PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Justin Keen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wilby Champion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Keen comes to the cage accompanied by Round One. Wilby Champion has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Keen
vs
Champion

190 cm
20
175 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

213 cm
21
179 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Justin Keen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Wilby Champion!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Champion misses its intended target.
Keen misses the jab.
Keen punishes Champion's body with a nice straight punch.
Keen misses with a straight left.
Champion tries to close the distance and clinch but Keen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Keen takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Keen misses with a body shot.
Champion keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Champion gets a clinch.
Champion avoiding damage.
Champion tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Champion misses with a knee to the head.
Champion tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Keen avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Champion lands a right hand that snaps the head of Keen backwards.
Champion is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Champion throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Keen blocks it with crossed arms.
Champion misses with a knee strike.
A frustrated look appears on Champion's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Champion with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The referee calls for Champion to work.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Champion taking a breather.
Keen avoids a wild elbow strike from Champion.
Champion holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Champion tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Keen just stands there and leans against the cage.

Champion jumps guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Keen distracts Champion with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Keen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Champion utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Champion utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Keen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Keen throwing strikes but missing.
Keen postures up in Champion's guard and throws a big left but Champion blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keen postures up in Champion's guard and throws a big left but Champion blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Champion throws a leg kick but Keen checks it.
Wilby Champion is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Champion throws a sloppy body shot

and Keen moves into the clinch.
Champion trying to land knees to the body.
Keen misses with a knee to the head.
Stalling in the clinch from Champion.
Keen trying to land knees to the body.
Keen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Keen stalling against the cage.
Champion content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Champion.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Champion avoiding damage as Keen throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keen stops a takedown attempt from Champion.
Champion has Keen pushed against the cage.
Champion pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Champion.
Keen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Champion is defending well for now.
Champion taking a breather.
Champion tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Champion creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Champion.
Champion is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Keen wants a takedown but no success here.
Champion looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Champion misses with a knee strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Champion tries a knee to the head but Keen blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Wilby Champion will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

The fight stays on the outside here - Champion looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Keen misses with a jab to the body
and Champion counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Keen's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Keen duly obliges.
Champion misses the jab.
Champion tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Keen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Champion's guard now.
Keen is looking to work some ground and pound but Champion has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Keen thows a big elbow that misses.
Champion wants to stand and escape but Keen is having none of it.
Champion is trying to keep Keen in close.
Keen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Keen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keen trying to control but Champion is working from the bottom.
Champion 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.
Keen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Keen throws and elbow that misses. Champion uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Keen's guard. Nice move by Champion!
Keen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Keen wants to sweep here but Champion controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Keen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Champion gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Champion wants to get up but he can't break Keen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Keen working a defensive guard here.

Keen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Champion trying to control the position from guard on top but Keen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Keen is looking for a triangle but Champion pushes his legs off easily.
Champion trying to control the position from guard on top but Keen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Champion drops back looking for a leg! Keen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Keen manages to kick Champion off! Champion jumps back into Keen's guard.
Keen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Keen avoids the head kick by Champion.
Wilby Champion seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Champion moves in looking to clinch but Keen pushes him off.
Champion throws a lazy right hand but Keen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Champion misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Keen.
Keen throws a body punch but Champion moves out of range.
Champion throws an overhand right that lands on Keen's shoulder, as Keen tries to avoid the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Keen dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Champion lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Justin Keen has been cut.
Keen moves forwards but Champion connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Champion throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Keen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Champion was well out of range. Poor timing from Keen.
Champion tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Keen counters with a straight right hand.
A shot to the body from Champion misses
and Keen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Champion throws a combination that misses
and Keen counters with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Champion tries to clinch but Keen moves out of range.
Champion swings away with a body shot that misses
and Keen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Keen tries to clinch but Champion moves out of range.
Champion wants to clinch up but Keen keeps it at a distance.
Keen defending well as Champion loads up on a big left hand.
Champion takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Keen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Champion.
Keen throws a body punch but Champion moves out of range.
Justin Keen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Champion throws a hook but Keen avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keen misses with a looping left.
Keen lands a with a good body shot.
Keen takes a swing at Champion's ribcage but misses.
Champion tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Keen counters with a nice body shot.
Champion takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Keen has closed the distance and engaged Champion in a clinch.
Keen avoiding damage as Champion throws knees to the body.
Keen just leaning against Champion, taking a breather.
Champion avoiding damage.

Champion breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Keen just misses with a punch to the body.
Keen slips under a jab from Champion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keen circles away from the clinch attempt
and Keen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Keen tries to bum rush Champion with a series of wild strikes but Champion uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Keen lunges at Champion with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Champion's hand.
Keen looks to score with a jab to the body but Champion is just out of range.
Champion misses with a low kick.
A big right from Champion misses.
Keen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Champion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Champion clinches but Keen breaks the clinch

and Keen counters with a single leg into guard. Champion didn't expect that.
Keen lands a couple of digs.
Champion keeping full guard, as Keen tries to pass.
Keen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Champion works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Champion is looking for a triangle but Keen pushes his legs off easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Keen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Keen 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Keen!