PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wilfried Handel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Trip Kenzie (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.

Handel
vs
Kenzie

185 cm
27
185 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

154 cm
27
183 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Wilfried Handel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Trip Kenzie!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Paul Tew and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Handel throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Handel lands a really nice looking cross but Kenzie seems unphased.
A decent looking cross lands there for Handel.
Handel looks to score with a jab to the body but Kenzie is just out of range.
Handel falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kenzie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Wilfried Handel has been cut.

Handel gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kenzie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Handel pushes Kenzie off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Kenzie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Handel counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kenzie thinking.
Kenzie tries to clinch up but Handel circles away and keeps his distance.
Handel scores with a one two! Kenzie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kenzie throws a left and a right that both miss
and Handel counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Kenzie clinches with his opponent.
Kenzie has had enough of the clinch but Handel keeps him there for the moment.
Handel misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Handel misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kenzie drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Handel gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kenzie wants to break the clinch but can't.
Handel looking to stall.
Handel stops a takedown attempt from Kenzie.
Kenzie slowing the pace effectively.

Kenzie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the liver by Handel. Beautiful body shot.
Handel misses the shot to the body.
Kenzie throws a nice looking combination but Handel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Danga de danga de dang - Handel scores with a four punch combination!
Handel scores with a nice strike.
Wilfried Handel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kenzie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kenzie looks gassed!
Some wild striking there from Handel.
Handel is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Handel on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Kenzie. Kenzie obviously looking to wear him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kenzie closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Handel moves into full guard.

Handel has his foot on Kenzie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kenzie works his way back into a safe position though.
Handel throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Handel working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kenzie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kenzie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Handel is working an open guard so Kenzie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Kenzie has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Handel finds it's way round the side to connect with Kenzie's head.
Handel swings for the body but Kenzie moves out of range.
Handel lands with a hook. Kenzie tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenzie wants to clinch but Handel slips to the side
and Handel counters with a nice body shot.
Kenzie throws a lazy head kick
and Handel counters with a nice body shot.
Handel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kenzie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kenzie lands with a kick to the ribs.
Kenzie misses with a body punch
and Handel makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A shot to the liver by Handel. Beautiful body shot.
Handel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Handel pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kenzie back to the cage. Handel follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Handel misses with a few strikes there.
Kenzie throws a shot from downtown. Handel moves away and avoids it.

Kenzie gets a clinch.
Kenzie can't get the takedown.
Wilfried Handel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Trip Kenzie.
Handel is working Kenzie over against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kenzie misses with a hook from the clinch.
Handel lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Kenzie.
Handel stalling.
Kenzie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Handel lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Handel lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Handel lands a nice uppercut.
Handel lands a body shot.
A short uppercut from Handel.
Handel gets through Kenzie's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Handel taking a breather.
Handel lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kenzie goes for a takedown attempt but Handel pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Kenzie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Handel was covering up waiting for the punch and Kenzie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kenzie stops Handel from standing up.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kenzie trying to control but Handel is working from the bottom.
Kenzie is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Trip Kenzie.
Handel pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Kenzie back to the cage. Handel follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Nice defenses there by Kenzie.
Kenzie shoots in for a takedown but Handel shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Kenzie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Handel napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Handel tries to improve position but can't.
Handel gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Kenzie decides to stand and escape the position.
A combination from Handel does no damage.
Kenzie throws a sloppy head kick
and Handel counters with a one-two to the body.
Handel's corner calls for a 1-2. Handel obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Some wild striking there from Handel.
Handel swats away the attempt to clinch by Kenzie.
Handel scores with a one two! Kenzie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kenzie.
Handel keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Kenzie's efforts to push away.
Handel stalling.
Handel is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Handel.
Kenzie drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Handel gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Handel misses with some punches.
Kenzie looking to slow down the pace here.
Kenzie controlling the action here for a moment.
Kenzie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Kenzie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Handel scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Handel is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Kenzie throws a nice looking combination but Handel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Handel misses with a wild body shot.
Handel is working the combinations to good effect here.
Handel misses with a body shot

and Kenzie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Handel!
Kenzie punishing his opponent with strikes.
Kenzie wants to control the pace but Handel is squirming around nicely.
Handel is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Kenzie has control of Handel's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Handel regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Handel tries to reverse the position but Kenzie maintains control.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Handel sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Handel is trying to get back to full guard.
Kenzie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kenzie 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Handel wants to improve his position but Kenzie is controlling well.

Kenzie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kenzie wants to take a breather but Handel is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wilfried Handel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wilfried Handel's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Handel digs a good body shot into Kenzie's ribs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kenzie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Kenzie feints and as Handel raises his hands in defense, Kenzie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Handel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Kenzie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kenzie content to stall in guard here.
Kenzie wants to control from the top but Handel keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Handel looking for a guillotine here but Kenzie defends easily.
Kenzie landing some decent shots from guard.

Kenzie gets to his feet - Handel follows without any prompting.

Kenzie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Kenzie is breathing heavily.
Handel wants to stand but Kenzie is controlling the position.
Kenzie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Handel has his feet on Kenzie's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kenzie moves to clinch but Handel breaks away
and Handel counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kenzie thinking.
Handel defending well as Kenzie loads up on a big left hand.
Kenzie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Handel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kenzie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nice jab there from Handel.
Handel thows a body shot but no joy.
Kenzie throws a poor cross that misses
and Handel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenzie fails with a takedown attempt.
Handel tests Kenzie's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Kenzie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Handel wants to get back to full guard.
Trip Kenzie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kenzie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kenzie is keen to just control but Handel is a slippery customer.
Handel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Kenzie is working away from the top position though.
Kenzie throwing shots but Handel is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Handel tries to roll over but Kenzie keeps him under control.
Handel wants to get back to full guard but Kenzie has passed into side control.

Kenzie decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Wilfried Handel is winning the standup battle so far.

Kenzie scores with a takedown into Handel's guard.
Kenzie sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Handel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Handel keeping moving, preventing Kenzie from controlling successfully.
Kenzie thows a big elbow that misses.

Handel has his foot on Kenzie's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kenzie works his way back into a safe position though.
Kenzie throws a big right hand that misses.
Kenzie is stalling in the full guard.
Handel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Kenzie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Handel has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Kenzie has managed to get both his arms back between Handel's legs - danger averted.
Kenzie advances position into side control!

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Kenzie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Handel gets back to half guard.
Handel moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kenzie lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Kenzie stands over his opponent and dives in with a flying punch! Handel throws up his legs and catches Kenzie in a triangle! Oh this looks tight! Kenzie tries to escape but he's forced to tap! Wow, fantastic work there by Handel! That came out of nowhere!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 7:02 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Wilfried Handel!