PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Diego Kirkland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diego Kirkland has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Edgar
vs
Kirkland

168 cm
20
167 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

BC FightWear
BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Edgar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Diego Kirkland!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Anthony Taglia and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kirkland blocks a head kick by Edgar.
A punch combination from Kirkland misses.
Kirkland fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Edgar drives through with a takedown into guard.
Edgar throwing strikes from guard but Kirkland blocks nicely.
Kirkland wants to get back to his feet but Edgar is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Edgar 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.
Edgar passes Kirkland's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Kirkland is trying to stand.
Edgar working the head and body with strikes.
Kirkland wants to get back to his feet.
Edgar moves into full mount! Kirkland won't be happy about that!

Edgar looking to secure an arm triangle but Kirkland defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirkland squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Edgar raining down shots from the mount!
Edgar with good strikes from the mount here!
Edgar lands a big elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Edgar landing strikes from the mount and Kirkland is in trouble!

Edgar with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Kirkland is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Kirkland looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edgar wants to control the pace but Kirkland is squirming around nicely.
Edgar controlling the pace for now.
Kirkland tries to buck Edgar off but he can't manage it.
Edgar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Edgar could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A nice elbow there by Edgar.
Edgar working Kirkland over with strikes here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kirkland wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
BOOM! Edgar connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Edgar in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Kirkland is bucking up trying to escape but Edgar cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Edgar lands a heavy elbow.
Kirkland takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Kirkland is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Kirkland really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Edgar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Edgar with shots to the head and body - Kirkland looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar lands a heavy elbow.
Edgar lands a heavy elbow.
Edgar unloading with bombs!
Edgar lands a big shot there that rocks Kirkland but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kirkland can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kirkland is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The referee warns Kirkland that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Edgar lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kirkland hang on?
Edgar working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edgar connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Edgar raining down shots from the mount!
Edgar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Edgar dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kirkland fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Edgar shoots in but no luck this time.
Kirkland takes a swing at Edgar's ribcage but misses.
Kirkland lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Edgar throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kirkland's waist but Kirkland gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Edgar off to one side.

Edgar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Kirkland is trying to stand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Edgar decides to stand and escape the position.
Kirkland throws a series of punches but Edgar moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kirkland circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Edgar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kirkland throws a wild body kick that Edgar sees coming a mile off.
Edgar fails to land the takedown.
Kirkland looks to land a combination but Edgar avoids it well.
Kirkland throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kirkland misses with a few strikes there.

Edgar gets the takedown into side control.
Kirkland is pushing Edgar's head away, looking to escape. Edgar manages to hold on to the position though.
Edgar advances nicely into full mount.
Edgar lands a big shot there that rocks Kirkland but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Edgar lands a big elbow.
Edgar throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Kirkland because Edgar loaded up on that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Edgar.
Edgar in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Edgar thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Edgar thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Kirkland holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Edgar tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Kirkland is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Edgar trying to control but Kirkland is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirkland wants to get back to his feet.
Kirkland takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kirkland is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Edgar wants to control the pace but Kirkland is squirming around nicely.

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.
Kirkland is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Edgar connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Edgar tries to control but Kirkland wriggling away.
Edgar with the ground and pound from mount.
Edgar breaks from Kirkland's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Kirkland is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Frank Edgar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Edgar is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Kirkland has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Edgar cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Edgar dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Kirkland will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Edgar fails to land the takedown.
Kirkland cracks Edgar with an open hand slap.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kirkland looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Edgar.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Edgar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Edgar scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Edgar trying to control the action but Kirkland is working from the bottom.
Kirkland is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kirkland keeps working.
Edgar throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Edgar in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Kirkland avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Edgar.
Kirkland is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Edgar asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Kirkland is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice sprawl there from Kirkland as Edgar shoots in.
Kirkland misses with a few strikes there.
Edgar tries for a takedown but Kirkland sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Edgar is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kirkland lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Edgar avoids the body shot from Kirkland.

Edgar bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Edgar trying to control the action but Kirkland is working from the bottom.
Kirkland is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Edgar is controlling him well.
Kirkland managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Edgar.
Edgar lands a few punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar tries to score with some ground and pound. Kirkland controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Kirkland is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Edgar is controlling him well.
Diego Kirkland has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Edgar thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kirkland swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Edgar shoots in for a takedown but Kirkland shows good takedown defense.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Edgar.
Edgar looks up at the clock and then as Kirkland takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Edgar smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kirkland prevents Edgar from moving into mount.
Kirkland dodges the ground and pound from Edgar.
Edgar throws an elbow but Kirkland slips to the side and avoids it well.
Edgar trying to control the position but Kirkland is working away.
Kirkland is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Frank Edgar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Edgar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kirkland tries to avoid it but Edgar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kirkland to the ground. Kirkland escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Edgar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Edgar, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:26
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Edgar!