PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between El Misterioso Damballah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johann Kessler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kessler is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Coal Chamber - Burgundy. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Johann Kessler enters the cage!

Misterioso Damballah
vs
Kessler

179 cm
25
180 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

181 cm
32
179 lbs
24 - 12 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, El Misterioso Damballah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Johann Kessler!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kessler moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kessler throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Damballah throws a sloppy body shot

and Kessler moves into the clinch.

Damballah has Kessler pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Damballah pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kessler tumbling to the mat - Damballah dives into Kessler's guard.
Damballah throws a big elbow that misses.
Damballah missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kessler is pulling down on Damballah's head to control his posture.
Damballah postures up in Kessler's guard and throws a big left but Kessler blocks it.
Kessler is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Kessler wants to control but Damballah is keeping him busy.
Kessler lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Kessler not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Damballah tries to kick Kessler off but Kessler keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kessler throwing shots but Damballah is blocking nicely.
Kessler throwing shots but Damballah is blocking nicely.
Kessler misses with a head shot. Damballah uses the momentum to regain guard.
Kessler postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Damballah is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Damballah working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kessler.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet but Kessler is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kessler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Damballah works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Damballah misses with an uppercut.
Kessler is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Kessler fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Damballah to the ground. Kessler is now in Damballah's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Damballah wants to stand up but Kessler is controlling him.
Damballah 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.
Kessler lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kessler cracks Damballah with a solid left hand.
Kessler postures up in Damballah's guard and throws a big left but Damballah blocks it.
Kessler throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kessler distracts Damballah with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kessler trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Damballah manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Damballah looking for a takedown.
Kessler lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Damballah.
Kessler struggles to land a body shot inside as Damballah controls his hands.
Kessler scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kessler swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Damballah has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Kessler is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kessler is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kessler works on Damballah's body with a couple of short punches.
Damballah is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kessler fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kessler lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Kessler stalling in the clinch but Damballah improves position.
A right handed body shot lands from Kessler.
Damballah takes a knee right on the jaw!
Damballah takes a shot to the head.
Kessler effectively controlling the action here.
Kessler tries to work over Damballah's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Damballah blocks an uppercut.
Damballah jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kessler walks away with a smile on his face. Damballah gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for El Misterioso Damballah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kessler lands with a kick to the temple. Damballah shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Kessler scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Kessler throws an overhand right that lands on Damballah's shoulder, as Damballah tries to avoid the shot.

Kessler drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into 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!
Kessler tries to free his leg and advance position but Damballah is retaining full guard.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet but Kessler is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kessler working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Damballah's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kessler makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kessler lands a couple of digs.
Kessler distracts Damballah with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Kessler stops Damballah from standing up.
Kessler lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kessler lands a couple of elbows.
Kessler is looking to work some ground and pound but Damballah has wrist control.
Damballah working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kessler.
Damballah avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kessler trying to control but Damballah is working from the bottom.
Damballah wants to get back to his feet but Kessler is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Kessler postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johann Kessler dominated that round.
That's time! Damballah's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Damballah scores with a jab. Kessler acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Damballah takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Damballah shoots in looking for a takedown. Kessler tries to sprawl out of it but Damballah keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kessler manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Kessler lands with an uppercut that bounces Damballah off the cage and back into range.
Kessler tries to move into range but Damballah moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Kessler throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Kessler looking to score a takedown here. Damballah is defending well but Kessler drives through and ends up in Damballah's guard.

Damballah is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Kessler presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kessler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Damballah.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kessler gets underhooks to prevent Damballah's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for El Misterioso Damballah. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good body shot from Kessler.
Kessler digs a right hand into Damballah's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Damballah's gas tank.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Damballah is trying to drag Kessler to the mat but Kessler just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kessler.
Kessler lands a hook that snaps the head of Damballah backwards.
Damballah is working for takedown but Kessler is calmly controlling the position for now.
Kessler's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knees to the body from Kessler.
Kessler lands a right hand that snaps the head of Damballah backwards.
Kessler working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Our sources have told us that Damballah has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Still in the clinch, Kessler scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kessler has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kessler lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Kessler lands with a light punch inside.

Damballah is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kessler working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Oh Damballah is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Damballah drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Damballah seems to have got his legs back now.
Kessler lands a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kessler scores with a shoulder strike.
A short right from Kessler.
Kessler makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kessler obliges.
Kessler misses with a knee to the head.
Johann Kessler seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Kessler is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Damballah is defending well for now.
Damballah jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kessler walks away with a smile on his face. Damballah gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Kessler throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Kessler.
Kessler wants to clinch up but Damballah keeps it at a distance.
A punch combination from Damballah misses.
El Misterioso Damballah is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kessler connects with a solid leg kick.
Kessler is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kessler throws a sloppy head kick and Damballah moves out of range easily.
Damballah on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Damballah keeps the fight on the outside.
Damballah tries to score a power double leg takedown but Kessler sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Damballah somewhat.
Kessler ducks under a wild hook from Damballah.
Kessler tries to counter by closing the distance.
Kessler tries to clinch up
and Kessler takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Damballah fails with the takedown

and Kessler counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kessler.
Damballah wants to take the fight to the mat but Kessler manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Kessler lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from Kessler on the inside.
Kessler utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kessler lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kessler.
The referee calls for Kessler to work.
Kessler lands a left hand that snaps the head of Damballah backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short left from Kessler.
Come on Kessler - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Damballah wants a takedown.
Kessler looking to stall.
Kessler lands an uppercut.
Kessler tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Damballah's elbow.
Kessler scores with a nice hook to the head.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kessler lands a left hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kessler works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kessler prevents a takedown attempt there.
Damballah has Kessler pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kessler manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kessler taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johann Kessler showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Damballah shoots in looking for a takedown. Kessler tries to sprawl out of it but Damballah keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kessler manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Kessler gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A short left from Kessler.
Kessler trying to land knees to the body.
Kessler lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kessler lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Damballah or not.
Damballah is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kessler to keep the fight standing.
Kessler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Damballah.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for El Misterioso Damballah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kessler lands a knee to the head.
Kessler lands an uppercut.
Damballah is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kessler pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kessler.
Damballah goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kessler prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Kessler.
A short left from Kessler.
Kessler pushes Damballah back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kessler lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kessler lands with a light punch inside.
Kessler just leaning against Damballah, taking a breather.
Kessler unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Damballah! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Kessler is unloading with more strikes now! Damballah drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Johann Kessler!
Johann Kessler thanked the fans post fight for their support.