PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Keyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Fick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Keyes
vs
Fick

172 cm
23
162 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

168 cm
20
164 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Stephen Keyes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Michael Fick!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Patrick Alders and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keyes leaves Fick with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Keyes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Fick doesn't seem bothered though.
Fick fails to land with a series of punches.
A good leg kick by Keyes.
Keyes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Fick tries to clinch there but Keyes circles away.
Keyes connects with a jab.
Keyes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fick circles away quickly and effectively.
Fick looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Keyes connects with a looping right hand.
Fick fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Stephen Keyes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Fick.
Keyes scores with a hook to the body. Fick takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Fick looks gassed!
Keyes throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Keyes connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Fick looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Keyes is fending him off so far but Fick persists. Nope, Keyes circles away and we're back to standing.

Keyes drives through and clinches with Fick against the cage.
Fick is trying desperately to land a takedown but Keyes is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Fick.
Keyes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Keyes misses with a knee to the head.
Keyes's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keyes pushes Fick back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Keyes crunches a lovely knee into Fick's ribcage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Keyes with a knee to the head.

It looks like Michael Fick has been cut.
Fick takes a knee right on the jaw!
Keyes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Keyes connects with a knee to the head.
Keyes lands a knee to the head.
Keyes creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Fick's defenses.
Keyes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Keyes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Keyes lands a knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Keyes.
Knees in the clinch landing for Keyes.
Keyes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Keyes.
Fick wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fick takes an elbow to the forehead.
Keyes scores with a knee to the head.
Keyes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Keyes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Keyes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fick trying to land knees to the body.
A short right from Keyes on the inside.
Fick fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fick drags the fight down to the ground.
Keyes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fick preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Fick looking for a sweep. Not yet Fick, not yet.
Fick utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Keyes thows a big elbow that misses.
Fick trying to keep a closed guard but Keyes is proving a slippery customer.
Keyes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keyes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fick darts in trying to clinch

and Keyes counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Keyes.
Fick tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Keyes avoids it.
Fick tries to land knees in the clinch but Keyes avoids the damage to the body.
Fick missing with knees to the body.
Fick blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Fick breaks the clinch.
Keyes tries a head kick but it misses.
Fick misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Fick misses the target.
Keyes uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Fick takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Keyes, right into the meat.
Fick takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fick tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Keyes counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Keyes circles away from the clinch attempt.

Keyes takes the fight into the clinch.
Keyes effectively controlling the action here.
Keyes tries to land a knee to the head but Fick blocks with his arms.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Keyes managing to block the knees to the body from Fick.
Fick tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Fick throws an elbow but misses.
Fick is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Keyes is keeping busy.
Keyes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Keyes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Fick pulls Keyes into guard.
Keyes scoring with some ground and pound.
Fick looking to hit a scissor sweep but Keyes is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Keyes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Fick'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.

Fick tries to clinch
enabling Keyes to counter with a crisp jab.
Fick shoots in but Keyes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Michael Fick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fick misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Fick tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Fick takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Fick takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Fick shoots in but Keyes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Stephen Keyes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Fick.
Keyes scores with the left hand. Fick knows he should have avoided that one.
Fick stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Keyes.
Keyes works the jab nicely.
Keyes closes the distance and clinches up with Fick, looking for a takedown. Keyes pushes Fick against the cage but Fick circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Keyes darts in and clinches Fick up against the cage.
Keyes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Keyes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fick jumps guard but Keyes stands there with Fick around his waist. Fick gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keyes tries to land knees in the clinch but Fick avoids the damage to the body.
Fick taking a breather.
Keyes trying to land knees to the body.
Fick wants a takedown.
Fick landing knees to the body.
Keyes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fick's efforts to push away.
Keyes missing with knees to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Fick tries to land knees in the clinch but Keyes avoids the damage to the body.
Keyes effectively controlling the action here.
Fick is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Keyes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Fick's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Fick landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Keyes looking to stall.
Fick putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Keyes in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Keyes putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Fick in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Fick jumps guard but Keyes stands there with Fick around his waist. Fick gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keyes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Keyes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Keyes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Fick missing with knees to the body.
Keyes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Keyes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Fick tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Keyes avoids it.
Fick jumps guard but Keyes stands there with Fick around his waist. Fick gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Keyes looking to throw knees to the head but Fick is blocking nicely.
Keyes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fick trying to land knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Keyes.
Fick tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fick working Keyes over with knees to the body.
Fick tries to land knees in the clinch but Keyes avoids the damage to the body.
Fick tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Keyes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Fick jumps guard but Keyes stands there with Fick around his waist. Fick gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fick tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keyes just stands there and leans against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Keyes as Fick tries to tie him up.
Fick looking to throw knees to the head but Keyes is blocking nicely.
Keyes connects with a knee to the head.
Fick trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keyes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fick's efforts to push away.

