PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Felix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kiett Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kiett Li has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Felix
vs
Li

184 cm
21
165 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Likes ground

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nathan Felix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kiett Li!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Dean Styles and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Felix shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Li as he avoids it easily.
Felix throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Li's waist but Li gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Felix off to one side.
Felix connects with a solid leg kick.
Felix fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathan Felix. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Felix fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Li tries for a takedown but Felix sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Felix connects with a solid leg kick.
Felix is looking to clinch but Li is avoiding it.
Felix tries to clinch but Li is having none of it.
Felix misses with the combination.

Li gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Li looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Felix is looking to work some ground and pound but Li has wrist control.
Li wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Li is looking to stand up but Felix isn't so interested in that idea.
Li really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Felix. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li keeping moving, preventing Felix from controlling successfully.
Li wants to get back to his feet but Felix is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Felix throws a big right hand that misses.
Felix 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Felix with a lazy takedown attempt

and Li decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Felix's guard.
Li must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Felix is breathing heavily.
Li looking to pass the guard.
Felix is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Felix looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.
Li not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Li wants to get up but he can't break Felix's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to pass the guard but Felix is keeping the position.
Li is looking to stand up but Felix won't let him.
Felix looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Felix tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Li counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Felix is controlling Li's posture.

Li stands up and waves to Felix to follow him.
Felix throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Felix shoots and misses

and Li counters with a nice double leg into side control. Felix won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Li trying to control the position but Felix is working away.
Felix is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Li has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felix is trying to improve his position.

Felix explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Felix tries for a takedown but Li circles away easily

and Li decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Felix's guard.
Felix looking for a sweep. Not yet Felix, not yet.
Felix controls Li momentarily but Li frees himself.
Felix throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Felix has his hands on Li's head, controlling the position.
Felix not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Felix utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Felix manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Li manages to get himself to full guard.
Felix trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Felix sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Li's guard.
Felix works his way into full mount!
Felix won't let Li get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Felix controlling his opponent.
Felix scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Li?
Li is looking to get to half guard.
Felix can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Li is looking to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Felix unloading with bombs!
Felix controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kiett Li dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Felix gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Li counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Li.
Felix will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Felix keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Felix kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Felix trying to keep a closed guard but Li is proving a slippery customer.
Felix is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Li is controlling him.

Felix working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.
Li looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Li throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Felix works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Li thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Felix thows a left - swing and a miss!

Li feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Felix is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Felix has his hands on Li's head, controlling the position.
Felix working a defensive guard here.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Felix is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Li postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Li won't allow Felix to sweep him here.
Li postures up.
Felix has momentary wrist control but Li slips an elbow through the middle.

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

and Li counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Li is thwarting Felix's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li prevents Felix from improving his position.
Felix slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Li looking to pass the guard.
Felix is pulling down on Li's head to control his posture.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Felix is retaining full guard.
Felix wants to control but Li passes easily into half guard.
Felix wants to control but Li is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Felix is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Li's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Li's back!
Felix struggling to keep hold of the position.
Felix scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Li is looking for a way out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Felix lands a shot to the body.
Felix lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Felix.
Kiett Li has got the better of the ground game so far.
Li staying busy and making it hard for Felix to control.

Felix is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Li has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Felix misses with a punch to the head.
Felix controlling well, preventing Li from escaping the position.
Li is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Felix lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Felix.
Felix has the hooks in. Li is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Li covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Felix's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Felix controlling well, preventing Li from escaping the position.
Felix has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

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.
I would not like to be Li right now.
Felix punches the canvas rather than the man.
Li trying to control the hands but Felix breaks the grip.
Li is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Felix.
Felix misses with punches from the back.
Li trying to control the action but Felix just sinks the hooks in.
Felix throwing damaging strikes from the back! Li could be in trouble here!
Felix has good solid back control here.
Felix's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Felix is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Li. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Felix. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kiett Li showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Felix fails with a takedown attempt.
Felix tries for a takedown but Li circles away easily

so Li counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Li postures up.
Felix looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Felix is trying to control the position but Li postures up.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Nathan Felix just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Felix misses with a two punch combination.
Felix has his takedown stuffed
and Li counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathan Felix. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Li fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Felix sprawls well initially but Li persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Li seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Felix is looking to control Li's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Felix avoid being mounted?
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Li throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Li wants to control but Felix is keeping him busy.
Felix wants to control but Li is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Felix shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Li counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Felix keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Felix manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Li manages to get himself to full guard.
Felix landing some decent shots from guard.
Felix is pushing down on Li's leg trying to pass to half guard. Li is fighting to maintain full guard but Felix has managed to sneak the leg through.
Felix content to control rather than advance.

Felix postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Li to stand up.
Felix misses with a takedown
and Li counters with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Felix misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Felix looks for a takedown but Li sprawls well.
Nathan Felix seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Felix closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Li to the mat! Li manages to get full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Li keeping moving, preventing Felix from controlling successfully.
Felix sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Felix wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Li working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Felix.
Felix advances to half guard.
Felix works his way into side control.
Li takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li is not content to let Felix control the position.
Li taking a bit of punishment here - Felix scoring with strikes.
Felix takes a little break here. Li wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Felix moves into full mount!
Li taking shots to the head.
Li is squirming around, avoiding Felix's attempts to control the action.
Felix scoring with strikes but Li is staying in there.
Felix can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Li is looking to escape.
Li tries to reverse the position but Felix maintains control.
Felix tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Felix unloading with bombs!
Felix controlling the pace for now.
Felix avoids the attempt from Li to control.
Felix wants to control the pace but Li is squirming around nicely.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Nathan Felix just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Horrible takedown by Felix or perhaps it was just good defense by Li which made him look bad.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Felix looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Li fakes the leg kick and cracks Felix in the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kiett Li.
Well Li 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kiett Li!