PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Keke Aijala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Fennessy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fennessy comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Metallica - Harvester of Sorrow kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Aijala
vs
Fennessy

180 cm
20
180 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Keke Aijala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Cain Fennessy!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Aijala.
Fennessy is trying to control Aijala's posture but Aijala avoids it.
Fennessy is being controlled here.

Aijala has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Keke Aijala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fennessy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fennessy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fennessy takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Aijala closes the distance and clinches.
Aijala lands a nice elbow.

Fennessy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fennessy throws a head kick that misses.
Aijala fails to land the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aijala walks into a left hand.
Aijala is looking to clinch but Fennessy is avoiding it.
Aijala closes this distance looking for a takedown but Fennessy circles away.

Aijala gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Aijala stalling.

Fennessy breaks from the clinch.
Nice shot lands for Aijala.
Aijala shoots in for a takedown but Fennessy shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keke Aijala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aijala plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Fennessy is rocked!
Aijala moves in looking to clinch but Fennessy pushes him off.
Aijala goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Aijala fails to land the takedown.
Aijala is breathing heavily.

Aijala closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fennessy wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Fennessy can't do much from the bottom here.
Fennessy regains half guard.
Fennessy trying to control here.
Aijala wants to get back to his feet.
Fennessy landing a few short strikes.
Aijala thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy gets back to full guard.
Aijala wants to get up but he can't break Fennessy's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Fennessy throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Fennessy looking to control but Aijala passes into half guard.
Aijala sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fennessy defending well though.
Aijala wants to get back to his feet.
Fennessy tries to get to full guard but Aijala has control of the leg.
Aijala wants to get back to his feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Aijala tries to clinch but Fennessy is having none of it.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Aijala - that will leave a mark!
Aijala is looking to clinch but Fennessy is avoiding it.
Aijala is looking to clinch.
Aijala wants to clinch.
Fennessy swats away the attempt to clinch by Aijala.

Aijala closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fennessy tries to bench press Aijala off him but Aijala keeps the position.
Fennessy taking punishment in the form of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keke Aijala dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Aijala throws out a leg kick but Fennessy moves out of range and Aijala only half commits.

Aijala rushes Fennessy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fennessy keeps control of Aijala as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Fennessy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A short left from Aijala.
Aijala prevents Fennessy from breaking the clinch.
Aijala tries to pull guard but Fennessy holds him up against the cage and eventually Aijala drops back down to his feet.
Aijala leaning his opponent against the cage.
Aijala lands a body punch.

Aijala escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aijala shoots for a takedown but Fennessy saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fennessy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Fennessy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Aijala tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Keke Aijala is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Aijala prevents Fennessy from breaking the clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Aijala.
Fennessy is trying to break free.
Aijala connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Aijala breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fennessy is breathing heavily.
Aijala is looking to clinch but Fennessy is avoiding it.
Aijala shoots in but Fennessy avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keke Aijala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aijala uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fennessy.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aijala looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Aijala fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aijala tries to clinch up but Fennessy circles away and keeps his distance.

Fennessy drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Aijala throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Aijala wants to control but Fennessy postures up.
Fennessy taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aijala is trying to buck Fennessy off.
Aijala taking punishment in the form of punches.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Aijala wants to control but Fennessy postures up.
Aijala regains half guard.
Aijala wants to control but Fennessy is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Aijala has one foot on Fennessy's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Fennessy circles away from the clinch attempt.
Aijala has his takedown stuffed

so Fennessy counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fennessy wanted to stand there but Aijala had control of the position.

Aijala uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Aijala is looking to clinch.
Aijala tries to close the distance and clinch but Fennessy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Fennessy takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Aijala scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Fennessy tries to roll over but Aijala keeps him under control.

Fennessy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Fennessy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Aijala doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Aijala manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fennessy looking for a sweep. Not yet Fennessy, not yet.
Aijala has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Fennessy thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Fennessy pushes Aijala off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fennessy looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Fennessy rushes Aijala and presses him up against the cage.

Aijala breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Fennessy takes the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cain Fennessy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Aijala changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fennessy tries to avoid it but Aijala manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fennessy to the ground. Fennessy escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Aijala darts in trying to clinch
and Fennessy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Aijala tries to close the distance and clinch up but Fennessy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aijala tries to clinch but Fennessy moves away
and Fennessy counters with a nice low kick that buckles Aijala's knee momentarily.
Aijala shoots for a double leg takedown but Fennessy sprawls well. He's pushed Aijala's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Aijala closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Aijala pulls guard.

Fennessy stands up and waves to Aijala to follow him.
Aijala tries to clinch
and Fennessy counters with a body kick.
Aijala stalks Fennessy and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Fennessy's face. Fennessy staggers backwards, shaken.
Aijala shoots and misses
and Fennessy counters with a body kick that stops Aijala in his tracks momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keke Aijala. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Fennessy.
Fennessy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Aijala tries to clinch

and Fennessy counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Fennessy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aijala lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Aijala lands a nice elbow.
Still in the clinch, Aijala scores with a nice short uppercut.
Fennessy is still on wobbly legs! Can Aijala finish him?
Nice elbow from Aijala.
Aijala lands a big knee! That's hurt Fennessy! Oh, he's all over the place! Aijala lands another knee that sends Fennessy to the floor and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Keke Aijala!