PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Honey Badger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Heng Keo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keo has chosen Ich Will - Rammstein as his entrance music. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Badger
vs
Keo

173 cm
28
150 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

173 cm
34
157 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Cyclone Nutrition Company

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Honey Badger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Heng Keo!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Wagner Zegers and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Badger stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Keo.
Keo lands a high kick!
Keo is looking to clinch but Badger is avoiding it.
Badger scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Keo doesn't seem bothered though.
Badger misses with a hook. Keo ducked under it nicely.
Keo misses with a head kick.
Badger misses with a few strikes there.
Keo tries to clinch but Badger is having none of it.
Keo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Heng Keo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Badger feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Keos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Badger throws a right and a left that both miss.
Badger swats away the attempt to clinch by Keo.
Badger misses with a wild body shot.
Keo lands with an uppercut that bounces Badger off the cage and back into range.

Keo gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Badgers head.
Badger is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Keo blocks the elbow strike.
Keo has Badger pressed against the cage.

Keo has picked Badger up - he's going for a ride! Keo dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Keo is pressing down on Badger's thigh, looking to free his foot. Badger is holding on for now.
Badger trying to control here.
Keo throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Keo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Keo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Badger sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keo thows a huge punch but Badger dodges it nicely.
Badger is looking to control Keo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Badger avoid being mounted?
Badger works his way to full guard. Good work.
Keo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Badger works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Badger is pulling down on Keo's head. It's preventing any offense from Keo, at least for the moment.
Keo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badger utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Keo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Badger keeping full guard, as Keo tries to pass.
Keo advances to half guard.

Keo wants to work for an arm triangle but Badger is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Keo is looking for submissions but instead, Badger has regained full guard.

Keo drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Badger dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keo trying to keep a closed guard but Badger is proving a slippery customer.
Keo is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Keo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Keo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Badger defends it easily.
Keo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Badger throws a big elbow that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Badger stays in close to Keo's body and controls the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Keo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Badger can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Badger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heng Keo dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Badger swats away the attempt to clinch by Keo.
Keo moves to clinch but Badger breaks away
enabling Badger to counter with a crisp jab.
Keo closes the distance but Badger moves to the side
and Badger counters with a straight right hand.
Keo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Badger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Keo tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Badger counters with a nice leg kick.
Badger throws a hook to the side of Keo's head but Keo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Keo tries to clinch there but Badger circles away.
Keo moves in looking to clinch but Badger pushes him off.
A punch combination from Badger misses.
Keo tries to clinch up.
Keo wants to clinch
and Badger counters with a one-two to the body.
Keo avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badger throws a jab when Keo was well out of range.
Badger misses with a two punch combination.
Keo thuds a left hand into Badger's body.
Keo swings for the body but Badger moves out of range.
Keo does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Keo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Keo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Keo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Badger.
Badger misses the jab.
Badger takes a swing at Keo's ribcage but misses.
A jab from Badger does it's job there.
Keo moves in looking to clinch but Badger pushes him off.
Keo moves to clinch but Badger breaks away
and Badger counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Keo wants to clinch.
Badger cracks Keo with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Badger swats away the attempt to clinch by Keo.
Badger throws a hook but Keo blocks it.
Badger scoring well with a low kick there.
Keo darts in trying to clinch
and Badger counters with an inside leg kick.
Honey Badger is winning the standup battle so far.
Left hook, right uppercut from Badger.
Keo tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Badger cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Badger slips a straight right by Keo.
Keo misses with a lunging right hand
and Badger counters with a left to the body.
Keo wants to clinch
and Badger counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Badger throws a jab but it's blocked by Keo.
Keo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Badger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Badger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Keo takes one on the button.
Keo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Badger misses with a series of wild punches.
Jab, jab by Badger - just one landing.
Badger throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Keo pushes Badger up against the cage in a clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Keo fails to land.
Keo lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Badger backwards.
Stalling in the clinch from Keo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Badger taking a breather.
Keo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Badger avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Keo is trying to maintain a safe position but Badger gets an underhook and turns Keo into the cage.

Badger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Badger works the jab nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Badger misses the shot to the body.
Badger connects with a crisp jab.
Badger throws a jab when Keo was well out of range.
Keo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Keo throws a looping overhand right but Badger ducks down to avoid it.
Keo tries to close the distance and clinch but Badger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Badger thuds his right hand into Keo's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Badger misses with a looping left.
Badger throws a combination. Keo tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Keo gets a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Honey Badger dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Keo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Badger manages to avoid it.
Keo looks to clinch
and Badger connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Badger is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Keo is looking to clinch.
Keo tries to clinch but Badger moves out of range.
Keo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Badger is out of range and Keo settles back down.
Keo looks to clinch
and Badger counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Keo thinking.
Keo wants to clinch but Badger slips to the side
and Badger counters with a straight right hand.
Keo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Badger.
Keo tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Badger makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Badger looks to land a right hand but Keo moved out of range.
Badger throws a series of punches but Keo moves out of range.
Badger tries to land a front kick but Keo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The fight stays on the outside here - Keo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keo throws a sloppy head kick and Badger moves out of range easily.
Keo throws a shot from downtown. Badger moves away and avoids it.
Keo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Badger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Keo uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Badger.
Badger bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Keo's head backwards.

Keo closes the distance and pushes Badger back into the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Badger breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Badger swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Keo throws a low kick but Badger moves out of range easily.
Badger changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Keo wants to clinch but Badger slips to the side
and Badger counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Keo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Badger misses with a hook. Keo ducked under it nicely.
Badger punishes Keo's body with a nice straight punch.
Keo connects with a nice looking jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Keo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Badger swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Keo misses with an uppercut.
Badger lands a right hook to the body.
Keo moves out of range of the leg kick from Badger.
Keo jabs Badger right on the nose. Badger blinks but takes it well.
Keo throws a head kick that misses
and Badger counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Keo thinking.
Keo misses with a low kick.
Badger misses with a two punch combination.
Badger misses with a hook.
Keo gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keo is looking to clinch but Badger is avoiding it.
Badger throws the left hand but Keo avoids the punch easily.
Badger throws a leg kick which misses Keo's front leg but catches the back leg as Keo tries to avoid it.
Keo wants to clinch.
Keo throws a head kick but Badger moves out of range.
Keo drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Keo tries to clinch
and Badger counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Keo moves in looking to clinch but Badger pushes him off.
Keo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Badger scores with a nice head shot.
Badger steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Keo.
Badger avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Badger lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Keo circles away quickly and effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Badger gets tackled into the cage by Keo. Keo maintains the clinch.
Badger is trying to stall.
Keo softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Badger wants to stall.
Keo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Badger is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Keo is trying to drag Badger to the mat but Badger just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Badger lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Keo backwards.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

And that's the end of the fight!
Honey Badger showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Badger 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Honey Badger!
After the fight, Honey Badger was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.