PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Charlie Walter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Russel Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Charlie Walter has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Walter
vs
Bell

185 cm
18
194 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

190 cm
18
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Charlie Walter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Russel Bell!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walter tries to clinch up but Bell circles away and keeps his distance.
Bell shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Walter as he jumps to the side.
Bell avoids the head kick by Walter.
Russel Bell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walter doesn't manage to clinch there - Bell circles away.
Walter tries to clinch there but Bell circles away.
Bell shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Walter as he avoids it easily.
Walter avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Walter clinches but Bell breaks the clinch

and Bell counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Walter wants to stand and escape but Bell is having none of it.
Walter is trying to control the position but Bell postures up.
Bell looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bell looks gassed!
Walter is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bell is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walter keeping moving, preventing Bell from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Walter fails in his attempt to clinch.
Walter doesn't manage to clinch there - Bell circles away.

Walter clinches up against the cage.

Bell has picked Walter up - he's going for a ride! Bell dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Bell is trying to control the action in half guard but Walter is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bell is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Walter is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walter keeping control of the position.
Walter gets full guard.
Bell wants to control from the top but Walter keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Walter is on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bell seems keen to control Walter's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell working a defensive guard here.
Walter wants to control from the top but Bell keeps moving.

Walter postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Bell is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Walter, into his guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Walter striking off his back but it's not causing Bell any problems.
Bell throwing strikes from guard but Walter blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bell being controlled here momentarily.

Walter kicks Bell off and gets to his feet.

Walter instigates a clinch.
Walter connects with a nasty looking knee right to Bell's face.
A head punch on the inside from Walter fails to land.
Walter looking to slow down the pace here.
Bell goes for a takedown in the clinch but Walter prevents it.
Charlie Walter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Russel Bell.
Walter has Bell pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bell manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Bell stalling in the clinch but Walter improves position.
Bell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Walter just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bell takes a knee right on the jaw!
Walter throws a knee to the head but misses.
A knee to the head by Walter.
Walter looking to slow down the pace here.
Walter misses with a knee strike.
Bell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Walter lands a nice elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Russel Bell will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Walter stuffs the takedown attempt from Bell. Bell gets slowly back to his feet.
Walter wants to clinch up but Bell keeps it at a distance.
Bell swats away the attempt to clinch by Walter.
Walter tries to clinch up but Bell circles away and keeps his distance.
Walter tries to clinch but Bell moves out of range.
Walter fails with an attempt to clinch.
Walter fails in his attempt to clinch.
Walter wants to clinch.
Bell shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Walter as he avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walter wants to clinch but Bell slips to the side

and Bell counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bell is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Walter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell postures up.
Bell stays in close to Walter's body and controls the position.
Bell is breathing heavily.
Walter wants to stand up but Bell is controlling him.
Bell tries to free his leg and advance position but Walter is retaining full guard.
Walter is looking to sweep but instead, Bell has passed into half guard.
Walter tries to kick Bell off but Bell keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Walter is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Bell jumps into side control!
Bell grinds an elbow into Walter's temple.
Bell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Walter keeps working.
Bell working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Walter is trying to buck Bell off.

Bell wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Walter, who protects the arm well.
Walter is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Walter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Bell. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Walter wants to clinch up but Bell keeps it at a distance.
Bell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walter swivels and escapes.
Charlie Walter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Russel Bell.
The fight stays on the outside here - Walter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bell avoids the head kick by Walter.
Walter stuffs the takedown.
Walter scoring well with a low kick there.
Walter throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell shoots in for a takedown but Walter shows good takedown defense.
Walter tries to clinch up.
Walter fails with an attempt to clinch.
Walter is looking to clinch.
Walter tries to close the distance and clinch but Bell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bell avoids the head kick by Walter.
A slapping body kick lands there for Walter.
The fight stays on the outside here - Walter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Walter tries to clinch there but Bell circles away.
Walter will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Bell shoots in but no luck this time.
Walter tries to clinch up.
Bell tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Walter swivels and escapes.

Walter drives through and clinches with Bell against the cage.
Walter tries to land a knee to the head but Bell blocks with his arms.
Bell missing with knees to the body.
Bell takes a knee right on the jaw!
Bell fails to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Walter just stands there and leans against the cage.
Walter using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Walter 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.
Walter unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bell tries to pull guard but Walter holds him up against the cage and eventually Bell drops back down to his feet.
Walter with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Bell has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Walter uses from the top position.
Bell wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Bell is trying to control the position but Walter postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Bell can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bell is pulling down on Walter's head. It's preventing any offense from Walter, at least for the moment.
Bell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Walter is controlling him.
Bell is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Russel Bell will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Walter is looking to clinch.

Walter closes the distance and clinches.
Bell fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Walter tries to stall but Bell uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Walter unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Walter is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Maybe Walter would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Bell takes a knee right on the jaw!
Walter stalling in the clinch.
Walter tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Bell jumps guard.
Bell keeping moving, preventing Walter from controlling successfully.
Walter has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Bell has control of Walter's left arm, preventing Walter from doing any damage.
Bell is trying to hold Walter in close to prevent damage but Walter has managed to pass into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Walter performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walter stands up and beckons Bell to join him on the feet.

Walter scores with a takedown into Bell's guard.
Walter trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bell is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Walter wanted to stand there but Bell had control of the position.
Bell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Walter is one step ahead there.
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.
Walter is fighting to break Bell's control of his arms but Bell is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Walter throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Walter wants to control from the top but Bell keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Walter. That's going to slow Bell down.

Bell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Bell trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Walter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Walter is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bell is controlling him.
Bell trying to stand up but can't free himself from Walter's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Russel Bell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bell showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bell blocks a head kick by Walter.

Bell closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bell lands in his opponent's guard.
Bell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Walter keeping full guard, as Bell tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell stopping the sweep attempt from Walter.
Bell stays in close to Walter's body and controls the position.
Walter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Charlie Walter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Walter being controlled here, momentarily.
Let's hope that Bell has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Russel Bell.
I've got Bell winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russel Bell!