PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Flaherty (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edgar Poe Wong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Flaherty
vs
Poe Wong

182 cm
23
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
19
175 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Balco Boys - Hilo
Balco Boys - Hilo

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kevin Flaherty!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Edgar Poe Wong!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flaherty tries to clinch there but Wong circles away.
Wong looks for a takedown but Flaherty sprawls well.
Wong keeps the fight on the outside.
Flaherty wants to clinch.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch but Wong swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kevin Flaherty seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wong scores a takedown into full mount!
Wong lands a big elbow.
Wong thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Wong is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Wong lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wong fails with a takedown attempt.
Wong shoots in but no luck this time.
Kevin Flaherty has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edgar Poe Wong.
Flaherty displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Wong.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Flaherty fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Wong swats away the attempt to clinch by Flaherty.
Wong swats away the attempt to clinch by Flaherty.
Flaherty is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flaherty tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Flaherty checks a low kick from Wong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Wong scores a takedown into full mount!
Flaherty wants to control but Wong is having none of it.
Flaherty is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Wong trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wong is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Wong working for a guillotine from mount but Flaherty is in no mood to give up.

Wong swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Flaherty is now in Wong's guard. A big mistake from Wong there, giving up the dominant position!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flaherty wants to stand but Wong has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Flaherty pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wong is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Flaherty has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Wong is proving hard to escape from.
Flaherty controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Wong kicks Flaherty off and gets to his feet.
Wong swats away the attempt to clinch by Flaherty.
Flaherty doesn't manage to clinch there - Wong circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Poe Wong dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Flaherty clinches.
Wong avoids the elbow strike from Flaherty, against the cage.
Wong tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Flaherty just stands there and leans against the cage.
Flaherty is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Flaherty just misses with a elbow thrown towards Wong's brow.
Flaherty looking to throw knees to the head but Wong is blocking nicely.
Flaherty tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Flaherty tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Wong avoids it.
Flaherty tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Wong avoids it.
Wong has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Flaherty is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Flaherty with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Wong tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kevin Flaherty has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edgar Poe Wong.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Flaherty throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Wong blocks it with crossed arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flaherty is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Wong is keeping busy.
Wong has had enough of the clinch but Flaherty keeps him there for the moment.
Flaherty is trying to maintain a safe position but Wong gets an underhook and turns Flaherty into the cage.
Flaherty can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Wong drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Flaherty gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Flaherty throws an elbow but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flaherty creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Flaherty is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Flaherty keeps control of Wong as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Flaherty throws an elbow but it misses.
Flaherty looking to stall.
Flaherty throws a knee to the head but misses.
Flaherty misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Wong.

Wong breaks from the clinch.
Wong throws a head kick but Flaherty moves out of range.
Flaherty is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flaherty throws a right and a left that both miss.
Flaherty tries to clinch up.
Wong throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Flaherty's waist but Flaherty gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Wong off to one side.
Wong swats away the attempt to clinch by Flaherty.

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.
Flaherty wants to clinch up but Wong keeps it at a distance.
Kevin Flaherty is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wong keeps the fight on the outside.
Kevin Flaherty is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wong is looking to land body kicks.
Flaherty is looking to clinch.
Flaherty slaps away a takedown attempt from Wong, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Flaherty doesn't manage to clinch there - Wong circles away.
Flaherty misses with a looping right.
Flaherty slaps away a takedown attempt from Wong, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Flaherty tries to clinch up.
Flaherty fails with an attempt to clinch.
Flaherty tries to clinch but Wong is having none of it.
Wong circles away from the clinch attempt.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch but Wong swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wong shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Flaherty as he jumps to the side.
Flaherty tries to clinch but Wong is having none of it.
Wong looks for a takedown but Flaherty sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Flaherty looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice takedown defense from Flaherty. No joy for Wong on that attempt.
Flaherty fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Flaherty doesn't manage to clinch there - Wong circles away.
Flaherty is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wong paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Flaherty tries to clinch but Wong is having none of it.
Wong closes this distance looking for a takedown but Flaherty circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Flaherty is looking to clinch.
Wong swats away the attempt to clinch by Flaherty.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wong swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wong takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Wong drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Wong is breathing heavily.
Wong working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wong trying to control but Flaherty is working from the bottom.
Wong postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Flaherty is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Wong is controlling him.
Wong tries to free his leg and advance position but Flaherty is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Flaherty dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Flaherty tries to clinch up.
Wong looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Flaherty defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Wong.
Flaherty tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Flaherty throws a series of punches but Wong avoids them all with ease.
Flaherty tries to clinch there but Wong circles away.
Flaherty wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Flaherty looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Flaherty looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flaherty checks the leg kick nicely there.
Flaherty tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch but Wong swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flaherty tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wong swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Flaherty is looking to clinch.
Flaherty doesn't manage to clinch there - Wong circles away.
Wong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Wong bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Wong tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Wong tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Wong takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Flaherty gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wong with the ground and pound but Flaherty uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Flaherty looking to control.
Wong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Wong stopping the sweep attempt from Flaherty.
Wong thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wong throws a strike but Flaherty rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Flaherty wants to stand and escape but instead Wong has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wong stands and throws Flaherty's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Wong works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's four 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.
Flaherty is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Wong is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Flaherty knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Wong scoring with punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The strikes coming from Wong are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Flaherty is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Wong tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Wong has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgar Poe Wong comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wong has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgar Poe Wong!