PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sofian El Keurti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Holmes is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

El Keurti
vs
Holmes

180 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sofian El Keurti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Elvis Blanc and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes checks a low kick from El Keurti.

El Keurti clinches with his opponent.
El Keurti wants to get back to striking at distance but Holmes won't allow it.
El Keurti is trying to stall.
El Keurti is trying to break free.

El Keurti drags the fight down to the ground.
Holmes prevents El Keurti from getting back to his feet.

Holmes stands up from El Keurti's guard - Holmes perhaps looking for a knockout.
El Keurti pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
El Keurti could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
El Keurti tries a head kick but it misses.

Holmes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Holmes showed some decent athleticism there.

Holmes decides to stand and escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes misses with a takedown attempt - El Keurti sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
El Keurti wants to clinch.
El Keurti looks to land a combination. Holmes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Holmes shoots in but no luck this time.
Holmes avoids a punch combination nicely.

Holmes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Holmes looks up at the clock and then as El Keurti takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Holmes smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Holmes slows the pace down.
El Keurti is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
El Keurti can't do much from the bottom here.
Holmes landing a few strikes.
El Keurti is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Holmes off and has taken his back!
Holmes is trying to get back to his feet but El Keurti has full control of the position and if anything, Holmes has just worked his way into a worse spot.
El Keurti lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Holmes.
Holmes trying to control the position but El Keurti manages to sink in the hooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
El Keurti trying to control.

El Keurti is looking for a rear naked choke here but Holmes reverses the position brilliantly into El Keurti's guard!
Holmes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. El Keurti is keeping the position for now.
Holmes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Holmes postures up.
El Keurti thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Holmes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Holmes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sofian El Keurti has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Holmes.

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.
El Keurti tries to clinch up.
Holmes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Holmes shoots in for a double leg but El Keurti sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
John Holmes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

El Keurti scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
You can see the frustration on Holmes's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Holmes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

El Keurti stands up and beckons Holmes to his feet.
El Keurti tries to clinch there but Holmes circles away.
Holmes fails with the takedown

and El Keurti counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
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 Sofian El Keurti will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Holmes looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
El Keurti regains full guard. Nicely done.
Holmes won't allow El Keurti to sweep him here.
El Keurti tries to strike from the bottom.
El Keurti tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Holmes seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
El Keurti is looking to stand up but Holmes isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
El Keurti wants to sweep but no luck.
Holmes forces his way into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Holmes moves nicely into side control.
El Keurti wants to get back to his feet.
El Keurti is not content to let Holmes control the position.
El Keurti seems a little lost for a moment, as Holmes dominates the positioning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
El Keurti wants to get back to his feet but Holmes drags him back down.

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.
Holmes tries to advance to mount but can't.
El Keurti is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Check out the look on Holmes's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
El Keurti is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Holmes looking to punish the body of his opponent here but El Keurti is avoiding damage well.
Holmes blocks the strikes from El Keurti.
El Keurti gets back to half guard.
Holmes wants to control but El Keurti is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
El Keurti moves into full guard.
Holmes is looking to stand up but El Keurti won't let him.
El Keurti wants to sweep here but Holmes controlling him for the moment.
El Keurti keeping full guard, as Holmes tries to pass.
El Keurti is looking to stand up but Holmes isn't so interested in that idea.
El Keurti looking to hit a scissor sweep but Holmes is one step ahead there.
El Keurti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Holmes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
El Keurti tries to clinch but Holmes moves out of range.
Holmes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has El Keurti pinned against the cage. El Keurti gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
El Keurti doesn't manage to clinch there - Holmes circles away.
Holmes shoots in and drives through. El Keurti sprawls well.
El Keurti tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Holmes moves into the clinch.

Holmes gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Holmes works his way into full mount!
Holmes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Holmes 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 round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Holmes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Holmes shoots in but El Keurti avoids the takedown attempt easily.
El Keurti lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
El Keurti has his takedown stuffed

and Holmes counters with a shoot takedown. El Keurti fights it but they end up in guard.
Holmes wants to control from the top but El Keurti keeps moving.
Holmes advances position into side control!

Holmes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Holmes advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes landing strikes from the mount and El Keurti is in trouble!
Holmes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
El Keurti can't escape the position.
El Keurti manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Holmes is tying to control. El Keurti wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
El Keurti manages to get to full guard.
El Keurti controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

El Keurti is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
El Keurti pushes Holmes back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Holmes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Holmes prevents a takedown attempt there.
El Keurti can't break the clinch.

El Keurti breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
El Keurti throws a left and a right that both miss

and Holmes counters with a takedown into side control.
El Keurti throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
El Keurti tries to improve position but can't.
Holmes working the body and head with strikes.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Holmes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
El Keurti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Holmes shoots in but El Keurti avoids the takedown attempt easily.

El Keurti closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
El Keurti wants to free his trapped foot but Holmes is holding on for dear life with his legs.

El Keurti is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Holmes keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
El Keurti thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Holmes's head.
The fighters are battling for position here. Holmes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
El Keurti looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
El Keurti trying to control but Holmes is working from the bottom.

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.
Holmes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
El Keurti postures up.
Holmes wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and El Keurti is now in half guard.

El Keurti gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
El Keurti throws a chopping leg kick but Holmes manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
El Keurti throws a sloppy head kick

and Holmes holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Holmes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Holmes 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Holmes!