PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Keith Andaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haile Selassie I (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andaya comes into the arena with Lordz of Brooklyn- Saturday Night Fever blaring out of the sound system. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Andaya
vs
Selassie I

178 cm
26
200 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

191 cm
25
190 lbs
9 - 7 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Keith Andaya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Haile Selassie I!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, William Peck and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Selassie I. Andaya does a little dance to reset his feet.
Andaya thuds a left hand into Selassie I's body.
Selassie I misses with a straight right.
A slow jab from Selassie I misses its intended target.
Selassie I tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Andaya shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Selassie I as he avoids it easily.
Andaya shoots in but Selassie I avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Andaya fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Selassie I looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Andaya throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Selassie I was covering up waiting for the punch and Andaya finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Andaya stays in close to Selassie I's body and controls the position.
Andaya trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Andaya is working hard here to advance position.
Andaya works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Andaya is trying to work for a kimura but Selassie I is defending well.
Andaya is thwarting Selassie I's attempts to control the position.
Selassie I looks like he's trying to stand up.
Selassie I tries to get to full guard but Andaya has control of the leg.

Andaya is working for a kimura but Selassie I is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Andaya is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Selassie I defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Selassie I manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Selassie I has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Andaya might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Selassie I lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Andaya!
Andaya sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie I trying to advance position but Andaya counters by regaining guard.
Selassie I makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Selassie I throws a big right hand that misses.
Selassie I scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Selassie I trying to control the position from guard on top but Andaya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Andaya not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Andaya is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Andaya seems to be looking for submissions.

Andaya seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Selassie I is trying to control but can't.
Andaya wants to free his trapped foot but Selassie I is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Keith Andaya will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A looping hook to the body misses from Andaya. Selassie I does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sloppy strikes from Selassie I. Those never looked like landing.
Selassie I tries to close the distance and clinch up but Andaya swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Andaya changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Selassie I tries to avoid it but Andaya manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Selassie I to the ground. Selassie I escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Andaya feints and then cracks Selassie I's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Selassie I down.
Selassie I misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Selassie I misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Andaya takes a swing at Selassie I's ribcage but misses.
Selassie I missing with a left hand there. Andaya was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Nice takedown defense from Selassie I. No joy for Andaya on that attempt.
Haile Selassie I is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Andaya looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Selassie I is fending him off so far but Andaya persists. Nope, Selassie I circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keith Andaya. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Andaya throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A punch combination from Selassie I misses.
Andaya is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Haile Selassie I seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Andaya misses with a takedown attempt - Selassie I sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Selassie I throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andaya comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Andaya shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Selassie I pinned against the cage. Selassie I gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Andaya shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Andaya was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Andaya wants to lay and pray for a moment but Selassie I keeps working.
Selassie I gets back to half guard.
Andaya is trying to control the action in half guard but Selassie I is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Selassie I is trying to get back to full guard.

Andaya is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andaya moves into full mount! Selassie I won't be happy about that!
Selassie I is trying to escape the mount but Andaya keeps good control and instead manages to take Selassie I's back.

Andaya patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
This has been an exciting period of action!

Andaya working for a choke but Selassie I is defending well.

Selassie I fending off the submission attempt from Andaya.
Selassie I rolls, trying to escape but Andaya keeps control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Andaya is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Selassie I is defending well though. Andaya let's go of the attempt for now.

Andaya looking for the choke but no joy.

Selassie I showing good submission defense here.
Selassie I tries to roll but Andaya sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Selassie I fending off the submission attempt from Andaya.

Andaya is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Andaya looking for the choke from the back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A lull in the action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Andaya is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Selassie I knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Selassie I for a finish.
Selassie I trying to control the action but Andaya just sinks the hooks in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keith Andaya dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Andaya will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Selassie I throws a head kick but Andaya moves out of range.
Andaya circles away from the clinch attempt.

Selassie I pushes Andaya up against the cage in a clinch.
Selassie I wants a takedown but no success here.
Selassie I is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Andaya to keep the fight standing.
Andaya fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Selassie I jumps guard and drags Andaya to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Selassie I is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Andaya gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Andaya is looking for a triangle here but Selassie I uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Selassie I lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Andaya down.
Selassie I cracks Andaya with a big right hand but Andaya just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Selassie I moves into full mount!
Haile Selassie I has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Selassie I landing strikes from the mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Andaya taking shots to the head.
Selassie I lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Selassie I with shots to the head and body - Andaya looks very uncomfortable down there.
Andaya is looking to improve his position but Selassie I isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Selassie I working the ground and pound effectively.
Andaya is in a horrible position here. Selassie I smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Keith Andaya is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Selassie I connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Andaya is trying desperately to improve position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poor strikes thrown by Selassie I there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

And that's the end of the fight!
Haile Selassie I comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Andaya 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keith Andaya!
An out of breath Keith Andaya thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.