PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Yoel Edson (ranked 4578 p4p, 424 weight class) and Zed Calisto (ranked 3921 p4p, 382 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Edson
vs
Calisto

186 cm
25
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
26
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Shade Tree Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Yoel Edson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Zed Calisto!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Roger Salmon and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Edson darts in and clinches Calisto up against the cage.
Edson holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Edson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Calisto moves away from the strike by Edson.
Yoel Edson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Edson.
Edson misses with the combination.
Edson avoids a kick to the body.
Edson misses with the combination.
As Edson backs off Calisto throws a huge counter combo but Edson manages to avoid it all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Edson misses with a right hand
and Calisto cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Calisto fails with a takedown attempt.
Edson takes a swing at Calisto's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Calisto connects with a body shot.
Calisto darts in looking for a takedown but Edson gets double underhooks and turns Calisto into the cage.
Edson lands a slapping body shot.
Calisto throws a series of punches but Edson moves out of range.
Calisto shoots for a takedown but Edson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Yoel Edson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zed Calisto.
Calisto keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Edson drives through and clinches with Calisto against the cage.

Calisto breaks the clinch.
Calisto wants to land a leg kick but Edson is out of range.
Calisto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Calisto swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Calisto looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Calisto looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Edson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Calisto tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Calisto takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Edson throws a head kick that half lands.
Calisto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Edson.
Calisto dodges the punch combination from Edson.
Calisto blocks the body kick.
Calisto lunges at Edson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Edson's hand.
Calisto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Edson lands a jab to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edson takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
An inside leg kick lands from Edson.
Sloppy strikes from Edson. Those never looked like landing.
Edson swinging wildly here.
Calisto stuffs the takedown attempt from Edson. Edson gets slowly back to his feet.
A leg kick checked by Edson.
The fight stays on the outside here - Calisto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Edson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Calisto.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edson scores with a head kick. Calisto tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Calisto displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Edson.
Edson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Calisto misses with a takedown
and Edson counters with a series of strikes. Calisto will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Edson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Edson moves out of range as Calisto throws a body kick.
Edson slips a jab and a cross from Calisto.
An attempted straight right counter from Edson misses the target.
Edson misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yoel Edson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Calisto closes the distance and clinches up with Edson, looking for a takedown. Calisto pushes Edson against the cage but Edson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Edson changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Nice straight punches there by Edson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Edson.
Yoel Edson is winning the standup battle so far.
Edson looks to land a combination but Calisto avoids it well.
Edson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Calisto manages to avoid it.
Edson shoots in for a takedown but Calisto shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Edson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Calisto can do to turn this around?
Calisto's corner calls for a 1-2. Calisto obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Calisto throws a combination that misses
and Edson counters with a two punch combo.
Calisto throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Edson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Calisto pinned against the cage. Calisto gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Yoel Edson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Edson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice shot by Calisto.
Edson fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Yoel Edson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Calisto throws a body kick that misses.
Calisto throws a sloppy head kick and Edson moves out of range easily.
Edson lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Calisto throws the kick towards the body but Edson avoids it.
Edson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Edson misses with a double jab
and Calisto counters with a nice uppercut.
Edson moves out of range as Calisto throws a body kick.
Edson swinging wildly here.
Edson sets himself, and Calisto steps forward looking for the clinch! Edson avoids it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calisto swats away the attempt to clinch by Edson.
Calisto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Calisto throws a right and a left that both miss.
Edson walks into a straight right hand from Calisto.
Edson misses with a two punch combination.
Despite the aggression on Calisto's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Calisto misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Calisto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Edson throws the left hand but Calisto avoids the punch easily.
Calisto tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Edson defends well and Calisto ends up having to push Edson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Edson is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Calisto.
Calisto takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Calisto throws a leg kick but Edson sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Edson lands with a good body shot.
Edson misses the shot to the body.
Calisto takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Calisto throws the kick towards the body but Edson avoids it.
Calisto shoots for a takedown but Edson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Calisto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Edson's waist but Edson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Calisto off to one side.
The fighters circling - Edson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Edson has closed the distance and engaged Calisto in a clinch.

Edson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice sprawl there from Calisto as Edson shoots in.
Edson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Calisto avoids it really well and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calisto lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Edson throws a nice looking combination but Calisto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Calisto throws a right hand that Edson ducks under and follows up with a left that Edson also avoids with ease.
It looked like Edson was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Calisto.

Calisto drives through and clinches with Edson against the cage.
Calisto content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Calisto breaks the clinch.
Calisto dodges the punch combination from Edson.
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 Yoel Edson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Calisto fails with a takedown attempt.
It looked like Edson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Edson swinging wildly here.
A nice combination there by Calisto.
Edson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Edson misses with a double jab.
As Edson backs off Calisto throws a huge counter combo but Edson manages to avoid it all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calisto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Edson as he jumps to the side.
Edson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Edson misses with a wild combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Calisto. No joy for Edson on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Calisto.
Yoel Edson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zed Calisto.
Calisto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Calisto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Edson feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Calistos jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Edson throws a head kick that misses.
Calisto swings for the body but Edson moves out of range.
Edson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Calisto manages to avoid it.
Calisto stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Calisto wants it to stay on the feet.
As Edson backs off Calisto throws a huge counter combo but Edson manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Calisto.
Edson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Edson wants it to stay on the feet.
Calisto displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Edson.
Edson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Calisto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Edson throws out the jab.
A head kick by Edson misses
and Calisto counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Calisto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Edson throws a shot from downtown. Calisto moves away and avoids it.
Edson thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Calisto if he has to take too many more of those.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Edson needs to keep his hands up - Calisto had a free shot at his head there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Edson.
Calisto is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Edson with a body shot.
Calisto stuffs the takedown.
Calisto throws a counter combo.
Edson misses with a double jab
and Calisto counters with a straight right hand.
Edson leaves Calisto with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Edson misses with a series of wild punches.
Calisto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Edson.
Edson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Calisto is fending him off so far but Edson persists. Nope, Calisto circles away and we're back to standing.
Calisto tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edson tries to clinch there but Calisto circles away.
Calisto now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Calisto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Calisto takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Calisto tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Edson defends well and Calisto ends up having to push Edson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Edson seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Edson throws a good cross that connects.
Edson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Edson takes a swing at Calisto's ribcage but misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Edson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Calisto.
Zed Calisto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yoel Edson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Calisto throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yoel Edson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Edson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 for Yoel Edson!
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight for Yoel Edson!
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight for Yoel Edson!

Yoel Edson wins by unanimous decision!
Yoel Edson is the new welterweight champion!
Yoel Edson made sure to mention his sponsor, Shade Tree Nutrition in his post fight interview.