PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Fyodor Pending (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Welch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Welch has chosen Ometra - Lamb of God as his entrance music. Edward Welch will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Pending
vs
Welch

150 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

178 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fyodor Pending!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Edward Welch!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Welch.
Welch in side control, throwing shots but Pending defends.
Pending prevents Welch from moving into mount.

Welch looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Welch decides to stand back up. Welch steps back and let's Pending get back to his feet.

Welch gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Welch turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Welch lands a few punches from side control.
Welch takes a little break here. Pending wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Check out the look on Welch's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Pending's face as Welch controls the position.
Pending trying to control but Welch flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Pending covering up well under a barage of strikes.

Welch is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pending is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Pending is breathing heavily.
Pending breaks Welch's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Pending might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Welch wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Welch looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Welch is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pending wants to control from the top but Welch keeps moving.
Pending looking to sit in guard and control but Welch gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Welch is pushing down on Pending's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pending is fighting to maintain full guard but Welch has managed to sneak the leg through.

Pending looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pending is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Welch is taking a breather. Pending says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welch trying to mount his opponent but Pending defends it.
Pending could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Welch perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Welch working the head and body with strikes.
Welch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Welch stands up out of the half guard.

Welch moves into the clinch successfully.

Welch gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Pending looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Welch with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Welch wants to pass to mount but Pending is defending the position.
Welch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Welch stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Welch looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pending is looking for a sweep. Welch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Welch dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pending on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Welch gets a takedown into half guard.

Welch decides to stand up.

Welch looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Welch is thwarting Pending's attempts to control the position.
Welch drops an elbow to the side of Pending's head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welch trying to control the pace.

Welch is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pending defends it well.
Welch not landing any meaningful shots this time.

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.
Pending wants to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Welch in particular looking to stall.
Pending is looking for a sweep. Welch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Welch sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Pending is looking for a sweep. Welch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Welch in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Pending tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Welch!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Edward Welch!