PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Devon King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

King
vs
Ward

180 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

189 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Devon King!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aaron Ward!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice straight punches there by King. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of King.
Ward sizes up King with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Ward lands with a shot to the body.
Ward connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Nice defenses there by King.
King throwing a counter right hand but Ward manages to avoid it.
Ward slips a straight right by King.
Ward works King's body with a nice hook.
King definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Ward works the jab nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Ward as King shoots in.
Ward misses with a wild body shot.
Ward takes a swing at King's ribcage but misses.
King gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Ward counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but King moves away.
King thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ward thows a left - swing and a miss!
King changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Ward has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Ward lands with a straight right. King didn't see that one coming.
King looks for a takedown but Ward sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Devon King. That's going to take a lot out of him.

King closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Ward's guard.
King distracts Ward with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
King engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
King pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
King lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ward really doesn't want to stay on the ground with King. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
King throws a big right hand that misses.
King slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
King throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ward has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but King has passed into side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ward can do anything to dispel that myth.
King scoring with punches and elbows.
King has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward is looking for a sweep.
King wants to control but Ward is keeping him busy.
A lull in the action here as King stalls from top position.
King working the ground and pound but Ward is defending the strikes.
King creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Ward sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Ward is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

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.
King misses with the ground and pound.
King trying to control the position but Ward is working away.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
King takes one to the side of the head.
A swing and a miss from King.
King throws a jab when Ward was well out of range.
Nice jab there from Ward.
Ward missing with a left hand there. King was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A swing and a miss from Ward.
Ward scores with a nice head shot.

King shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than King was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Ward dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

King fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
King takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ward jabbing away but nothing is landing.
It looked like King wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ward throws a big shot that misses.
King slips under a jab from Ward.
A cross from Ward lands.
Ward has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
King fails to land the takedown.
A telegraphed right hand from King misses the target.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ward.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

King gets a takedown into half guard.
King works his way into full mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward manages to regain half guard. Good work.
King controlling the action here.
King thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
King scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
King not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ward keeping control of the position.
Ward is trying to control but can't.
Ward is trying to defend against the ground and pound but King scores with a couple of nice shots.
King controlling the pace.
Ward avoiding damage under a succession of punches from King.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King content to control rather than advance.
King scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Well, if King is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
King wants to pass the guard but Ward is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
King working over Ward with some ground and pound. Ward looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ward pushes King off looking to stand but King dives back in and keeps control.
King thows a huge punch but Ward dodges it nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
King has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from King there as he acknowledges the shot.

Ward tries to sprawl but King drives through with a takedown into half guard.
King throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
King perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
King uses his free foot to push down on Ward's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Ward.
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 Devon King will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

King walks into a stiff left hand from Ward.
King's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Ward connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! King scrambles back to his feet.
A swing and a miss from Ward.
King throws a hook to the side of Ward's head but Ward sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
King uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ward.
King was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
King fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ward avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King ducks under a wild hook from Ward.
King shoots in looking for a takedown. Ward tries to sprawl out of it but King 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.
Ward scores with a jab to the body.
Aaron Ward is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King slips under a jab.
Ward throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Some wild striking there from Ward.
King goes for a double leg but Ward avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Ward continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Devon King. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ward stuffs the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
King fails with a takedown attempt.
Ward connects with a single shot there.
Ward misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Ward throws a jab but it's blocked by King.
Ward punishes King's body with a nice straight punch.
Ward lands a straight punch to the body, keeping King at a distance.

King shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ward manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ward is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst King is controlling him.
King throws a big elbow that misses.
King tries to free his leg and advance position but Ward is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
King postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ward rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and King counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ward waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract King.
A punch lands to the side of King 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ward misses the body punch
and King counters with a straight right hand.
King slips under a jab.
Ward scores with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward ducks down and throws a hook to the body but King moves away.
Ward getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ward throws an uppercut from half a mile away. King sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Ward connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Ward lands a head shot.
Ward throws a body punch but King moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
King lands with an overhand left.
King shoots in for a takedown but Ward shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
King drops his hands momentarily and Ward takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

King is rocked!
A jab from Ward finds it's way through King's defenses.
Oh King is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from King.

King closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ward quickly recovers to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Ward!
During a confident post fight interview, Aaron Ward thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.