PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Walters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ward has chosen Bandz A Make Her Dance-Juicy J as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Walters
vs
Ward

177 cm
22
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

178 cm
26
169 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Knockout power

KAISER

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Walters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Grant Ward!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward connects with a body shot.
No luck for Walters with that takedown attempt.
Ward connects with a high kick.
Ward listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Walters shoots for a double leg takedown but Ward sprawls well. He's pushed Walters's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Ward has taken the fight to the clinch.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Ward throws a leg kick which misses Walters's front leg but catches the back leg as Walters tries to avoid it.

Walters shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Walters showed some decent athleticism there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ward is pressing down on Walters's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
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.

Ward escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Walters gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Walters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Ward working for a triangle but Walters defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Walters tries to free his leg and advance position but Ward is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Walters shoots for a double leg takedown but Ward sprawls well. He's pushed Walters's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Walters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ward displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Walters.

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

Ward throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walters not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Ward working for submissions but it's allowed Walters to get to half guard.

Ward actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Ward has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Walters escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Walters!
Walters staying calm.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ward is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Grant Ward will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ward fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Walters manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Ward on his heels. He'll look to pass Ward's guard now, I'm sure.
Walters looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Walters'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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ward for as long as he can get away with.

Ward is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Walters defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Walters controlling from the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Walters shoots in looking for a takedown. Ward tries to sprawl out of it but Walters keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ward manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Walters is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ward.

Walters darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Walters in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe Walters overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Walters dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ward misses with a head kick.
Walters misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ward stuffs the takedown attempt from Walters. Walters gets slowly back to his feet.
Walters takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Walters ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ward throws a head kick that misses.
Walters shoots for a double leg takedown but Ward sprawls well. He's pushed Walters's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Walters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ward plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ward throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Walters misses with a straight right.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Walters is defended easily by Ward.
A solid leg kick lands there for Ward.
Ward throws a leg kick which misses Walters's front leg but catches the back leg as Walters tries to avoid it.
Walters takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Walters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters dives in and grabs Ward's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ward pushes down on Walters's head and hops out.

Walters drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ward being controlled here, momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walters pushing down on Ward's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Still in half guard, Walters seems content to control.

Ward looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Ward looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ward misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward scores with a nice right hand.
Walters shoots in for a takedown but Ward shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Walters fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Ward gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Walters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.
Walters looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Ward looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Walters has picked Ward up and slammed him! Ward can't keep hold of the triangle and Walters manages to pass to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walters staying calm.
Ward felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grant Ward comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ward has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Grant Ward!
Post fight, an emotional Grant Ward said 'Its always good to avenge an earlier loss. I prepared well for this fight and made sure I make the necessary adjustments to come out on top. I think my time at 170 has come and pass and I would like to officially drop down to lightweight now.'.