PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Denis Opal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arran Keates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Opal
vs
Keates

156 cm
28
135 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

196 cm
27
150 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

xXx - Voodoo Labs - 159+ Energy - $45
xXx - Voodoo Labs - 159+ Energy - $45

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Denis Opal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Arran Keates!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Opal slips under a jab from Keates.
Opal pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Opal avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Opal dives in and scores a takedown into Keates's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Opal is stalling in the full guard.
Keates wants to stand up but Opal is controlling him.
Opal controls from within his opponent's guard.
Opal slips nicely into half guard.
Opal is pressing down on Keates's thigh, looking to free his foot. Keates is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Opal sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Keates defending well though.
Opal is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Opal is looking for a kimura but Keates is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Opal to get the leverage.
Opal looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Opal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Opal stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Opal throws a push kick but Keates slaps the foot to one side.

Opal shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Keates's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Opal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Opal wants to pass the guard but Keates is keeping the position.

Opal gets to his feet - Keates follows without any prompting.
Keates with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Keates throws a looping overhand right but Opal ducks down to avoid it.
Keates misses with a straight left.

Opal closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Keates did well to prevent Opal getting side control.
Opal stops Keates from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opal performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Keates wants to get back to his feet.
Opal is taking a breather. Keates says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Keates is looking to escape.
Opal wants to pass to mount but Keates is defending the position.

Denis Opal has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Opal closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Keates to the mat! Keates manages to get full guard.
Opal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Keates swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Opal thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Opal controlling from the top position.
Opal is pushing down on Keates's leg trying to pass to half guard. Keates is fighting to maintain full guard but Opal has managed to sneak the leg through.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Opal with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Opal dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Opal looking to score a takedown here. Keates is defending well but Opal drives through and ends up in Keates's guard.
Opal scoring with some ground and pound.
Opal's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Opal passes Keates's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Opal decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Opal plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Keates takes a swing at Opal's ribcage but misses.
Opal throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Keates slaps away a takedown attempt from Opal, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Opal shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Denis Opal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Opal fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Keates, pushing him back against the cage.
Opal tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Denis Opal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keates struggles to land a body shot inside as Opal controls his hands.
Come on Opal - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Keates working hard to break the clinch.

Opal breaks the clinch.
Arran Keates is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Keates's jab looks to have found its range, popping Opal under the eye.
Keates throws a one two combo.
Opal ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Keates moves away.
Opal tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keates punishes Opal's body with a nice straight punch.

Opal drives through with a takedown into Keates's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Opal 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Keates keeping moving, preventing Opal from controlling successfully.
Opal throwing strikes but missing.
Opal slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Denis Opal.
Opal throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Keates's waist but Keates gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Opal off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keates avoids the head kick by Opal.
Keates swings for the body but Opal moves out of range.
Keates is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Opal keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Keates.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Opal here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Opal stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Opal has Keates pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Opal pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Keates tumbling to the mat - Opal dives into Keates's guard.
Opal prevents Keates from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Opal wants to control from the top but Keates keeps moving.
Opal stops Keates from standing up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Denis Opal wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Keates gets tackled into the cage by Opal. Opal maintains the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Opal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Opal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Opal controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Opal dominated that second round.
That's time! Opal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

No luck for Opal with that takedown attempt.
Opal connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Opal scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Opal is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Keates's half guard.
Opal trying to mount his opponent but Keates defends it.

Opal is looking for a kimura but Keates is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Opal to get the leverage.
Opal controlling the pace.
Opal trying to control the action but Keates is working from the bottom.
Opal is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Opal escapes and gets back to his feet.
Opal takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Opal.
Opal prevents Keates from escaping the position.
Keates prevents Opal from improving position.

Opal tries for a kimura but Keates is defending well.
Arran Keates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opal takes a little break here. Keates wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Opal wants to control but Keates is keeping him busy.
Keates is looking to get back to his feet here but Opal is keeping cool and he's managed to take Keates's back.
Keates is trying to remain composed but Opal is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Opal has got one arm under Keates's chin. This could be trouble... Keates trying to control the other hand but Opal gets it free and sqeezes tight - just a matter of time now! Yep, Keates has tapped out! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Denis Opal!