PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Walken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Afolabi (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.

Walken
vs
Afolabi

176 cm
25
195 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
28
190 lbs
4 - 9 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Dangerous GnP
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Backyard Fighting

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Christopher Walken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Afolabi!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Afolabi shoots for a takedown but Walken saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Afolabi closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Walken did well to prevent Afolabi getting side control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Afolabi wants to take a breather but Walken is having none of it.
Walken knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Afolabi on the ground.
Walken blocking the ground and pound attempt from Afolabi.
Walken definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Afolabi is keen to just control but Walken is a slippery customer.

James Afolabi has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Walken looks to score with a jab to the body but Afolabi is just out of range.
Walken misses with a two punch combination.
Walken showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Afolabi.
Horrible takedown by Afolabi or perhaps it was just good defense by Walken which made him look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walken throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Afolabi stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Walken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Afolabi circles away quickly and effectively.
Afolabi gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A punch combination from Walken misses.
Walken circles away from the clinch attempt
and Walken counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Walken throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Afolabi.
Walken uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Afolabi.
Afolabi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Walken.
Sloppy strikes from Afolabi. Those never looked like landing.
Walken rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Afolabi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Afolabi moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Afolabi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Christopher Walken is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walken avoids the body shot from Afolabi.
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!
Afolabi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Walken avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Afolabi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Walken counters with a series of strikes. Afolabi will be more careful next time no doubt.
James Afolabi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Walken gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Afolabi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Afolabi stands and steps away. Walken gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Afolabi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Afolabi throws a sloppy head kick and Walken moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walken tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Afolabi was well out of range. Poor timing from Walken.
A combination from Afolabi does no damage.
Walken swinging wildly here.
Walken connects with the punch.
Afolabi shoots in for a takedown but Walken shows good takedown defense.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Afolabi.
Some wild striking there from Walken.
Walken looks to score with a jab to the body but Afolabi is just out of range.
Afolabi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Walken tries to avoid it but Afolabi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Walken to the ground. Walken escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Some wild striking there from Walken.
Afolabi tries to clinch but Walken is having none of it.
Afolabi defending well as Walken loads up on a big left hand.
Afolabi tries to clinch but Walken moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi fails with a takedown attempt.
Afolabi slips a jab and a cross from Walken.
Afolabi misses with a series of wild punches.
Afolabi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Afolabi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walken swivels and escapes.
Afolabi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Walken.
Afolabi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Walken misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A left and a right from Walken both land. Nice combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Walken fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Walken gets caught flat footed, as Afolabi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James Afolabi will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Walken throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Afolabi.
Afolabi throws a right and a left that Walken avoids nicely.
Afolabi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Walken.
Afolabi tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Walken counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Afolabi thinking.
Afolabi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Walken avoids the head kick by Afolabi.
Afolabi throws a right hand that Walken ducks under and follows up with a left that Walken also avoids with ease.
Walken goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Afolabi wants to clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Walken. Those never looked like landing.
Afolabi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Afolabi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Walken swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Afolabi throws out a loose jab but Walken uses good head movement to avoid it.
Christopher Walken is winning the standup battle so far.
Afolabi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walken swivels and escapes.
Afolabi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Walken moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Afolabi does no damage.
Afolabi is breathing heavily.
Afolabi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Walken catches Afolabi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Walken wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nice sprawl there from Walken as Afolabi shoots in.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Afolabi.
Afolabi has a takedown stuffed.
Walken swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walken misses with a jab, cross combination.
Walken looks to land a combination but Afolabi avoids it well.
Afolabi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walken.
Afolabi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walken swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Afolabi tries to clinch up but Walken circles away and keeps his distance.
Afolabi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Walken takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Afolabi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Walken.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Afolabi just misses with a punch to the body.
Walken fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Afolabi wants to clinch.

Afolabi clinches up with Walken and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi looking to stall.
Afolabi is looking for a takedown.
Walken wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Walken wants to get back to striking at distance but Afolabi won't allow it.
Walken controlling the action here for a moment.
Walken prevents the takedown attempt.
Afolabi tries for a takedown but Walken manages to get underhooks.
Afolabi has Walken pressed against the cage, preventing Walken from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Walken wants to get back to striking at distance but Afolabi won't allow it.
Walken dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Walken's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Walken thuds a left hand into Afolabi's body.
Afolabi is trying hard to land a takedown here. Walken sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Walken scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Christopher Walken is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Afolabi lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Walken avoids the body shot from Afolabi.
A punch combination from Afolabi misses.
Afolabi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Walken stuffs the takedown attempt from Afolabi. Afolabi gets slowly back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Afolabi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Walken as he jumps to the side.
Some wild striking there from Walken.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Christopher Walken will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Walken throws a one two combo.
Afolabi shoots in but Walken avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Afolabi clinches with his opponent.
Walken working hard to break the clinch.
Afolabi misses with a hook to the ribs.
Afolabi looking for a takedown.
Afolabi is looking to take this one to the mat.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Afolabi.
Walken has had enough of the clinch but Afolabi keeps him there for the moment.
Afolabi is trying to break free.
Afolabi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Walken's efforts to push away.
Afolabi looking for a takedown.
Afolabi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Walken has had enough of the clinch but Afolabi keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walken wants to get back to striking at distance but Afolabi won't allow it.
Afolabi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Walken is trying to force a seperation but Afolabi has the dominant position.
Afolabi is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Walken to keep the fight standing.
Afolabi wants a takedown but no success here.
Afolabi is working for takedown but Walken is calmly controlling the position for now.
Walken will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Afolabi up against the cage.
Afolabi is trying to drag Walken to the mat but Walken just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Walken wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi is looking for a takedown.
Walken can't break the clinch.

Afolabi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Afolabi throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Afolabi dodges the punch combination from Walken.
Walken misses with the combination.
Sloppy strikes from Afolabi. Those never looked like landing.
Walken misses with a few strikes there.
Afolabi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Walken is fending him off so far but Afolabi persists. Nope, Walken circles away and we're back to standing.
Afolabi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Walken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Afolabi circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Afolabi shoots in for a takedown but Walken shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Walken lands a right hook to the body.
Walken throws a nice looking combination but Afolabi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Walken misses with a jab, cross combination.
Walken scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Walken throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Walken takes a swing at Afolabi's ribcage but misses.
Walken slaps away a takedown attempt from Afolabi, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Afolabi dives in and grabs Walken's left leg, looking for a takedown. Walken pushes down on Afolabi's head and hops out.
Walken lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Afolabi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Walken fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walken throws a series of strikes that have Afolabi backpedaling.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Afolabi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Walken rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Afolabi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Afolabi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Walken thows a body shot but no joy.
Afolabi misses with a two punch combination.
A head kick misses from Afolabi.
Some wild striking there from Walken.
Walken scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Afolabi on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Danga de danga de dang - Afolabi scores with a four punch combination!

And that's the end of the fight!
Christopher Walken showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Walken has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christopher Walken!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Christopher Walken made sure he mentioned Backyard Fighting, along with how happy he was to win his fight.