PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Glenn Welch (ranked 4850 p4p, 4814 weight class) and Norman Pike (ranked 222 p4p, 221 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Norman Pike enters the cage!

Welch
vs
Pike

173 cm
18
135
1 - 0 - 0

168 cm
18
140
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

MKFC

Vegan Gains

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Glenn Welch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Norman Pike!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pike checks a leg kick.
Pike looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Welch feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Pike is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Welch thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Welch wants to control from the top but Pike keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pike is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Welch is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pike keeping moving, preventing Welch from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welch is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Pike is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Welch has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Welch throws a big elbow that misses.
Welch wants to control from the top but Pike keeps moving.
Pike wants to get back to his feet but Welch is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pike keeping moving, preventing Welch from controlling successfully.
Welch throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Welch is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Welch trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Welch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Welch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pike wants to stand but Welch is controlling the position.

Welch drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Welch jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pike wants to stand and escape but Welch is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch sitting in guard here, content to control.
Pike is looking to stand up but Welch isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pike fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Pike fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Welch looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pike defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Welch.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Pike! But no joy.
Welch throws a combination that misses
and Pike counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Welch misses with a wild combination.
No luck for Welch with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Welch throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Pike throws a head kick that misses.
Welch throws a shot from downtown. Pike moves away and avoids it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Pike! But no joy.
Welch throws a half hearted mid kick.
Welch misses with a double jab
and Pike counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Norman Pike is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Welch's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Pike connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Welch scrambles back to his feet.
Pike looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Glenn Welch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Some wild striking there from Pike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Norman Pike will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Welch tries to clinch up.
Jab from Pike.
Welch throws a push kick but Pike slaps the foot to one side.
Pike swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Norman Pike seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Welch wants to land a leg kick but Pike is out of range.
Welch scores with a one two! Pike had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Welch throws a leg kick
and Welch takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Pike stuffs the takedown attempt from Welch. Welch gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Welch looks to throw a body kick
and Pike cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pike blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pike gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Welch drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Welch jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Pike is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Welch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pike lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Pike thuds a left hand into Welch's body.
Pike throws a quick inside leg kick.
Welch wants to clinch up but Pike keeps it at a distance.
Pike let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Welch fails to land the takedown.
Pike appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Pike throws a nice head kick!
Pike scores with a jab to the body.
Welch swings for the body but Pike moves out of range.
It seemed like Pike was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A low kick from Welch is predictable there
and Pike cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
No luck for Welch with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Glenn Welch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pike connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Welch will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Welch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Pike looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
A punch combination from Welch misses.
A combination from Pike does no damage.
Welch shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Welch on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Welch tries to clinch but Pike moves out of range.
No joy there for Welch, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pike takes a swing at Welch's ribcage but misses.
A jab from Pike finds it's way through Welch's defenses.
Some bone on bone action there as Welch checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Welch on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Pike displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Welch.
Pike lands with a good body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Welch tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Pike defends well and Welch ends up having to push Pike into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Norman Pike showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Welch fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pike scores with a hook.
Welch fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Welch's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Pike connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Welch scrambles back to his feet.
Welch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Pike manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pike lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Welch at a distance.
Pike ducks under a wild hook from Welch.
A low kick from Welch is predictable there
and Pike cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick by Welch misses
and Pike counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Welch throws a leg kick that is checked
and Pike counters with a left to the body.
Glenn Welch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Welch throws a nice looking combination but Pike bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pike jabs at Welch's body.
Pike looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Pike throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Pike jabs Welch to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Welch misses with a hook. Pike ducked under it nicely.
Pike swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Welch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Pike as Welch shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Glenn Welch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Welch misses with a takedown attempt

and Pike counters with a head kick that drops Welch to the mat! Welch scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Welch is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pike closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Welch! Pike dives in looking to finish! Welch is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Norman Pike!