PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lavern Koch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maynard Keenan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Maynard Keenan was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Koch
vs
Keenan

163 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

182 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lavern Koch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Maynard Keenan!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, John Roberts and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keenan lands with a thumping leg kick.

Keenan drives through and clinches with Koch against the cage.

Keenan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Keenan connects with a body shot.

Keenan lands a big head kick that sends Koch tumbling to the mat! Keenan takes a step backwards and waves Koch back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Lavern Koch has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koch stuffs the takedown attempt from Keenan. Keenan gets slowly back to his feet.
Keenan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Koch is fending him off so far but Keenan persists. Nope, Koch circles away and we're back to standing.

Keenan has closed the distance and engaged Koch in a clinch.
Keenan will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Koch up against the cage.
Keenan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koch blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Keenan breaks the clinch.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Koch crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Keenan - the referee stops the clock and Koch gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Keenan. Koch manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Keenan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Keenan lands an elbow inside.
Keenan prevents the takedown attempt.
Keenan is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Keenan manages to break the clinch.
Keenan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Koch swivels and escapes.
Lavern Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maynard Keenan.

Keenan rushes Koch and presses him up against the cage.
Koch throws an elbow that misses.
Koch really is a fat lump.
Keenan lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Koch.
Koch is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keenan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Koch pulls his leg out and moves away.
Koch shoots in for a takedown but Keenan shows good takedown defense.
Keenan is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Keenan leaves Koch with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
As Koch backs off Keenan throws a huge counter combo but Koch manages to avoid it all.

Keenan rushes Koch and presses him up against the cage.
Koch is looking to control Keenan's arms but Keenan gets an underhook and turns him. Now Koch has his back to the cage.

Keenan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Keenan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Koch's waist but Koch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Keenan off to one side.
Keenan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Koch pinned against the cage. Koch gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Keenan clinches up with Koch and pushes him back against the cage.
Keenan jumps guard but Koch turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Keenan manages to pull guard.

Keenan is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Koch presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Koch is trying to force a seperation but Keenan has the dominant position.
Keenan stalling in the clinch.

Keenan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Keenan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Koch sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
It looked like Koch was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Keenan looks winded!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Keenan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koch's elbow.
Keenan drops down looking for an ankle pick but Koch pulls his leg out and moves away.
Keenan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Koch's waist but Koch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Keenan off to one side.

Keenan has Koch up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maynard Keenan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lavern Koch's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Keenan misses with a double jab
and Koch counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Keenan has his takedown stuffed
and Koch counters with a body kick that stops Keenan in his tracks momentarily.
Keenan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keenan wants it to stay on the feet.
Keenan goes for a double leg but Koch avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Koch continues to drive forward.

Keenan rushes Koch and presses him up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keenan wants a takedown.
Lavern Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maynard Keenan.
Koch trying to land knees to the body.
Keenan is breathing heavily.

Keenan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Koch postures up in Keenan's guard and throws a big left but Keenan blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keenan wants to stand up but Koch is controlling him.
Koch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Keenan 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.
Keenan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Koch trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Keenan looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Koch passes into half guard.
Keenan is trying to maintain the position but Koch is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two 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.
Koch is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Koch knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Keenan on the ground.
Keenan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Keenan.
Koch postures up in Keenan's guard and throws a big left but Keenan blocks it.
Koch working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koch might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Keenan pulls Koch in close to prevent any damage.
Koch stopping the sweep attempt from Keenan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Keenan has Koch up against the cage in a clinch.

Koch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Koch fails with the takedown

and Keenan moves into the clinch.

Keenan breaks from the clinch.
Keenan looks for a takedown but Koch sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keenan throws a sloppy head kick
and Koch counters with a three punch combo that has Keenan backing up. Keenan nods at Koch to acknowledge the strikes.
Keenan has a takedown stuffed.
Koch seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Horrible takedown attempt by Keenan or perhaps it was just good defense by Koch, which made it look bad.
Maynard Keenan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Keenan misses.
Koch tries to counter by clinching up but Keenan breaks away and moves out of range.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Keenan stuffs the takedown.

Keenan clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lavern Koch dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lavern Koch's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Keenan darts in and clinches Koch up against the cage.
Keenan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Koch walks away with a smile on his face. Keenan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Maynard Keenan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Koch slaps away a takedown attempt from Keenan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Koch wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Keenan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keenan lands a body shot.

Keenan moves into the clinch.
Keenan scores with a nice hook to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Koch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Keenan swings for the body but Koch moves out of range.
As Keenan looks to move away, Koch throws a big counter combo but Keenan just gets out of the way.
Keenan throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Koch seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.

Keenan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Keenan is trying to pull guard but Koch turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Lavern Koch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maynard Keenan.
Keenan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Koch working hard to break the clinch.
Keenan gets through Koch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Keenan scores with a shot to the side of Koch's head.

Keenan jumps guard.
Keenan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koch is in close to Keenan's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keenan is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Keenan wriggles free and stands up.
Horrible takedown attempt by Koch or perhaps it was just good defense by Keenan, which made it look bad.
Keenan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Koch.
Keenan tries to counter by closing the distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Keenan throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Koch takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Keenan closes the distance and pushes Koch back into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keenan tries for a takedown. No joy.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Keenan gets control of Koch's arms and successfully pulls guard. Keenan will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Keenan wants to stand up but Koch is controlling him.
Koch throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koch throwing strikes but missing.
Keenan is trying to control the position but Koch postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Koch got a little sloppy there for a moment and Keenan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Koch has managed to get both his arms back between Keenan's legs - danger averted.
Maynard Keenan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Keenan looking to control.

Keenan has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Koch is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Keenan stalling the fight.
Keenan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Keenan has had enough of the clinch but Koch keeps him there for the moment.
Koch creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Keenan's defenses.
Koch gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Koch can't break the clinch.
Keenan takes an elbow to the temple.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maynard Keenan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Keenan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maynard Keenan!
Maynard Keenan decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.