PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tyler Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rod Keyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rod Keyes told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Baker
vs
Keyes

188 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
183 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyler Baker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rod Keyes!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Keyes manages to avoid it.
Keyes throws a push kick but Baker slaps the foot to one side.
Baker with a nice cross.
Baker throws a big shot that misses.
Keyes dodges the punch combination from Baker.
Keyes lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Keyes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Baker was well out of range. Poor timing from Keyes.
Baker misses with a two punch combination.
Baker takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Keyes stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Baker avoids the body shot from Keyes.
Baker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Keyes on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Baker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Keyes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Baker wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Baker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baker wants it to stay on the feet.
Baker throws a leg kick but Keyes moved away.
Keyes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Keyes looks to land a combination but Baker avoids it well.
Keyes on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Baker lands a lovely overhand right.
Baker bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Keyes throws a head kick that misses.
Keyes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Baker's waist but Baker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Keyes off to one side.
Keyes looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker throws a hook to the side of Keyes's head but Keyes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Keyes shoots for a takedown but Baker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tyler Baker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rod Keyes.

Keyes drives through and clinches with Baker against the cage.
Keyes blocks a body shot from Baker.
Baker misses with a body punch.
Keyes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Baker drops down looking for an ankle pick but Keyes pulls his leg out and moves away.
Baker lands a slapping body shot.
Baker connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Baker bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Keyes's head.
Baker connects with a body shot.
Baker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Baker with a nice cross.
Baker throws and low kick but Keyes moves out of range easily.
Baker is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Baker scores with a head kick.
Baker scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters circling - Keyes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baker connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Baker throws and low kick but Keyes moves out of range easily.
A jab from Baker finds it's way through Keyes's defenses.
Tyler Baker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker avoids the body shot from Keyes.
Keyes on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Keyes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Baker cracks Keyes with a good jab.
Keyes dodges the punch combination from Baker.
Keyes gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Baker.
Keyes blocks a low kick nicely.
Baker keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Baker tries a low kick but Keyes avoids it.
Baker misses with a double jab.
Rod Keyes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baker connects with a right hand. Keyes shakes it off.
A left lands for Baker.
A decent looking cross lands there for Baker.
Baker throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Keyes stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A shot to the liver by Keyes. Beautiful body shot.
Baker scores with a hook to the body. Keyes takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Baker throws a low kick, looking for Keyes's leg but Keyes calmly moves out of range.
Keyes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baker sprawls well. Baker wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Keyes gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker avoids a punch combination nicely.
A right-left combo lands from Baker.
Keyes walks into a jab.
Baker throws a series of punches but Keyes avoids them all with ease.
Baker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Keyes on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Keyes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Baker sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Keyes somewhat.
Baker throws out a powerful jab.
Baker closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Keyes fails with the takedown.
Baker lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Keyes is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Baker.
Baker swings for the body but Keyes moves out of range.
Baker slips a jab and a cross from Keyes.
Baker scores with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fight stays on the outside here - Keyes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baker shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Baker chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A nice combination there by Baker.
Horrible takedown by Keyes or perhaps it was just good defense by Baker which made him look bad.
Baker lands a slapping body shot.
Baker throws a chopping leg kick but Keyes manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Keyes misses with a takedown attempt - Baker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Baker ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A cross from Baker lands.
Keyes has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Keyes thows a leg kick but Baker checks it
letting Baker counter with a right hand.
Keyes with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Baker to score with a decent uppercut.
Keyes tries to clinch but Baker is having none of it.
Baker throws a leg kick which misses Keyes's front leg but catches the back leg as Keyes tries to avoid it.
Keyes lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Baker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baker wants it to stay on the feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keyes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tyler Baker will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Keyes takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Keyes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baker connects with a body shot.
Baker wants to slow Keyes down by chopping away at his legs.
Baker throws a head kick but Keyes moves out of range.
Keyes blocks a low kick nicely.
Baker paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Baker connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Keyes momentarily.
Baker slips a straight right by Keyes.
Keyes tries to clinch but Baker moves out of range.
Rod Keyes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A right-left combo lands from Baker.
Baker throws a low kick, looking for Keyes's leg but Keyes calmly moves out of range.
Keyes checks the leg kick nicely there.
Keyes takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Tyler Baker is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker takes a swing at Keyes's ribcage but misses.
Keyes is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baker sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baker scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Baker lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Baker scores with a three punch combo!
Baker cracks Keyes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Keyes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tyler Baker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rod Keyes.
Keyes shoots in for a double leg but Baker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Baker's corner calls for a 1-2. Baker obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Keyes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Baker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Keyes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Keyes takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Keyes is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Baker lands a body shot.
Baker ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Keyes moves away.
Keyes misses with a takedown attempt - Baker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Baker scoring well with a low kick there.
Keyes tries to score a power double leg takedown but Baker sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Keyes somewhat.
Baker moves into range and connects with a jab.
Baker scores with the left hand. Keyes knows he should have avoided that one.

