PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Wai Man Li (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. Heng Keo is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Man Li
vs
Keo

176 cm
32
153 lbs
21 - 15 - 1

173 cm
39
157 lbs
21 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 21 - 15 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Wai Man Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Heng Keo!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shigeki Sano and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Keo has managed to clinch.

Keo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Li is trying to keep an underhook but Keo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Li looking for submissions off his back.

Keo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Keo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Li has managed to free his arm - good work.
Li avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Keo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Keo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Li is looking to improve his position.
Keo looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Li with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Li wants to control but Keo is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li wants to get back to full guard.
Li is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Keo scores with a couple of nice shots.
Li holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Li tries to get to full guard but Keo has control of the leg.

Keo seems to be looking for submissions.
Li is looking for a sweep. Keo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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

Li looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Li wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li is looking to control Keo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Li avoid being mounted?
Li desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Li slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Li is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Li seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Keo wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Keo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Li tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keo wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Keo preventing the sweep.
Keo trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.

Keo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Keo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Keo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Keo stopping the sweep attempt from Li.
Keo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Li tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Li has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Keo is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Li.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Li is not content to let Keo control the position.
Li tries to bench press Keo off him but Keo keeps the position.

Keo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Li knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Li is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Keo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Li is looking to improve his position.

Keo is looking for a kimura but Li is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Keo to get the leverage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heng Keo dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Li throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Heng Keo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Keo gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Keo has Li pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Keo pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Li tumbling to the mat - Keo dives into Li's guard.
Keo wants to control from the top but Li keeps moving.
Keo stopping the sweep attempt from Li.
Keo tries to free his leg and advance position but Li is retaining full guard.
Heng Keo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Li looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Li lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Keo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Li wants to control from the top but Keo keeps moving.
Keo has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Li has passed into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Keo can't do much from the bottom here.
Li sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Keo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Li trying to control the position but Keo is working away.
Li tries to advance to mount but can't.
Li scoring with punches from side control.
Li wants to control but Keo is keeping him busy.
The ground and pound from Li seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keo is trying to improve his position.
Li passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Keo!
Li lands a nice shot to the head.
Keo bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Li avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Li trying to control the position.
Li keeping full guard, as Keo tries to pass.
Keo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Keo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Li manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Keo has Li in his guard.
Li pushing down on Keo's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keo gets back to full guard.
Keo keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Keo trying to control the position.

Keo is looking for a triangle but Li pushes his legs off easily.

Keo has his foot on Li's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Li works his way back into a safe position though.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Keo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Li with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Li trying to control the position from guard on top but Keo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Li content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Li wants to control from the top but Keo keeps moving.
Li is in close to Keo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Li controlling from the top position.

Li drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Li jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.
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 Wai Man Li will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Keo doesn't manage to clinch there - Li circles away.
Li is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Keo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Keo has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Li.
Li fails to land with a series of punches.
Keo slips a jab from Li.
Keo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Li manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A clash of legs there as Keo blocks the low kick.
Heng Keo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Li throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Keo is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Li with a body shot.
Li misses with a low kick.

Keo darts in and clinches Li up against the cage.

Keo gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Keo preventing the sweep.
Li trying to keep a closed guard but Keo is proving a slippery customer.
Li working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Keo.
Li is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Li looking for a guillotine here but Keo defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Li is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Keo is aware though and is defending well.
Keo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Li is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Keo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Li striking off his back but it's not causing Keo any problems.
Keo postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Li throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Li not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Keo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Li swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Keo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Keo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Li has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Keo has managed to get both his arms back between Li's legs - danger averted.
Li trying to keep a closed guard but Keo is proving a slippery customer.
Li has momentary wrist control but Keo slips an elbow through the middle.
Li keeping full guard, as Keo tries to pass.

Li is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Keo is aware though and is defending well.
Keo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Li is keeping the position for now.
Keo cracks Li with a solid left hand.
Keo postures up and lands a big shot to Li's brow.
Keo stopping the sweep attempt from Li.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Li trying to control the position.
Li keeping moving, preventing Keo from controlling successfully.
Keo advances position into side control!
Check out the look on Keo's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Li gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Li gets back to full guard.
Keo with a nice head shot there.
Keo looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li wants to sweep but no luck.
Keo stands up over Li, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Li looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Keo landing some decent shots from guard.
Li is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Keo slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Keo is working to tighten his grip on Li's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Li has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Keo is really squeezing tight and eventually Li passes out! Keo breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Heng Keo!
Heng Keo thanked the fans post fight for their support.
In defeat, Wai Man Li stepped up to the mic, saying 'I'd rather die than lose to a joker like this guy again. I don't know where things went wrong, but I guarantee a win next time out.'.