PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Konichiwa Jempsa (ranked 652 p4p, 3399 weight class) and Willem Kriel (ranked 106 p4p, 452 weight class). Kriel has chosen Jack Parow & Freshlyground - Army Of One as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Jempsa
vs
Kriel

170 cm
27
170
17 - 8 - 0

178 cm
41
183
14 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

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 17 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Konichiwa Jempsa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 20 - 0, fighting out of New York, Willem Kriel!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jempsa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kriel fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Jempsa.
Kriel chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Jempsa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Jempsa wants to control but Kriel is keeping him busy.
Jempsa tries to pass to full mount but Kriel defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jempsa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kriel is looking for a sweep. Jempsa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kriel is trying to maintain the position but Jempsa is very close to passing his half guard.
Jempsa prevents Kriel from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Jempsa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jempsa stops Kriel from getting back to his feet.
Kriel is refusing to be controlled, as Jempsa sits in half guard.
Jempsa 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.
Jempsa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kriel is staying active underneath Jempsa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jempsa not doing much here.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's two 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.
Jempsa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Jempsa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kriel defending well though.
Jempsa trying to control from half guard but Kriel is working away.
Kriel keeps control of the position for the meantime.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Jempsa is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Kriel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jempsa.
A little jabbing left from Kriel on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

Jempsa closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Kriel's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Kriel's head.
Kriel keeping moving, preventing Jempsa from controlling successfully.
Kriel controls Jempsa momentarily but Jempsa frees himself.
Jempsa stopping the sweep attempt from Kriel.
Kriel wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Jempsa is looking to work some ground and pound but Kriel has wrist control.
Jempsa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kriel is keeping the position for now.
Jempsa postures up in Kriel's guard and throws a big left but Kriel blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jempsa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jempsa with a flurry of punches that miss.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Jempsa not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jempsa avoids the body shot from Kriel.
Horrible takedown attempt by Jempsa or perhaps it was just good defense by Kriel, which made it look bad.
Jempsa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kriel but Kriel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kriel keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jempsa.
An inside leg kick from Kriel misses.
Kriel tried to score with a low kick but Jempsa checks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Konichiwa Jempsa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jempsa throws a body shot but no joy.
Jempsa misses with a wild body shot.
Kriel misses the shot to the body.
Kriel misses with a straight left.
Kriel throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Jempsa half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kriel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kriel tries to land a leg kick but Jempsa saw it coming and moves away.
Jempsa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kriel's waist but Kriel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jempsa off to one side.
Kriel shapes to counter with a head kick.
Kriel will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A counter left hand to the body from Jempsa misses its target.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Kriel.
Kriel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jempsa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Kriel.
Kriel throws a jab when Jempsa was well out of range.
Kriel misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jempsa drops down looking for a counter takedown but Kriel sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jempsa blocks a jab.
Jempsa appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Jempsa defending well as Kriel loads up on a big left hand.
Jempsa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jempsa throws a series of strikes that have Kriel backpedaling.
Jempsa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kriel just misses with a punch to the body.
Jempsa changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A telegraphed right hand from Kriel misses the target.
Kriel fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Jempsa is out of range.
Kriel throws a leg kick but Jempsa sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Jempsa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Jempsa wants to control but Kriel is keeping him busy.

Jempsa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Jempsa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Kriel has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa misses with a head shot. Kriel uses the momentum to regain guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jempsa slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Jempsa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jempsa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kriel has momentary wrist control but Jempsa slips an elbow through the middle.
Jempsa wants to pass the guard but Kriel is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kriel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jempsa.
Jempsa trying to control but Kriel is working from the bottom.
Kriel wants to sweep but no luck.
Jempsa works over Kriel with some ground and pound from guard.

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.

Jempsa has gone for a leg lock! Kriel slips out almost immediately though and dives into Jempsa's guard.

Jempsa seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Kriel looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jempsa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kriel is one step ahead there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Willem Kriel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kriel jabs at Jempsa's body.
Jempsa connects with a single shot there.

Jempsa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Kriel defending against the ground and pound.

Jempsa swings around for an armbar but Kriel sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Jempsa's guard.
Kriel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jempsa is keeping the position for now.
Jempsa working a defensive guard but Kriel passes into half guard.
Kriel slows the pace down in half guard.
Jempsa regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kriel stopping the sweep attempt from Jempsa.
Jempsa controls Kriel momentarily but Kriel frees himself.
Jempsa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Jempsa is adopting a defensive guard.
Konichiwa Jempsa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kriel stopping the sweep attempt from Jempsa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kriel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Jempsa holds on and takes a little breather.
Kriel trying to control the position from guard on top but Jempsa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Kriel sprawls well. Kriel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jempsa gets slowly back to his feet.
Kriel lands with a shot to the body.
Jempsa shoots in for a takedown but Kriel shows good takedown defense.
Kriel throws a hook but Jempsa blocks it.
Jempsa was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Jempsa fails to land with a series of punches.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Kriel! But no joy.
Kriel looks to throw the jab but Jempsa is out of range.
Jempsa misses with a body shot.
Kriel misses with a low kick.
Kriel throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Jempsa throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kriel was covering up waiting for the punch and Jempsa finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Kriel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Jempsa prevents Kriel from getting back to his feet.
Kriel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jempsa is one step ahead there.
Kriel keeping full guard, as Jempsa tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Willem Kriel.
I think Kriel 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Willem Kriel!
A very excited looking Willem Kriel rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.