PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Hollis Whitehead (ranked 8338 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Weller (ranked 6079 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Whitehead
vs
Weller

188 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

172 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Hollis Whitehead!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Weller!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Phil Schofield and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Weller tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Whitehead counters with a head kick. That will keep Weller thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Weller.
Whitehead shoots and misses
letting Weller counter with a right hand.
Weller tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Whitehead defends well and Weller ends up having to push Whitehead into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Weller forces Whitehead back against the cage and clinches.

Weller has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Whitehead uses from the top position.
Whitehead stopping the sweep attempt from Weller.
Weller seems keen to control Whitehead's posture.
Whitehead has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Weller tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Weller manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Weller throws a head kick that misses.
Whitehead defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Weller.
Hollis Whitehead has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Weller.

Weller has Whitehead up against the cage in a clinch.

Whitehead breaks from the clinch.
Weller swings for the body but Whitehead moves out of range.
As Weller looks to move away, Whitehead throws a big counter combo but Weller just gets out of the way.
Weller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
It looked like Whitehead was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Weller pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Weller is trying hard to land a takedown here. Whitehead sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Weller dives in and grabs Whitehead's left leg, looking for a takedown. Whitehead pushes down on Weller's head and hops out.

Weller has Whitehead up against the cage in a clinch.
Weller throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Whitehead pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Weller swats away the attempt to clinch by Whitehead.
Weller looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead throws a leg kick which misses Weller's front leg but catches the back leg as Weller tries to avoid it.
Weller looks to land a combination. Whitehead sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Whitehead closes the distance and pushes Weller back into the cage.
Weller stalling.
Whitehead really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Whitehead has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Weller after a bit of a struggle.
Whitehead tries to pull guard but Weller forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Weller lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Whitehead goes for a takedown in the clinch but Weller prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Whitehead throws an elbow but misses.
Whitehead wants a takedown.
Weller pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Weller missing with knees to the body.
Whitehead is pressed up against the cage. Weller has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Whitehead down to the mat. Whitehead avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Weller with a lazy takedown attempt

and Whitehead holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Weller tries for a takedown but Whitehead manages to get underhooks.
Weller looks winded!

Whitehead pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Weller is trying hard to land a takedown here. Whitehead sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Whitehead wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Weller dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Whitehead is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hollis Whitehead is winning the standup battle so far.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Weller.
Hollis Whitehead is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Whitehead throws a series of punches but Weller moves out of range.
Weller fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Whitehead stuffs the takedown.
Whitehead throws a quick counter head kick but Weller was just out of range.
Hollis Whitehead has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Weller.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitehead throws a front kick that sends Weller stumbling back into the cage.
Weller has his takedown stuffed

and Whitehead decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Weller's guard.
Weller is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Weller working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Whitehead doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Whitehead manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Whitehead preventing the sweep.
Weller is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Whitehead won't allow Weller to sweep him here.
Whitehead controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Weller looks for a takedown but Whitehead sprawls well.
Whitehead defending well as Weller loads up on a big left hand.
Weller shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Whitehead sprawls well. Whitehead wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Weller gets slowly back to his feet.
Whitehead tries to counter by clinching up but Weller breaks away and moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Weller defends well and Whitehead ends up having to push Weller into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Weller shoots for a takedown but Whitehead saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
No luck for Whitehead with that takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Weller as Whitehead shoots in.
Weller tries for a takedown but Whitehead circles away easily

and Whitehead counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Whitehead breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Weller moves in looking to clinch but Whitehead pushes him off.
Whitehead tries to counter by clinching up but Weller breaks away and moves out of range.

Whitehead closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Whitehead breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Weller throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Whitehead tries to clinch but Weller moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Weller. No joy for Whitehead on that attempt.
Weller is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Weller thows a leg kick but Whitehead checks it

and Whitehead holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Weller prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hollis Whitehead dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Whitehead fails with an attempt to clinch.
Weller does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Weller shoots in looking for a takedown. Whitehead tries to sprawl out of it but Weller keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Whitehead manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Weller tries to land a body kick

and Whitehead counters with a single leg into guard. Weller didn't expect that.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Weller looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Weller takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Weller looking for subs off his back but Whitehead has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Weller looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Whitehead is trying to control the action in half guard but Weller is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Whitehead will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Whitehead stalling.
Weller looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Weller is pressing down on Whitehead's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Whitehead postures up.
Weller looking for a sweep. Not yet Weller, not yet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Weller.
Whitehead wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Weller defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Whitehead.
Weller drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Whitehead defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Weller tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Whitehead keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Whitehead seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Hollis Whitehead has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Weller.
Whitehead tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Weller with the counter takedown but Whitehead avoids it easily.
Weller fails in his attempt to clinch.
Whitehead looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Weller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Whitehead misses with a wild body shot.
Weller defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Whitehead.
Weller shoots in but Whitehead avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Weller tries to clinch but Whitehead moves out of range.
Weller fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Whitehead looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Weller!
Weller wants to get back to his feet but Whitehead is dominant here and he's now got Weller's back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Weller comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I have no idea who won that fight. Let's wait and see whether the judges are as confused as me! Time for a split decision perhaps?!. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Weller!