cage" by Rollins Band. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Withers
vs
Hall

184 cm
20
187 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

182 cm
23
183 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luke Withers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kirk Hall!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hall tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Withers was well out of range. Poor timing from Hall.
Hall pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hall scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hall throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hall with a hook.

It looks like Luke Withers has been cut.
A swing and a miss from Hall.
Hall throws a leg kick but Withers sees it coming and moves out of range.
Hall ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Withers moves away.
Hall misses with a hook.
Hall tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice defenses there by Withers.
Hall lands a nice hook to Withers's body. Withers takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Withers closes the distance and clinches.
Withers throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hall lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Withers blocks the elbow strike.
Withers is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hall is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hall is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Hall creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hall creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hall makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Withers putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hall in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Withers with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hall wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Withers tries to land a knee to the head but Hall blocks with his arms.
A knee to the head by Withers.

It looks like Kirk Hall has been cut.
Hall managing to block the knees to the body from Withers.

Hall breaks the clinch.
Hall scores with a sloppy right hand. Withers should have avoided that one.
Withers takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hall attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Hall tries a head kick but it misses.
Hall throws a body punch but Withers moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Withers.
Withers takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Withers misses with a takedown attempt - Hall sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Withers is breathing heavily.
Withers takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The fighters circling - Hall throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hall lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hall stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Withers throws a leg kick
and Hall counters with a low kick, right behind Withers 's knee.
Nice body punch from Hall.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hall.
Withers slips under a jab.
Hall throws a nice looking combination but Withers bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall misses with a leg kick
and Withers counters with a low kick, right behind Hall 's knee.
Hall blocks a low kick nicely.
A chopping leg kick lands by Withers.
Withers misses with a kick to the body.
Withers blocks a leg kick.
Withers on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Withers on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Withers chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hall can pounce on him.
Donk. Hall catches Withers right on the button with a cross.
Withers moves forwards but Hall connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Hall does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Withers uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hall.
Withers throws the kick towards the body but Hall avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hall throws a leg kick that is checked
and Withers counters with an inside leg kick.
Withers does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hall scores with the left hand. Withers knows he should have avoided that one.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Withers checks the leg kick.
Hall throws a leg kick but Withers sees it coming and moves out of range.

Hall gets caught flat footed, as Withers shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hall is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hall looking for a sweep. Not yet Hall, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Withers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hall swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kirk Hall dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hall throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hall throws a hook to the side of Withers's head but Withers sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hall is looking to chop away at Withers's legs.
Hall just misses with a punch to the body.
Hall lands with an overhand left.
Hall will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hall throws a low kick but Withers avoids it.
Withers chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hall can pounce on him.
Hall lands a really nice looking cross but Withers seems unphased.
Hall jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Withers uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hall.
Withers cracks the inside of Hall's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hall tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Withers was well out of range. Poor timing from Hall.
Withers cracks the inside of Hall's front leg.
Kirk Hall seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hall is breathing heavily.
Hall lands with a slapping head kick.
Hall swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Withers counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Withers closes the distance and clinches.
Hall takes a knee to the side of the body.
Withers with a knee to the head.
Hall takes a knee right on the jaw!
Withers tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hall avoids it.
Withers putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hall in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Withers scores a nice knee to the body.
Withers lands an elbow inside.
Withers is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hall gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hall wants to break free but Withers has control.
Hall can't break the clinch.
Withers tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hall misses with a body punch.
Withers looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Hall.
Hall misses with a hook from the clinch.
Withers with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Withers misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hall.
Withers throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hall blocks it with crossed arms.
Hall dodges an elbow strike from Withers.
Withers prevents Hall from breaking the clinch.
Withers lands a damaging elbow.
Withers tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hall. Withers does a little dance to reset his feet.
A slow jab from Hall misses its intended target.
Hall looks to score with a jab to the body but Withers is just out of range.
Hall cracks Withers with a right hand to the side of the head.
Withers uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hall throws a leg kick

and Withers counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hall trying to keep a closed guard but Withers is proving a slippery customer.
Hall working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Withers.
Hall wants to sweep but no luck.
Hall working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Withers.
Withers advances to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Withers throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hall moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Withers is in close to Hall's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Withers with a flurry of punches that miss.
Withers working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hall lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Withers!
Withers working to try and regain half guard.
Hall throws some wild stikes that Withers manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Withers dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Withers's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hall throws a leg kick

and Withers decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hall's guard.
Hall trying to control the position.
Withers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Withers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hall works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Withers postures up and lands a big shot to Hall's brow.
Hall is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Withers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hall tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Withers throws a strike but Hall rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hall wants to pass the guard but Withers is keeping the position.
Withers manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Withers lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Withers landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Withers looking to finish with strikes here!
Withers lands a big shot there that rocks Hall but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hall tries to hold on but Withers pushes him away.
Withers landing shots from mount.
Luke Withers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Withers looking to finish with strikes here!
Withers connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Withers looking to ground and pound but Hall is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Withers punching from mount but Hall doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Withers looking to finish with strikes here!
Hall is looking to improve his position but Withers isn't that keen on the idea.
Withers pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Withers 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.
Withers fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

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.
Withers thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hall in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Withers thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Hall is looking to improve his position but Withers isn't that keen on the idea.
Hall is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Withers showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Withers has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Withers!