PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mohamed Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hulk Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Joseph
vs
Kelly

182 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mohamed Joseph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hulk Kelly!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Joseph sprawls well. Joseph wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kelly gets slowly back to his feet.

Joseph looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Joseph missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Joseph really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kelly is pressing down on Joseph's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Joseph got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kelly has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Joseph has managed to get both his arms back between Kelly's legs - danger averted.
Joseph postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Joseph with a flurry of punches that miss.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joseph landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Joseph accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Joseph makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Joseph distracts Kelly with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Joseph lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Kelly avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Joseph throwing strikes but missing.
Joseph landing some decent shots from guard.
Kelly is trying to keep Joseph in close.
Joseph landing some decent shots from guard.
Joseph with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph postures up and lands a big shot to Kelly's brow.
Joseph postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Joseph looking to sit in guard and control but Kelly gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Joseph manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Kelly is trying to drag Joseph to the mat but Joseph just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Joseph decides to pull guard.
Joseph 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Joseph looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kelly is one step ahead there.

Joseph is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joseph has his feet on Kelly's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kelly tries to score a power double leg takedown but Joseph sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Kelly somewhat.
Mohamed Joseph has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hulk Kelly.
Kelly tries for a takedown but Joseph circles away easily
and Joseph counters with a head kick.
Kelly looks winded!
Kelly shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Joseph makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kelly takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joseph closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Joseph lands in his opponent's guard.
Joseph landing with the ground and pound.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Joseph is in close to Kelly's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Joseph landing some decent shots from guard.
Joseph working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joseph is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Joseph makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mohamed Joseph dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Kelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Joseph swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Kelly looks to move away, Joseph throws a big counter combo bu Kelly just gets out of the way.
Kelly fails to land the takedown.
As Kelly looks to move away, Joseph throws a big counter combo bu Kelly just gets out of the way.

Joseph shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kelly is trying to defend but Joseph finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kelly keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joseph missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kelly blocking the ground and pound attempt from Joseph.
Joseph will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Joseph stands up out of the half guard.

Joseph looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Kelly!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Joseph lands some shots froms side control.

Joseph tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Joseph has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
You can see the frustration on Kelly's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kelly is breathing heavily.
Kelly taking punishment in the form of punches.

Joseph stands up and beckons Kelly to his feet.

Joseph closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kelly did well to prevent Joseph getting side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly is looking for a sweep. Joseph is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Joseph working over Kelly with some ground and pound. Kelly looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Joseph lands with a punch from half guard.

Joseph is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Kelly doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Joseph.
Joseph stops Kelly from getting back to his feet.
Joseph landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Joseph working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Joseph working Kelly over with strikes.
Kelly tries to get to full guard but Joseph has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly blocking the ground and pound attempt from Joseph.

Joseph is working for a submission of some sort.
Joseph prevents Kelly from standing back up.
Kelly has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joseph is working away from the top position though.
Joseph scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Joseph working over Kelly with some ground and pound. Kelly looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Joseph thows a huge punch but Kelly dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Joseph working Kelly over with strikes.
Kelly striking from half guard on the bottom.
Joseph is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Kelly taking some punishment here, with Joseph in his half guard.
Joseph is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Joseph seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Joseph lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Kelly keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kelly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mohamed Joseph 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!

Kelly looks to clinch
and Joseph counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Kelly thinking.

Kelly gets caught flat footed, as Joseph shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mohamed Joseph overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joseph stands and throws Kelly's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Joseph thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Kelly tries to get back to half guard but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joseph working the body and head with strikes.
Joseph working the ground and pound but Kelly is defending the strikes.
Joseph working the head with strikes.
Kelly takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kelly on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph in side control lands a decent elbow.
Kelly is trying to get back to half guard.
Kelly keeps trying to improve his position.
Kelly on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Joseph scores with punches from side control.
Kelly is working to avoid the ground and pound but Joseph connects with a decent elbow.
Joseph creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Joseph looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Kelly is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Joseph off and has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joseph tries to escape but Kelly has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Kelly is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Kelly is not going to allow Joseph to sit and survive in this position.

Joseph is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Joseph closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kelly's guard.
Joseph landing some decent shots from guard.
Joseph is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Joseph stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Joseph shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kelly napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Joseph tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Joseph has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Kelly managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Joseph.
Joseph lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Kelly down.

Joseph is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Kelly has escaped the position, nice work there.
Joseph working the strikes but Kelly uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph tries to pass to full mount but Kelly defends it.
Joseph thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kelly's head.
Kelly avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Joseph.
Joseph sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
Kelly trying to control but Joseph postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joseph looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mohamed Joseph showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Joseph has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:26
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mohamed Joseph!