PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Julian Gniewek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Keene (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Julian Gniewek has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gniewek
vs
Keene

181 cm
23
155 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

180 cm
33
158 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Julian Gniewek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Scott Keene!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Ivan Kurochkin and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A swing and a miss from Keene.
Keene ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gniewek moves away.
Keene misses the jab.
Gniewek is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Keene.

Gniewek clinches with his opponent.
Gniewek scores with a knee to the head.
Gniewek working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Gniewek pulls guard.
Keene slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gniewek is on top in guard.

Gniewek won't allow Keene to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek advances to half guard.
Gniewek is looking to advance position but Keene won't allow it.
Gniewek is keen to just control but Keene is a slippery customer.

Gniewek is trying to work for a kimura but Keene is defending well.
Keene wants to get back to his feet.
Keene really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gniewek. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Keene is refusing to be controlled, as Gniewek sits in 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.

Gniewek is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gniewek wants to lay and pray for a moment but Keene keeps working.

Gniewek is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Keene has managed to free his arm - good work.
Keene is staying active underneath Gniewek, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek wants to free his trapped foot but Keene is holding on for dear life with his legs.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Gniewek looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Gniewek is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Keene still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Keene has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Gniewek is trying to control Keene's posture but Keene avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to bench press Keene off him but Keene keeps the position.
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.
Gniewek is working hard here to advance position.
Gniewek can't do much from the bottom here.
Gniewek is looking for a sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Keene gets to mount! Gniewek was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Gniewek tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Gniewek dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Keene looks to throw the jab but Gniewek is out of range.
Gniewek with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Keene to score with a decent uppercut.
Keene avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A little jabbing left from Keene on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Keene tries to keep at a distance but Gniewek has taken the fight into the clinch.
Keene on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gniewek tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Keene's elbow.
Gniewek misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keene misses with a hook from the clinch.
Keene swings wildly with an uppercut but Gniewek uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gniewek lands a shoulder strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Gniewek.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek stalling in the clinch but Keene improves position.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gniewek.
Keene gets through Gniewek's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Gniewek landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Gniewek is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Keene can do to turn this around?
Gniewek lands a knee to the head.
A body shot lands from Gniewek.
Gniewek misses with a knee strike.
Keene misses with the head strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Keene.
Keene tries to break the clinch but Gniewek is controlling the position.
Keene is trying to break the clinch but Gniewek is controlling him.
Gniewek wants to stall.
Keene has a couple of punches blocked by Gniewek.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek looking to slow down the pace here.
Keene is trying to break the clinch but Gniewek is controlling him.
Keene on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Gniewek throws a punch but it's blocked by Keene.
Gniewek wants to stall.
Our sources have told us that Gniewek has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Julian Gniewek has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Keene scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Knees in the clinch landing for Gniewek.
Gniewek trying to control the position but instead, Keene has worked for underhooks and has pushed Gniewek into the ropes.
Gniewek using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek blocks a body shot from Keene.
Keene fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gniewek stalling in the clinch but Keene improves position.

Gniewek pulls guard successfully.

Keene stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Gniewek tries to clinch but Keene moves out of range.
Gniewek slips a jab and a cross from Keene.
Gniewek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
As Gniewek backs off Keene throws a huge counter combo but Gniewek manages to avoid it all.
Gniewek fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Julian Gniewek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to clinch
and Keene counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gniewek throws a leg kick
and Keene counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gniewek swings widly with a right hand
and Keene counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Keene walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Keene throws a looping overhand right but Gniewek ducks down to avoid it.
An attempted straight right counter from Gniewek misses the target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gniewek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Keene swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gniewek tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Keene manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Keene misses with a hook.
Keene lands with a nice body punch.
Gniewek tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Keene manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Scott Keene will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Keene misses with a hook.
Keene throws a hook but Gniewek blocks it.
Keene might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Keene throws a poor cross that misses
and Gniewek counters with a left to the body.
Gniewek darts in trying to clinch
enabling Keene to counter with a crisp jab.
Keene staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gniewek tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gniewek wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gniewek throws a hook but Keene avoids it easily.
Nice uppercut there from Gniewek.
A jab from Gniewek does it's job there.
A big left from Keene misses.
Gniewek wants to clinch.
Gniewek throws a leg kick
and Keene counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Keene walks into a jab.
Gniewek is looking to chop away at Keene's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Keene misses.
Gniewek clobbers Keene with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Keene swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Keene slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Keene fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gniewek tries to close the distance and clinch but Keene swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A jab lands there for Keene.
Gniewek tries to close the distance and clinch but Keene swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gniewek defending well as Keene loads up on a big left hand.
Gniewek cracks Keene with a good jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gniewek tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Keene counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Keene lands a jab to Gniewek's midsection.
Gniewek looks to clinch
enabling Keene to counter with a crisp jab.
A big left from Keene misses.
Keene lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gniewek backs up against the ropes.
Gniewek looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Keene connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gniewek. Gniewek circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nice uppercut there from Gniewek.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gniewek tries to clinch but Keene moves out of range.
Keene looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gniewek throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keene has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Keene there as he acknowledges the shot.
Keene misses with a hook. Gniewek ducked under it nicely.
Keene throws a right hand that misses
and Gniewek counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gniewek lands a jab.
Keene throws a big shot that misses.
Keene keeps the fight on the outside.
Keene let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Gniewek misses with a right hand
enabling Keene to counter with a crisp jab.
Gniewek lands a nice looking body shot.
Scott Keene seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gniewek throws a nice looking combination but Keene bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Keene comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Keene 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Scott Keene!
A relieved looking Scott Keene thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.