PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between denis opal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josey Wales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

opal
vs
Wales

156 cm
22
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
146 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Battalion Athletics

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, denis opal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Josey Wales!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wales closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
opal wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Wales wants to control but opal is keeping him busy.
Wales is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down opal's shoulder. That is not cool.

Wales tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
opal is trying to control Wales's posture but Wales avoids it.
Wales working the ground and pound.
opal tries to improve position but can't.
Wales trying to control the action but opal is working from the bottom.
opal pushes Wales away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Wales gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wales is chipping away with strikes.

Wales is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but opal is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Wales lands a few punches from side control.
Wales scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at opal to see if he's OK.
Wales scoring with punches from side control.
opal struggling a bit here.
Wales tries to move into full mount but can't pass opal's legs.
Wales fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Wales thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Wales looks gassed!
You can see the frustration on opal's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Wales has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wales is looking to take a break and control but opal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
opal might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Wales feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to opal's calf.
Wales connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Wales fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
opal throws a right and a left that Wales avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wales fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
opal throws a head kick that misses.
Wales connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
opal is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
opal leaves Wales with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Wales finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
opal fails to land the takedown.
opal misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Wales to counter with a crisp jab.

Wales feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wales pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. opal is keeping the position for now.
Wales is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
opal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Wales's guard.
opal tries to free his leg and advance position but Wales is retaining full guard.
opal trying to control but Wales is working from the bottom.
opal is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Wales is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Wales wants to sweep here but opal controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Wales keeping moving, preventing opal from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josey Wales dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Wales changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. opal looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
opal tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Wales wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
opal taking a bit of punishment here - Wales scoring with strikes.
Wales advances to full mount.

Wales has control of opal's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and opal regains control of the situation pretty easily.
opal holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Wales tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Wales is breathing heavily.
Wales wants to control the pace but opal is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wales is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. opal can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
opal tries to lock up and control but Wales gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Wales landing punches.
Wales is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. opal can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
opal tries to reverse the position but Wales maintains control.
Josey Wales has got the better of the ground game so far.
opal wants to hold on but Wales pushes him away.
Wales with the ground and pound from mount.
Wales controlling from the full mount.
A nice elbow there by Wales.
Wales scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
opal wants to hold on but Wales pushes him away.
Wales lands a nice shot to the head.
opal is desperately trying to improve his position but Wales has a good base and remains in mount.
opal tries to hold on but Wales pushes him away.
opal manages to regain half guard. Good work.
opal is in trouble now - Wales has advanced to mount!
opal wants to hold on but Wales pushes him away.
opal takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Wales landing strikes from the mount and opal is in trouble!
The referee warns opal that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Wales looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
opal is squirming around, avoiding Wales's attempts to control the action.
Wales raining down shots from the mount!
Wales working the ground and pound effectively.
Wales controlling his opponent.
Wales in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
opal taking shots to the head.
Wales content just to control the position here.
opal is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
opal tries to hold on but Wales pushes him away.
Wales takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
opal is wriggling around trying to escape.
Wales breaks from opal's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Wales connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Wales controlling his opponent.

Wales swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and opal is now in Wales's guard. A big mistake from Wales there, giving up the dominant position!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josey Wales showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

opal misses with a few strikes there.
opal wants to clinch up but Wales keeps it at a distance.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Wales!
opal tries to clinch but Wales moves away
and Wales counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
opal gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Wales counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in opal's guard now.
opal wants to sweep but no luck.
Wales pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. opal is keeping the position for now.
opal trying to keep a closed guard but Wales is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
opal tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wales lands a couple of elbows.
Wales preventing the sweep.
Wales works over opal with some ground and pound from guard.
Wales lands a couple of elbows.
Wales scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Wales pushing down on opal's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Wales passes to side control.
A lull in the action here.
opal tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
opal taking punishment in the form of punches.
opal is letting Wales control him for a moment.
Wales is looking to take a break and control but opal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wales lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Josey Wales is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wales taking a break here but opal is having none of it and regains half guard.
Wales missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
opal wants to get back to his feet.

Wales has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can opal defend it? Wales steps over the head and cranks it - opal is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Wales!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:13 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Josey Wales!