PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Kennedy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Staal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eric Staal has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Kennedy
vs
Staal

185 cm
24
185 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

180 cm
24
192 lbs
6 - 2 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Victory! Sports Nutrition

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Chris Kennedy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 1, fighting out of New York, Eric Staal!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Staal with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kennedy to score with a decent uppercut.
Staal avoids the head kick by Kennedy.
Kennedy scores with a leg kick.
A punch combination from Kennedy misses.
Kennedy looks to throw the jab but Staal is out of range.
Staal has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kennedy.
Staal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kennedy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Staal gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Staal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kennedy is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right handed body shot lands from Kennedy.
Kennedy lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Staal manages to break the clinch.
Kennedy scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kennedy misses the shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy misses with a head kick.
Staal with the counter takedown but Kennedy avoids it easily.
Kennedy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kennedy misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Staal misses the target.
Staal misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Staal stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Kennedy.
Good leg kick by Kennedy there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Staal looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Kennedy misses with a leg kick

and Staal counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Kennedy!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Staal throwing strikes but Kennedy manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kennedy is looking to take a break and control but Staal is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Staal is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Staal trying to control but Kennedy flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Kennedy definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Staal tries to escape but Kennedy has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Staal is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Staal tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Kennedy takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kennedy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Staal is looking to escape.
Staal is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal is trying to reverse the position but instead Kennedy has taken his back - oops!
Will Kennedy go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Staal manages to reverse the position and now he's in Kennedy's guard. Nice work there by Staal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Staal throws a strike but Kennedy rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kennedy being controlled here momentarily.
Staal wants to sweep here but Kennedy controlling him for the moment.
Kennedy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Kennedy dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kennedy connects with a jab.
Staal on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A punch lands to the side of Staal 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Kennedy throws a leg kick but Staal checks it.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kennedy.
Staal lands an overhand right.
Kennedy has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Staal.
Kennedy lands a nice hook to Staal's body. Staal takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kennedy connects with an inside leg kick.
Kennedy is looking to slow Staal down with leg kicks.
Kennedy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Staal's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kennedy chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy checks a low kick from Staal.
Kennedy wants to slow Staal down by chopping away at his legs.
Kennedy wants to slow Staal down by chopping away at his legs.
Staal lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kennedy will feel that in the morning.
Staal throws a leg kick
and Kennedy counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Staal takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Staal misses with the combination.
Staal feints and then cracks Kennedy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kennedy down.
Kennedy checks the leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy connects with the punch.
Chris Kennedy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Good leg kick by Kennedy there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Staal cracks the inside of Kennedy's front leg.
Kennedy lands with a hook. Staal tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Staal has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kennedy finds it's way round the side to connect with Staal's head.

Staal closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Staal working the ground and pound from side control.
Kennedy avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Staal.
Staal in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Chris Kennedy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kennedy wants to control but Staal postures up.
Staal trying to control the position but Kennedy is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy is letting Staal control him for a moment.
Staal works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Staal trying to control the action but Kennedy is working from the bottom.
Kennedy gets back to half guard.
Staal missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four 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.
Staal winds up and cracks Kennedy with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Kennedy tries to get to full guard but Staal has control of the leg.
Kennedy wants to control but Staal is keeping busy.
Staal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kennedy keeps working.
Staal not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Staal missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kennedy wants to control but Staal is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Staal is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
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 Chris Kennedy will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Staal.
A looping hook to the body misses from Kennedy. Staal does a little dance to reset his feet.
And Staal responds with a good body kick, but Kennedy manages to step out the way in time.
Staal steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Kennedy. That one must have hurt.
Kennedy tries to score with a low kick but Staal moves his leg out of the way.
Staal on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Staal takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Kennedy is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Staal can do to turn this around?
Kennedy takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A clash of legs there as Staal blocks the low kick.
Kennedy throws a combination. Staal tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kennedy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Staal moves away.
Staal scores with a push kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Staal keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kennedy throws a sloppy head kick and Staal moves out of range easily.
And Staal tries to counter it with a takedown but Kennedy pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kennedy misses the jab.

Staal pushes Kennedy up against the ropes in a clinch.
Staal throws a punch but it's blocked by Kennedy.
Kennedy scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kennedy tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Staal misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Staal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Staal has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Kennedy.
Kennedy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kennedy wants it to stay on the feet.
Kennedy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Staal keeps Kennedy at a distance using the push kick.
Eric Staal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Staal.
Kennedy connects with a single shot there.
Chris Kennedy is winning the standup battle so far.
Staal shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kennedy as he avoids it easily.

Staal closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Staal lands in his opponent's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kennedy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Staal throws an elbow that misses. Kennedy uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Staal's guard. Nice move by Kennedy!

Kennedy preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Staal is looking to sweep but instead, Kennedy has passed into half guard.
Kennedy with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Staal is trying to control but Kennedy manages to pass to mount!
Kennedy controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Staal gets back to half guard.
Staal tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Staal wants to improve his position but Kennedy is controlling well.

Staal looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Kennedy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kennedy, 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Chris Kennedy!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Chris Kennedy!
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Chris Kennedy!

Chris Kennedy wins by unanimous decision!