PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Baki Hanma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Kelly
vs
Hanma

170 cm
24
145 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

165 cm
25
150 lbs
7 - 5 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Baki Hanma!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Kelly avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hanma as he avoids it easily.
Hanma lands with a kick to the ribs.
Kelly tries for a takedown but Hanma sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hanma misses with an uppercut. Kelly saw that one coming.
Hanma pivots, looking for a leg kick but Kelly is out of range and Hanma settles back down.
Hanma throws a series of punches but Kelly moves out of range.
Hanma rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kelly moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Hanma with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hanma swinging wildly here.
Hanma pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma throws a looping overhand right but Kelly ducks down to avoid it.
A bone on bone clash there as Kelly blocks the leg kick.
Kelly throws a nice looking combination but Hanma bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Good shot there by Hanma.
Hanma lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Kelly uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hanma.
Hanma swings for the body but Kelly moves out of range.
Hanma misses with a body shot.
Baki Hanma is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kelly stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Hanma.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hanma.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hanma.
Baki Hanma seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Hanma lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Kelly has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Kelly and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Hanma misses with a wild body shot.
Kelly chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hanma can pounce on him.
Hanma scores with a leg kick.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hanma sprawls well. Hanma wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kelly gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kelly is breathing heavily.
Kelly keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hanma.
Hanma lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kelly will feel that in the morning.
Kelly takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hanma misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly blocks a head kick by Hanma.
Hanma throws out a loose jab but Kelly uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hanma cracks the inside of Kelly's front leg.
Hanma throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hanma tries to land a front kick but Kelly steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hanma throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kelly blocks a jab.
Hanma lands with a straight right. Kelly didn't see that one coming.
A head kick from Hanma lands but Kelly takes it in his stride.
Hanma ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hanma connects with a nice looking jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Hanma.
Kelly takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hanma feints and then cracks Kelly's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Kelly down.
Hanma misses with a body shot.
Kelly avoids the head kick by Hanma.
Hanma sizes up Kelly with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Kelly. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Hanma throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kelly.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hanma misses with a body kick.
Hanma moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hanma looks to land a left hand but Kelly moved out of range nicely.
Hanma scores with the left hand. Kelly knows he should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baki Hanma dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hanma thumps Kelly with a low kick.
Hanma lands with a right hand.
Baki Hanma seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hanma throws a front kick aimed at Kelly's knee but Kelly avoids it well.
Kelly avoids a kick to the body.
Hanma digs a good hook to Kelly's body.
Hanma pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hanma throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Kelly blocks a head kick by Hanma.
Hanma throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Kelly counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hanma!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kelly goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Hanma is on top in guard.
Hanma not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kelly working for submissions but it's allowed Hanma to get to half guard.

Hanma is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Hanma wants to take a breather but Kelly is having none of it.
Hanma trying to mount his opponent but Kelly defends it.
Kelly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Hanma decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Kelly is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kelly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kelly takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Hanma keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hanma throws a leg kick which misses Kelly's front leg but catches the back leg as Kelly tries to avoid it.
Hanma throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hanma scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Hanma throws a nice inside leg kick.
Kelly avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly ducks under a wild hook from Hanma.
Hanma scores with a leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hanma. That's going to slow Kelly down.
Hanma lands an overhand right.
Hanma jabs Kelly right on the nose. Kelly blinks but takes it well.
Hanma looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hanma throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hanma, right into the meat.
Hanma missing with a left hand there. Kelly was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kelly moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hanma lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hanma swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Hanma.
Hanma throws a right and a left that Kelly avoids nicely.
Kelly takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
A telegraphed right hand from Hanma misses the target.
Hanma has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hanma misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hanma misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hanma scores with a jab. Kelly acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Kelly fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
John Kelly is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hanma darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Baki Hanma showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kelly takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hanma plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hanma shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Hanma displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Kelly.
Hanma throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hanma throws out a leg kick but Kelly moves out of range and Hanma only half commits.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hanma.
Some wild striking there from Hanma.
Hanma misses with a double jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Hanma there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Nice jab there from Hanma.
Hanma turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Hanma changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hanma throws a nice head kick!
Hanma lands with a thumping leg kick.
Hanma plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hanma thuds a left hand into Kelly's body.
Hanma lands with a right hand.
Kelly avoids a punch combination nicely.
John Kelly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hanma throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hanma throws the left hand but Kelly avoids the punch easily.
Hanma lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kelly's sensitive parts.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hanma lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Hanma swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hanma throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hanma throws a quick inside leg kick.
Kelly staying out of range there.
Kelly chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hanma can pounce on him.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hanma.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hanma throws a hook but Kelly blocks it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Hanma.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Kelly moves out of range of the body kick from Hanma.
Hanma throws a series of punches but Kelly avoids them all with ease.
Hanma throws a sloppy head kick and Kelly moves out of range easily.
Hanma throws a head kick that misses.
Hanma lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hanma tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hanma rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kelly moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hanma scoring well with a low kick there.
Hanma looks to land a combination. Kelly sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Hanma misses with a few strikes there.
A head kick misses from Hanma.
Kelly on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hanma. Hanma obviously looking to wear him down.
Kelly takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nice uppercut there from Hanma.
Hanma lands a head kick. Kelly smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kelly showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hanma.
Baki Hanma is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hanma throws a one two combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Baki Hanma comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hanma 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 25:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 25:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Baki Hanma!