PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zach Acton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Keynes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Acton
vs
Keynes

175 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Budget Nutrition *Now Fully Stocked!*
Budget Nutrition *Now Fully Stocked!*

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight 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, Zach Acton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Keynes!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keynes cracks Acton with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Acton fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Keynes sprawls well initially but Acton persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Acton moves into full mount! Keynes won't be happy about that!
Keynes can't escape the position.
Acton lands a big elbow.
Acton controlling his opponent.
Acton trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Acton landing strikes from the mount and Keynes is in trouble!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Keynes is trying desperately to improve position.
Acton wants to control the pace but Keynes is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keynes tries to lock up and control but Acton gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Acton looking to control but Keynes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Keynes tries to reverse the position but Acton maintains control.
Acton putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Acton dominating with strikes here.
Keynes is working to get back to half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Keynes flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Keynes is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Acton takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two 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.
Acton tries to control but Keynes wriggling away.
Keynes tries to hold on but Acton pushes him away.
Acton prevents Keynes from getting the reversal.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Acton trying to control but Keynes is having none of it.
Keynes is trying to escape the mount.
Acton dominating with strikes here.
Acton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Keynes is looking to escape.
Acton prevents Keynes from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keynes flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Acton wants to control the pace but Keynes is squirming around nicely.
Acton is breathing heavily.
Keynes throwing hammer fists to the chest of Acton. What's that going to do exactly?
Keynes wants to control but Acton is having none of it.
Keynes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Keynes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Keynes taking shots to the head.
Keynes in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Keynes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

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.
Keynes wants to control but Acton is having none of it.
Keynes might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Acton kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Keynes throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Keynes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Acton is trying to control here but Keynes has managed to regain half guard.
Acton prevents Keynes from improving his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Keynes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Acton changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Keynes looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Keynes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Acton 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.

Keynes shoots and misses

and Acton counters with a shoot takedown. Keynes fights it but they end up in guard.
Keynes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Keynes is striking but Acton is not phased and passes to half guard.
Keynes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Keynes.
Acton trying to control the position from guard on top but Keynes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Keynes being controlled here, momentarily.
Keynes trying to control the position.
Acton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Keynes looking for a sweep. Not yet Keynes, not yet.
Keynes striking off his back but it's not causing Acton any problems.
Acton preventing the sweep.
Keynes looking to control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Acton closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Keynes's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Keynes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Keynes is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Acton's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Acton winds up and cracks Keynes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Acton stalling.
Keynes flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Acton is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Keynes is refusing to be controlled, as Acton sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Keynes actively working from the bottom here.
Acton not doing much here.
Acton uses his free foot to push down on Keynes's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Keynes.
Acton working the ground and pound effectively.

Acton with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Acton looking to control but Keynes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Keynes manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Acton prevents Keynes from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Acton is looking for submissions but instead, Keynes has regained full guard.
Keynes controls Acton momentarily but Acton frees himself.
Acton looking to pass the guard.
Acton trying to control but Keynes is working from the bottom.
Keynes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Acton has his takedown stuffed

and Keynes counters with a shoot takedown. Acton fights it but they end up in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Keynes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acton seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Acton wants to sweep here but Keynes controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Keynes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Acton controls Keynes momentarily but Keynes frees himself.
Keynes is looking to work some ground and pound but Acton has wrist control.
Acton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Acton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keynes swings away with a body shot that misses

and Acton counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Keynes's guard now.
Keynes trying to keep a closed guard but Acton is proving a slippery customer.
Acton wants to control from the top but Keynes keeps moving.

Keynes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Acton controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Acton 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!

Acton has his takedown stuffed
and Keynes counters with a one-two to the body.
Acton with a lazy takedown attempt

and Keynes counters with a shoot takedown. Acton fights it but they end up in guard.
Keynes controlling from the top position.
Keynes pushing down on Acton's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Acton is not content to let Keynes control the position.
Keynes works his way into full mount!
Acton is in all sorts of trouble here.

Keynes goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Acton is on top in guard.
Acton is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Acton won't allow Keynes to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keynes thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Zach Acton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Acton looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Keynes wants to control the position but Acton says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Keynes tries to roll over but Acton keeps him under control.
Keynes keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Keynes trying to control but Acton postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Acton tries to pass to full mount but Keynes defends it.
Acton seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Keynes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Keynes is looking for a sweep. Acton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Keynes throws a right hand that Acton ducks under and follows up with a left that Acton also avoids with ease.
Acton misses with a takedown attempt

and Keynes counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zach Acton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keynes is looking to take a break and control but Acton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Keynes tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Keynes scores with a couple of short elbows.
Keynes lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Acton can't do much from the bottom here.
Keynes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Acton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Acton shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Keynes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Acton manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Keynes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Acton controlling the position easily from mount.
Keynes swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Keynes manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Keynes gets full guard.
Acton postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keynes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Acton manages to get himself to full guard.
Acton looking to hit a scissor sweep but Keynes is one step ahead there.
Keynes works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Keynes working the head and body with strikes.
Keynes prevents Acton from improving his position.
Acton manages to get to full guard.
Acton trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
John Keynes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Keynes postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keynes lands a couple of digs.
Keynes cracks Acton with a solid left hand.

Keynes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Keynes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Keynes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Keynes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Acton has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zach Acton!