PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shaun Leonard (ranked 25338 p4p, 0 weight class) and Doentay Keller (ranked 5897 p4p, 0 weight class). Doentay Keller will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Leonard
vs
Keller

160 cm
18
177 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

220 cm
23
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shaun Leonard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Doentay Keller!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keller throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Leonard's waist but Leonard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Keller off to one side.
Doentay Keller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Leonard tries to close the distance and clinch but Keller swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Leonard ducks right into an uppercut from Keller.
Leonard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Leonard loads up on a big right hand but Keller slips the punch.
Nice sprawl there from Leonard as Keller shoots in.
Leonard seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Leonard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Keller cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Keller pushes Leonard up against the cage in a clinch.
Leonard jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Keller walks away with a smile on his face. Leonard gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Keller fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Shaun Leonard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Doentay Keller.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller shoots for a takedown but Leonard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Leonard swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Leonard rushes Keller and presses him up against the cage.
Leonard really is a fat lump.
Leonard can't break the clinch.

Keller pulls Leonard into guard.
Keller lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Keller trying to control but Leonard is working from the bottom.
Keller stopping the sweep attempt from Leonard.

Leonard has an active guard here but Keller has managed to pass into half guard.

Keller stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Leonard to get to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller tries for a takedown but Leonard circles away easily

and Leonard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Keller wants to take the fight to the mat but Leonard manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Leonard is looking for a takedown.
Leonard is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Keller to keep the fight standing.

Keller breaks from the clinch.
Keller goes for a double leg but Leonard avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Leonard continues to drive forward.
Leonard leaves Keller with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Keller darts in looking for a takedown but Leonard gets double underhooks and turns Keller into the cage.
Keller is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Keller looks winded!
Leonard blocks a head kick by Keller.
Leonard is looking for a counter combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Leonard wants to slow Keller down by chopping away at his legs.

Keller tries to sprawl but Leonard drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Leonard not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Leonard controlling the action here.

Leonard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Keller tries to roll over but Leonard keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keller trying to control but Leonard postures up.
Leonard tries to stand and escape but Keller is controlling the position.

Leonard is working for a submission of some sort.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Leonard is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Doentay Keller will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Keller shoots in but Leonard avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Keller gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Keller goes for a takedown attempt but Leonard pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Keller shoots and misses
and Keller takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Shaun Leonard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Doentay Keller.
Keller throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Keller throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Keller slaps away a takedown attempt from Leonard, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Leonard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Keller was well out of range. Poor timing from Leonard.
Keller circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller shoots for a takedown but Leonard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Doentay Keller seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Keller dives in and grabs Leonard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Leonard pushes down on Keller's head and hops out.
Keller is breathing heavily.

Keller moves into the clinch.
Leonard tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Keller smiles and moves away.
Leonard is looking to clinch.

Leonard rushes Keller and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Keller stalling against the cage.
Leonard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Leonard tries to pull guard but Keller holds him up against the cage and eventually Leonard drops back down to his feet.
Leonard is trying to push Keller away but Keller has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Leonard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Keller is struggling to control the position.

Leonard escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Keller moves into range and clinches up with Leonard.

Keller breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Leonard closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Keller to the mat! Keller manages to get full guard.
Keller is trying to control the position but Leonard postures up.
Leonard wants to get up but he can't break Keller's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Keller not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Leonard wants to stand but Keller has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leonard might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Keller has his foot on Leonard's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Leonard works his way back into a safe position though.
Keller has a closed guard, preventing Leonard from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Shaun Leonard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Keller throws a right and a left that both miss.
Keller fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Keller rushes Leonard and presses him up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonard tries to pull guard but Keller won't allow it.
Leonard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keller just stands there and leans against the cage.
Leonard wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Keller manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Leonard won't allow Keller to get back to his feet.
Keller looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Leonard has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Keller is proving hard to escape from.
Leonard throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keller looking for a sweep. Not yet Keller, not yet.
Leonard missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Keller manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doentay Keller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Keller shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Leonard defends it nicely.
Leonard appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Leonard misses with a hook.
Leonard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Keller dives in and grabs Leonard's left leg, looking for a takedown. Leonard pushes down on Keller's head and hops out.
Keller shoots for a takedown but Leonard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Shaun Leonard has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Doentay Keller.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Keller gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Leonard chips away with some ground and pound.
Keller takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Leonard gets to his feet - Keller follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller with a poor takedown
and Keller takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Leonard tries to keep at a distance but Keller has taken the fight into the clinch.
Keller keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Leonard's efforts to push away.

Leonard pulls Keller into guard.
Leonard wants to stand and escape but Keller is having none of it.

Leonard has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Keller can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Keller wants to control from the top but Leonard keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller stopping the sweep attempt from Leonard.
Leonard keeping moving, preventing Keller from controlling successfully.
Keller controlling from the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Keller swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Keller gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Leonard is trying to pull guard but Keller turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Leonard fails to pull guard.

Keller manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Keller has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Leonard stands and steps away. Keller gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Keller shoots in looking for a takedown but Leonard manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Keller's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Leonard is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Keller.
Keller throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Leonard's waist but Leonard gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Keller off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leonard is looking to clinch.
Leonard tries to close the distance and clinch but Keller swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Leonard. No joy for Keller on that attempt.
Leonard is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Leonard tries to clinch up but Keller circles away and keeps his distance.
Keller slips under a jab from Leonard.

Keller rushes Leonard and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Leonard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Keller has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keller gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Leonard wants to break the clinch but can't.
Shaun Leonard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Doentay Keller is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Leonard throws a knee to the head but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shaun Leonard showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Keller 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Doentay Keller!