PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Max Martello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Keller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Martello
vs
Keller

200 cm
27
248 lbs
9 - 13 - 0

190 cm
28
230 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Max Martello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Keller!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Sam Margolis and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keller doesn't manage to clinch there - Martello circles away.
Keller keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Keller shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Martello controls Keller momentarily but Keller frees himself.
Martello keeping full guard, as Keller tries to pass.
Martello preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Keller chips away with some ground and pound.
Keller wants to pass the guard but Martello is keeping the position.
Keller trying to control the position from guard on top but Martello is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Keller stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Martello swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Keller missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller with a nice head shot there.
Keller throws a strike but Martello rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Martello is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Keller keeping moving, preventing Martello from controlling successfully.
Martello looking to sit in guard and control but Keller gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Keller is looking to work some ground and pound but Martello has wrist control.
Martello wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Max Martello.
Martello with a poor takedown

and Keller counters with a takedown into side control.
Martello is breathing heavily.
Keller looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Martello is avoiding damage well.
Martello on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Martello is not content to let Keller control the position.
Keller lands an elbow.
Keller misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Martello is trying to control Keller's posture but Keller avoids it.
Keller working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martello is trying to control Keller's posture but Keller avoids it.
Keller lands an elbow.
Martello wants to control but Keller postures up.
Martello defending against the ground and pound.
Keller throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Keller cracks Martello with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Keller is working Martello over with some ground and pound from side control.
Keller trying to control the position but Martello is working away.
Keller working the ground and pound from side control.
Keller working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martello is looking to regain half guard here but Keller keeps moving and retains side control.
Keller has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Martello!
Keller with shots to the head and body - Martello looks very uncomfortable down there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keller landing strikes from the mount.
Martello tries to hold on but Keller pushes him away.
Keller breaks from Martello's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Keller lands a heavy elbow.
Keller raining down shots from the mount!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martello is bucking up trying to escape but Keller cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keller looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Keller looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Keller dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Martello tries to clinch but Keller is having none of it.
Martello shoots and misses

and Keller decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Martello's guard.
Keller chips away with some ground and pound.
Keller wants to control from the top but Martello keeps moving.
Keller scoring with some ground and pound.
Keller trying to control but Martello is working from the bottom.
Keller lands a couple of digs.
Keller trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Keller loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Keller trying to control but Martello is working from the bottom.
Martello preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martello wants to sweep but no luck.
Keller postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Keller throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Keller throwing strikes but missing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keller scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Martello misses with a takedown
and Keller counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Keller closes the distance and pushes Martello back into the cage.
Keller lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Keller tightens his grip and picks Martello up, before dumping him to the ground. Martello manages to land in guard.
Keller controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Martello trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller thows a big elbow that misses.
Keller working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Keller passes Martello's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Keller thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Keller throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Martello tries to roll over but Keller keeps him under control.
Chris Keller has got the better of the ground game so far.
Keller scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Martello trying to control from the bottom.
Martello wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller throwing shots but Martello is blocking nicely.
Keller working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Keller drops an elbow to the side of Martello's head.
Martello has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Keller is working away from the top position though.
Keller with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Martello has hold of Keller's hands but Keller slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Keller throwing shots but Martello is blocking nicely.
Martello wants to improve his position but Keller is controlling well.
Keller seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Keller looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Martello with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Martello trying to hold on to Keller's head to control him but Keller postures up.
Martello is staying active underneath Keller, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Keller winds up and cracks Martello with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Keller is thwarting Martello's attempts to control the position.
Keller slips a nice elbow through Martello's hands, connecting with Martello's forehead.
Ground and pound from Keller.
Keller looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Keller scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Keller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Keller ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Martello gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Keller decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Martello's guard.
Keller throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martello works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Keller in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Keller stands up over Martello, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Keller throwing strikes from guard but Martello blocks nicely.
Keller looking to pass the guard.
Keller chips away with some ground and pound.
Keller has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Keller seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Keller wants to control from the top but Martello keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martello works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Martello has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Keller can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Keller throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Martello misses with a takedown attempt

and Keller counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Martello is trying to maintain the position but Keller is very close to passing his half guard.
Keller drops an elbow to the side of Martello's head.
Keller thows a huge punch but Martello dodges it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller is trying to control the action in half guard but Martello is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Keller sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Martello defending well though.
Keller looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Keller looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Keller working over Martello with some ground and pound. Martello looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Martello with a poor takedown

and Keller counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Max Martello. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martello is looking for a sweep.
Keller tries to move to mount but Martello blocks the move with his legs.
Martello is trying to control Keller's posture but Keller avoids it.
Chris Keller is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martello tries to buck Keller off but Keller is having none of it.
You can see the frustration on Martello's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Keller lands some shots froms side control.
Keller controlling the position from side mount.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Keller has managed to clinch.

Keller is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Martello can't fight it off and eventually Keller manages to take the fight to the floor. Martello looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Martello controls Keller momentarily but Keller frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keller looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Keller looking to pass the guard.
Martello seems keen to control Keller's posture.
Max Martello has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keller loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Keller comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Keller has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 24:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 24:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Keller!