Keyes closes the distance and clinches.
Baker is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keyes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Baker smiles and moves away.
Baker lands a lovely overhand right.
Baker connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Keyes's hands.
Baker tries to land a leg kick but Keyes saw it coming and moves away.
Keyes tries to clinch up but Baker circles away and keeps his distance.
Baker lands a nice looking body kick.
Baker's corner calls for a 1-2. Baker obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Keyes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Baker manages to avoid it.
Keyes swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Baker counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Keyes thinking.
Baker finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Keyes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Keyes checks a leg kick nicely.
Baker throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Keyes on the side of the head.
Baker jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Baker lands a jab-cross combination.
Keyes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Keyes fails with a takedown attempt.
Keyes tries to close the distance and clinch but Baker swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keyes wants to clinch up but Baker keeps it at a distance.
Baker scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Keyes takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Baker connects with a body shot.
Keyes tries to clinch there but Baker circles away.
Keyes takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Baker throws a head kick but Keyes moves out of range.
Keyes has a takedown stuffed.
Baker throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Keyes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Baker circles away quickly and effectively.
Keyes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Keyes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Baker.
Jab, jab by Baker - just one landing.
Keyes is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Baker.
Keyes misses with a series of wild punches.
Keyes fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Keyes tries to clinch but Baker moves out of range.
Keyes on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
A jab from Baker finds it's way through Keyes's defenses.
Keyes fails with a takedown attempt.
Baker scores with a jab to the head.
Jab from Baker.
Baker scores with a nice right hand.

Keyes instigates a clinch.
Baker drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Baker is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Baker misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Keyes jumps guard.

Keyes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Keyes trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Baker has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Baker controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Baker dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Baker blocks a jab.
Baker lands an overhand right.
Baker misses with a looping right.
A jab lands there for Baker.
Keyes fails with a takedown attempt.
Baker scores with a nice right hand.
Baker lands a body shot.
Baker connects with a right hand. Keyes shakes it off.
Keyes blocks a low kick nicely.
Baker throws a good cross that connects.
Baker lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Keyes circles away quickly and effectively.
Keyes ducks under a wild hook from Baker.
Keyes tries to clinch there but Baker circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Keyes is out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Baker misses with a wild body shot.
Baker scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Keyes swings for the body but Baker moves out of range.
Baker throws a big shot that misses.
Keyes shoots in for a double leg but Baker sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Keyes shoots in but no luck this time.
Tyler Baker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rod Keyes.
Keyes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Keyes cracks Baker with a good jab.
Baker dips to his left and cracks Keyes with an uppercut!
Keyes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Keyes fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Baker avoids it really well and circles away.
Baker fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice sprawl there from Baker as Keyes shoots in.
Keyes takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Keyes misses with a body shot.
Keyes misses with an uppercut. Baker saw that one coming.
Good shot there by Baker.
Baker dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Baker throws a sloppy head kick and Keyes moves out of range easily.
Keyes with a jab.
Keyes misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Baker jabs Keyes right on the nose. Keyes blinks but takes it well.
Keyes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Baker as he jumps to the side.
Keyes misses with a few strikes there.
Baker lands a jab.
Baker throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Baker misses with a hook. Keyes ducked under it nicely.
Keyes misses with a few strikes there.
Baker throws out a powerful jab.
Baker fails to land with a series of punches.
Keyes tries to clinch there but Baker circles away.
Baker lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Baker waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Keyes.
Keyes shoots for a takedown but Baker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
A jab from Baker does it's job there.
Baker lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Baker misses the jab.
Keyes lands with a right hand.
Keyes dodges the punch combination from Baker.
Keyes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Keyes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Keyes shoots for a takedown but Baker saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Baker connects with a looping right hand.
Baker stuffs the takedown.
Baker blocks a head kick by Keyes.
Baker jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Keyes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baker sizes up Keyes with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Keyes wants to clinch.
Keyes looks to land a left hand but Baker moved out of range nicely.
Baker lands with a straight right. Keyes didn't see that one coming.
Some bone on bone action there as Keyes checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Baker tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Baker misses the jab.
Tyler Baker is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Keyes slips a jab from Baker.
Baker displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Keyes.
Baker lands with a shot to the body.
Baker takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Baker scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Baker dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Baker misses with a jab, cross combination.
Keyes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Keyes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rod Keyes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Baker connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Keyes throws a nice looking combination but Baker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Keyes checks the leg kick nicely there.
Baker lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baker moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Keyes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Baker circles away quickly and effectively.
Baker throws a sloppy head kick and Keyes moves out of range easily.
Baker throws a right hand that Keyes ducks under and follows up with a left that Keyes also avoids with ease.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyler Baker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Baker, 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyler Baker!