PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Finnick Carmelo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kain Kennedy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Carmelo
vs
Kennedy

205 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Finnick Carmelo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kain Kennedy!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kennedy has closed the distance and engaged Carmelo in a clinch.
Kennedy throws an elbow that misses.
Kennedy misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Carmelo.
Carmelo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kennedy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Carmelo successfully pulls guard.
Carmelo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kennedy throwing strikes but missing.
Carmelo trying to keep a closed guard but Kennedy is proving a slippery customer.
Kennedy trying to stand up but can't free himself from Carmelo's guard.
Carmelo trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kennedy is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Carmelo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Finnick Carmelo.
Kennedy looks for the body kick but Carmelo saw that one coming.
Kennedy throws a head kick that half lands.
Carmelo throws a leg kick but Kennedy sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Carmelo misses with a takedown attempt

and Kennedy counters by moving into the clinch.

Kennedy pulls guard.
Carmelo passes Kennedy's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Kennedy is refusing to be controlled, as Carmelo sits in half guard.
Kennedy is trying to stand up here but Carmelo is controlling him well.
Carmelo is looking to take a break and control but Kennedy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carmelo tries to stand and escape but Kennedy is controlling the position.
Kennedy flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Kennedy trying to hold on to Carmelo's head to control him but Carmelo postures up.
Carmelo wants to stand but Kennedy has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Kennedy is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Carmelo jumps into side control!
Kennedy tries to bench press Carmelo off him but Carmelo keeps the position.

Carmelo decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kennedy to his feet.
Kennedy tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Carmelo is able to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Carmelo but Carmelo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kennedy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Carmelo tries to avoid it but Kennedy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Carmelo to the ground. Carmelo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Carmelo drives through and clinches with Kennedy against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Kennedy breaks from the clinch.
Carmelo wants to clinch up but Kennedy keeps it at a distance.
Kennedy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Carmelo is fending him off so far but Kennedy persists. Nope, Carmelo circles away and we're back to standing.
Finnick Carmelo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kain Kennedy.
Kennedy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Carmelo circles away.

Kennedy clinches.
Carmelo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kennedy tries to pull guard but Carmelo holds him up against the cage and eventually Kennedy drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kennedy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A low kick from Carmelo is predictable there

and Kennedy counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kennedy.
Carmelo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kennedy!
Carmelo wants to control the pace but Kennedy is squirming around nicely.
Carmelo landing strikes from the mount and Kennedy is in trouble!
Carmelo tries to control but Kennedy wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kain Kennedy dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

The fight stays on the outside here - Kennedy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kennedy shoots in looking for a takedown but Carmelo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kennedy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kennedy stuffs the takedown.
Kennedy buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Carmelo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kennedy shoots for a double leg takedown but Carmelo sprawls well. He's pushed Kennedy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A slow jab from Kennedy misses its intended target.
Kennedy tries for a takedown but Carmelo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Finnick Carmelo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kain Kennedy.
Kennedy throws a head kick that misses.
Carmelo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kennedy fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carmelo with a poor takedown
and Kennedy counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kennedy is looking to clinch.

Carmelo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carmelo is thwarting Kennedy's attempts to control the position.
Carmelo prevents Kennedy from improving his position.
Carmelo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kennedy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Kennedy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Carmelo is working away from the top position though.
Kennedy looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kennedy trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Kennedy is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carmelo working Kennedy over with strikes here.
Kennedy is trying to reverse the position but instead Carmelo has taken his back - oops!
Carmelo is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Carmelo is not going to allow Kennedy to sit and survive in this position.

That's four 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.
Carmelo tries to get the hooks in deep but Kennedy pushed the leg off.
Kennedy tries to break free.

Kennedy fending off the submission attempt from Carmelo.
Carmelo not allowing Kennedy to control his hands.
Kennedy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Carmelo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finnick Carmelo 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Carmelo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kennedy at a distance.
No luck for Kennedy with that takedown attempt.
Kennedy with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Carmelo misses with a takedown attempt

and Kennedy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kennedy stalls.

Kennedy breaks the clinch.
Carmelo throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kennedy.
Carmelo moves in looking to clinch but Kennedy pushes him off.
Sloppy strikes from Kennedy. Those never looked like landing.
Carmelo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kennedy defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Kennedy or perhaps it was just good defense by Carmelo which made him look bad.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Carmelo enables Kennedy to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Carmelo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Kennedy trying to control but Carmelo is working from the bottom.
Kennedy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kennedy trying to control the position from guard on top but Carmelo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Carmelo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kennedy controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Kain Kennedy wasn't active enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Carmelo.
Carmelo tries to clinch but Kennedy is having none of it.

Kennedy has taken the fight to the clinch.

Kennedy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kennedy throws a sloppy head kick and Carmelo moves out of range easily.
Carmelo throws a leg kick

and Kennedy moves into the clinch.
Carmelo is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Kennedy gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Finnick Carmelo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Carmelo successfully pulls guard.
Kennedy trying to control but Carmelo is working from the bottom.
Carmelo has a closed guard, preventing Kennedy from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carmelo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kennedy preventing the sweep.
Kennedy would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Kennedy looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kennedy.
Carmelo misses with a looping right.

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.
Kennedy shoots in but Carmelo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Carmelo fails with the takedown.
Carmelo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kennedy.
Kennedy fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Carmelo manages to avoid it.
Carmelo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kennedy shoots in looking for a takedown but Carmelo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kennedy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Carmelo misses with a straight right.
Carmelo leaves Kennedy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Carmelo fails with the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kain Kennedy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kennedy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kain Kennedy!