PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Wates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kelly's entrance music is London Calling. A fine choice. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kelly
vs
Wates

168 cm
26
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

172 cm
27
150 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Underworld Clothing
Mohito Fightwear

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Edward Wates!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly misses with a double jab
and Wates counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Wates drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Kelly pushes Wates off and gets back to his feet.
Kelly misses with a few strikes there.
Danga de danga de dang - Kelly scores with a four punch combination!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kelly ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Wates showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kelly.
Good leg kick by Wates there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Kelly definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kelly dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Wates looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kelly!
Wates slows the pace down.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wates trying to control the action but Kelly is working from the bottom.

Wates decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kelly to his feet.
Wates tries to clinch there but Kelly circles away.
Kelly throws a big counter combination but Wates scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Wates fails with a takedown attempt.
Wates lands a head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wates tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Wates is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Kelly.
Wates tries to clinch up but Kelly circles away and keeps his distance.
Wates fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Kelly misses with a wild combination.
Paul Kelly seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kelly avoids a punch combination nicely.
Wates swings for the body but Kelly moves out of range.
It looked like Kelly wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Wates has a takedown stuffed.
Kelly went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Paul Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edward Wates.
Kelly throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wates.
Wates doesn't manage to clinch there - Kelly circles away.
Kelly throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Wates counters by clinching up.
Kelly has had enough of the clinch but Wates keeps him there for the moment.
Kelly on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Wates gets control of Kelly's arms and successfully pulls guard. Wates will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Kelly has gone for a leg lock! Wates slips out almost immediately though and dives into Kelly's guard.

Kelly lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Kelly gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Kelly duly obliges.

Wates moves into the clinch successfully.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Wates lands with a right to the head.
Wates stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Wates prevents the takedown attempt.
Kelly wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Wates trying to land knees to the body.

Wates manages to break the clinch.

Wates has managed to clinch.
Wates fails to pull guard.
Wates looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Kelly gets underhooks to prevent Wates's takedown attempt.
A head punch on the inside from Kelly fails to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Paul Kelly will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Wates looks for a takedown but Kelly sprawls well.
Kelly throws a chopping leg kick but Wates manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Kelly cracks Wates with a right hand to the side of the head.
Wates shoots for a takedown but Kelly saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Some wild striking there from Kelly.
Kelly avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kelly throws a leg kick but Wates sees it coming and moves out of range.
Kelly listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wates goes for a double leg but Kelly avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Kelly continues to drive forward.
Paul Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edward Wates.
Wates tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kelly swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Kelly has Wates up against the cage in a clinch.
Wates tries a body shot but Kelly blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wates misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kelly.
Wates wants to stall.

Wates's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kelly is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Wates can do to turn this around?

Kelly clinches with his opponent.
Kelly looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Wates is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kelly pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kelly has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Wates breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kelly misses with a double jab.
Kelly circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kelly counters with a left and a right that stings Wates.
Kelly fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Wates on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Kelly moves out of range of the body kick.
Kelly throws a right hand that Wates ducks under and follows up with a left that Wates also avoids with ease.
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!
A looping hook to the body misses from Kelly. Wates does a little dance to reset his feet.
A punch combination from Kelly misses.
Wates throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kelly throws a solid leg kick but Wates takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kelly.
Kelly circles away from the clinch attempt.
Some wild striking there from Kelly.
Kelly defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wates.
Wates lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kelly avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wates clinches with his opponent.

Wates pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Wates throws a combination that misses
and Kelly counters with a three punch combo that has Wates backing up. Wates nods at Kelly to acknowledge the strikes.
Wates closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kelly circles away.

Kelly gets a clinch.
Wates tries to score a body lock takedown but Kelly shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Wates misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kelly.
Wates is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Wates manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
A frustrated look appears on Kelly's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly can't break the clinch.
Wates tries to pull guard but Kelly forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Wates stalling in the clinch.
Wates fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Wates trying to land knees to the body.
Edward Wates seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Wates is trying to stall.
Wates lands a knee to the body.
Wates looking to throw knees to the head but Kelly is blocking nicely.
Kelly is looking to take this one to the mat.

Wates decides to pull guard.
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!
Wates is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Kelly dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kelly circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wates looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kelly misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Wates rushes Kelly and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kelly escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kelly 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.
Kelly misses with a double jab

and Wates counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wates tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kelly just stands there and leans against the cage.
Kelly is trying to push Wates away but Wates has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Wates breaks from the clinch.
Paul Kelly is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wates gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Kelly counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Paul Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edward Wates.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly misses with a two punch combination.
Kelly throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Wates wants to counter the offense by Kelly and move into the clinch position.
Kelly will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Wates wants to counter with a clinch but Kelly pushes him away.
Wates slips a jab and a cross from Kelly.
Kelly will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wates looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice combination there by Kelly.
Paul Kelly is winning the standup battle so far.
Wates fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wates shoots for a takedown but Kelly saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Wates doesn't manage to clinch there - Kelly circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly works over Wates's head and body with a nice combination.
Wates shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kelly defends it nicely.
Wates takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Wates.
Wates is looking to clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kelly throws a combination. Wates tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nice takedown defense from Kelly. No joy for Wates on that attempt.
It looked like Kelly was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but Wates shows good takedown defense.
Wates changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kelly tries to avoid it but Wates manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kelly to the ground. Kelly escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kelly scores with a jab to the body.
Kelly punishes Wates's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly keeps the fight on the outside.
Wates dodges the punch combination from Kelly.
Kelly just misses with a punch to the body.
Some wild striking there from Kelly.
Wates drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Kelly defends it well.

Wates has Kelly up against the cage in a clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Wates misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wates is trying to pull guard but Kelly has him pressed against the cage.

Wates pulls guard.
Wates wants to get back to his feet but Kelly is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Wates working a defensive guard here.
Wates preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wates preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wates tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Wates keeping full guard, as Kelly tries to pass.
Edward Wates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Paul Kelly is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kelly stands up out of Wates's guard for a moment - Wates manages to land a nice upkick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Kelly showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kelly, 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Kelly!
Paul Kelly was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.