PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Keys (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Leach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Keys
vs
Leach

185 cm
18
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Joshua Keys!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Matthew Leach!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Ackerman and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leach shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Keys throws a head kick that misses.
Leach tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Keys paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Leach.
Leach wants to clinch.
Leach tries to clinch up but Keys circles away and keeps his distance.

Keys drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Keys working the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Keys decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Keys moves into range and clinches up with Leach.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keys wants to break free but Leach has control.
Keys tries to break the clinch but Leach is controlling the position.
Leach taking a breather.
Leach is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Leach tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keys just stands there and leans against the cage.
Joshua Keys has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Leach.
Leach has Keys pressed against the cage, preventing Keys from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Keys gets control of Leach's arms and successfully pulls guard. Keys will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Leach trying to control but Keys is working from the bottom.

Keys is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Keys breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Leach lands a slapping body shot.
Leach shoots for a double leg takedown but Keys sprawls well. He's pushed Leach's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Keys avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Leach gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Keys to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Keys tries to free his leg and advance position but Leach is retaining full guard.
Keys not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Keys seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Leach for as long as he can get away with.
Keys wants to control from the top but Leach keeps moving.
Keys advances to half guard.
Keys prevents Leach from improving his position.
Keys content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leach makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Leach.
Leach is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Keys is controlling him.
Keys throws a big right hand that misses.
Leach wants to stand and escape but Keys is having none of it.
Leach controls Keys momentarily but Keys frees himself.

Leach is working an open guard so Keys takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Leach changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Keys tries to avoid it but Leach manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Keys to the ground. Keys escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Leach looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Leach gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leach throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Keys tries to free his leg and advance position but Leach is retaining full guard.

Leach is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Keys is aware though and is defending well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Keys throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Keys stays in close to Leach's body and controls the position.
Leach trying to control the position.
Keys slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Keys dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Keys shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Leach wants to get back to full guard.

Keys gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Keys drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Keys decides to stand back up. Keys steps back and let's Leach get back to his feet.
Leach dives in and grabs Keys's left leg, looking for a takedown. Keys pushes down on Leach's head and hops out.
Leach is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keys tries to close the distance and clinch up but Leach swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Some wild striking there from Leach.
Keys throws a solid leg kick but Leach takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Keys.

Keys shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Keys showed some decent athleticism there.
Keys perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Keys trying to pass the guard but Leach defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leach trying to hold on to Keys's head to control him but Keys postures up.

Keys is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Leach has managed to free his arm - good work.
Keys throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Keys perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Keys is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Leach wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Leach actively working from the bottom here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Leach throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Leach avoids the head kick by Keys.
Keys shoots in for a takedown but Leach shows good takedown defense.
Keys shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Leach as he avoids it easily.
Leach tries to clinch up.
Horrible takedown by Keys or perhaps it was just good defense by Leach which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Keys. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Leach scores with a nice strike.

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.
Keys tries for a takedown but Leach circles away easily
and Leach counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Keys is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Leach throws the kick towards the body but Keys avoids it.
Leach lands a jab to Keys's midsection.
Keys slips a jab and a cross from Leach.
The fight stays on the outside here - Leach looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick by Keys misses
and Leach counters with a three punch combo that has Keys backing up. Keys nods at Leach to acknowledge the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Keys dominated that second round.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Keys takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
No luck for Leach with that takedown attempt.
Keys dodges the punch combination from Leach.
Leach is looking to clinch but Keys is avoiding it.
Leach misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keys doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Leach counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Leach gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leach takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keys pushes down on Leach's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Keys seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Leach does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Keys looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Keys'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.
Leach tries to roll over but Keys keeps him under control.
Keys landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Keys not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Keys wants to lay and pray for a moment but Leach keeps working.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Leach gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leach manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Keys is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leach controlling the position easily from mount.
Keys really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Keys sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Keys moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Leach pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Keys is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Keys has a closed guard, preventing Leach from standing up.
Leach wants to stand and escape but instead Keys has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Joshua Keys overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Keys stands up and waves to Leach to follow him.
Leach defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Keys.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Keys showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Keys, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Keys!