Keyes turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Fick is trying to improve his position.
Keyes lands a nice forearm strike.
Keyes landing a few strikes.
Fick takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Keyes wants to control but Fick is keeping him busy.
Fick regains half guard, as Keyes was trying to land strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fick moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Keyes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Keyes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fick trying to control the position.
Keyes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Keyes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Michael Fick's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Fick closes the distance but Keyes moves to the side
and Keyes counters with a body kick that stops Fick in his tracks momentarily.
Fick fails in his attempt to clinch.
Fick is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Fick is looking to clinch.
Fick is looking to clinch.
Fick tries to clinch up.
Keyes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Fick doesn't seem bothered though.
Fick tries to clinch but Keyes is having none of it.
Keyes swats away the attempt to clinch by Fick.
A cross from Keyes lands.
Keyes stuffs the takedown attempt from Fick. Fick gets slowly back to his feet.
Fick fails in his attempt to clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Good leg kick by Fick there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keyes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Fick tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keyes just stands there and leans against the cage.
Keyes effectively controlling the action here.
Fick is trying to break the clinch but Keyes is controlling him.
Keyes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Keyes tries a knee to the head but Fick blocks it.
Fick using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Fick can't find room to land a body shot as Keyes controls the action.
Fick is trying to maintain a safe position but Keyes gets an underhook and turns Fick into the cage.
Fick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keyes.
Keyes with a knee to the head.
Fick can't get the takedown.
Stephen Keyes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Michael Fick.
Keyes stalling against the cage.
Keyes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fick lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Fick tries to land knees in the clinch but Keyes avoids the damage to the body.
Keyes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Fick lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Keyes lands a hook that snaps the head of Fick backwards.
Fick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keyes.

Keyes decides to pull guard.
Fick won't allow Keyes to sweep him here.
Fick trying to control the position from guard on top but Keyes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fick pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Keyes is keeping the position for now.
Fick won't allow Keyes to sweep him here.
Fick trying to control but Keyes is working from the bottom.
Keyes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fick pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Keyes is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keyes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fick looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stephen Keyes is winning the standup battle so far.
Fick clinches but Keyes breaks the clinch
and Keyes counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fick shoots in for a takedown but Keyes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Keyes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keyes wants it to stay on the feet.
Fick fails with a takedown attempt.
Keyes lands with a right hand.

Keyes clinches up against the cage.
Fick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keyes.
Keyes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees to the body from Keyes.
Keyes stalling in the clinch.
Keyes takes a knee to the side of the body.
Keyes takes a knee to the side of the body.
Keyes managing to block the knees to the body from Fick.
Keyes landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Keyes is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Keyes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Fick.
Keyes lands a nice shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fick landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Keyes lands an elbow inside that Fick shrugs off.
Fick wants a takedown but no success here.
Keyes scores with a knee to the head.
Keyes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Fick is working for takedown but Keyes is calmly controlling the position for now.
Fick prevents a takedown attempt there.
Keyes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Keyes connects with a knee to the head.
Fick can't break the clinch.
Keyes managing to block the knees to the body from Fick.
Michael Fick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Keyes connects with a nasty looking knee right to Fick's face.
Fick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Keyes.
Fick is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Keyes pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Fick takes a knee right on the jaw!
Fick tries to pull guard but Keyes holds him up against the cage and eventually Fick drops back down to his feet.
Keyes looking to throw knees to the head but Fick is blocking nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keyes lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Fick wants a takedown.
Fick is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Keyes is defending well for now.
Fick with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Stephen Keyes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Keyes lands with a light punch inside.
Knees in the clinch landing for Keyes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Keyes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Keyes has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Keyes!