PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kelly Van Soest (ranked 1741 p4p, 1797 weight class) and Tommy Chang (ranked 185 p4p, 189 weight class). Van Soest's entrance music is Philipee Rochard - The World (Frequencerz Remix). A fine choice. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Van Soest
vs
Chang

168 cm
25
139
4 - 0 - 0

175 cm
26
148
6 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kelly Van Soest!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tommy Chang!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Darius Henderson and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chang misses with a low kick.
Van Soest checks a low kick from Chang.
Van Soest tries to counter with a takedown but Chang is quick to defend against it.
Chang tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Van Soest is able to avoid easily.
Chang jabs at Van Soest's body.
Chang throws a leg kick that misses.
An inside leg kick from Chang misses.
Chang loads up on a big right hand but Van Soest slips the punch.
Van Soest misses with an uppercut
and Chang connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Chang throws a right hand that misses

and Van Soest counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Van Soest lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Van Soest drops an elbow to the side of Chang's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Soest working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Chang wants to get back to full guard.
Chang works his way to full guard. Good work.
Chang keeping moving, preventing Van Soest from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Chang had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Van Soest defends it easily.
Van Soest throws a big elbow that misses.
Chang bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Van Soest's guard.

Van Soest trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chang stands up over Van Soest, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chang wants to control from the top but Van Soest keeps moving.
Chang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Van Soest swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Chang with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Chang controls from within his opponent's guard.
Van Soest is pulling down on Chang's head. It's preventing any offense from Chang, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chang trying to control the position from guard on top but Van Soest is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Van Soest working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Chang.
Chang has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at The Purpose Martial Arts Academy. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Van Soest pulls Chang in close to prevent any damage.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Van Soest lands a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Chang looks to land a right hand but Van Soest moved out of range.
Van Soest jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Some wild striking there from Chang.

Van Soest closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Chang quickly recovers to half guard.
Van Soest looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Chang is trying to maintain the position but Van Soest is very close to passing his half guard.

Chang is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Van Soest pulls his head out easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Chang tries to get to full guard but Van Soest has control of the leg.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Kelly Van Soest will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Van Soest throws a hook but Chang blocks it.
Chang misses with a leg kick.
Van Soest moves out of range of the leg kick from Chang.
Van Soest attempts a counter takedown but Chang avoids it well and moves away.
Van Soest with a nice calf kick.
Chang throws a low kick but Van Soest avoids it.
Chang throws a right hand that Van Soest ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Soest also avoids with ease.
Van Soest changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A looping hook to the body misses from Chang. Van Soest does a little dance to reset his feet.
Chang lands a nice looking body kick.
Van Soest tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Soest cracks Chang with an open hand slap.
Chang connects with an inside leg kick.
Van Soest moves out of range as Chang throws a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Chang. That's going to slow Van Soest down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chang fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Van Soest manages to avoid it.
Van Soest feinted with a counter takedown.
Chang throws a leg kick that is checked

and Van Soest counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Chang trying to control from the bottom.
Chang is trying to get back to full guard.
Chang is pressing down on Van Soest's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Van Soest scoring with some ground and pound.
Chang wants to sweep but no luck.
Van Soest lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Chang controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Soest is staying tight to Chang's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Chang tries to bench press Van Soest off him but Van Soest keeps the position.
Chang struggling a bit here.
Van Soest throwing strikes but Chang manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chang misses with the ground and pound.
Kelly Van Soest overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Van Soest tries to buck Chang off but Chang is having none of it.
Van Soest is trying to control Chang's posture but Chang avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Soest is holding Chang down, trying to stall.
Van Soest is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Van Soest wants to control but Chang postures up.
An elbow from Chang crashes against the mat.
Chang working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Chang trying to control the action but Van Soest is working from the bottom.
Van Soest managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Chang.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Soest is looking to reverse the position.
Van Soest being controlled for a moment.
Van Soest can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Soest tries to buck Chang off but Chang is having none of it.
Chang throws an elbow but Van Soest slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Chang 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A nice leg kick from Van Soest, right into the meat of the thigh.
Chang connects with a leg kick.
Chang throws a body kick that misses

and Van Soest counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Chang is positioning himself well to prevent Van Soest advancing to mount.
Van Soest perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Van Soest seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Chang tries to get to full guard but Van Soest has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chang trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chang blocking the ground and pound attempt from Van Soest.
Chang regains full guard. Nicely done.
Van Soest chips away with some ground and pound.

Chang isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Van Soest stacks Chang on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Van Soest!
Chang is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Van Soest creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Chang is looking for a sweep.
Van Soest working the head with strikes.
Chang gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Soest winds up and cracks Chang with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Van Soest is thwarting Chang's attempts to control the position.
Chang on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Chang tries to roll over but Van Soest keeps him under control.
Van Soest slips a nice elbow through Chang's hands, connecting with Chang's forehead.
Van Soest looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chang slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Chang looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Chang looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Van Soest looking to pass the guard.
Van Soest throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Chang keeping full guard, as Van Soest tries to pass.
Van Soest throws an elbow that misses. Chang uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Van Soest's guard. Nice move by Chang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chang lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Van Soest wants to sweep but no luck.
Chang postures up and lands a big shot to Van Soest's brow.
Chang throws a big right hand that misses.
Chang trying to control the position from guard on top but Van Soest is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Van Soest bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Chang's guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Van Soest lands a couple of decent looking shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kelly Van Soest showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Van Soest has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kelly Van Soest!
A victorious Kelly Van Soest thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.