PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Quiet Monkey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TJ Welsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Monkey comes to the cage accompanied by Epic - Faith No More. The crowd seem to be enjoying Welsh's choice of entrance music: Lets Have A War. TJ Welsh is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Monkey
vs
Welsh

199 cm
25
199 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

190 cm
26
199 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Backyard Fighting

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Quiet Monkey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, TJ Welsh!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, William Peck and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Welsh changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Monkey tries to avoid it but Welsh manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Monkey to the ground. Monkey escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Welsh closes the distance and clinches.
Monkey tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Welsh smiles and moves away.
Monkey leaves Welsh with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Welsh is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Welsh gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Welsh prevents Monkey from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monkey trying to control here.

Monkey actively working from the bottom here.
Monkey manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welsh engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Welsh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Monkey has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Welsh has managed to get both his arms back between Monkey's legs - danger averted.
Monkey keeping moving, preventing Welsh from controlling successfully.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Monkey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Welsh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Monkey had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Welsh defends it easily.

Monkey is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Welsh not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Welsh trying to control the position from guard on top but Monkey is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Monkey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Welsh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Monkey looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Welsh controls from within his opponent's guard.
Welsh stopping the sweep attempt from Monkey.
Welsh throws a big elbow that misses.
Monkey wants to sweep here but Welsh controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welsh is looking to stand up but Monkey won't let him.

Welsh drops back looking for a leg! Monkey is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Monkey manages to kick Welsh off! Welsh jumps back into Monkey's guard.
Monkey doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Monkey will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Welsh drops back, looking for a kneebar! Monkey looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Monkey looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Monkey!
Welsh is trying to get back to half guard.

Monkey is trying to get an arm triangle but Welsh is defending well.

Monkey swings around for an armbar but Welsh sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Monkey's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Welsh tries to stand but Monkey is controlling from the bottom.

Welsh gets to his feet - Monkey follows without any prompting.
Welsh lands a glancing blow to the side of Monkey's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Welsh will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Quiet Monkey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Welsh.

Welsh clinches.

Welsh pulls guard effortlessly.
Monkey tries to free his leg and advance position but Welsh is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but TJ Welsh will probably get the nod.
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.

Welsh has managed to clinch.
Welsh with a knee to the head.

Welsh breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Horrible takedown by Welsh or perhaps it was just good defense by Monkey which made him look bad.
Monkey tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Welsh defends well and Monkey ends up having to push Welsh into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Monkey is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Welsh gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Welsh decides to pull guard.
Monkey is looking to advance position but Welsh has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Monkey has given up his back.

Monkey defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Welsh's arms.
Welsh really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Monkey. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Monkey trying to control but not successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey tries to escape the position.
Monkey trying to get back to his feet but Welsh is in full control for now.

Welsh looking for the choke but no joy.

Welsh is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Monkey is defending well though. Welsh let's go of the attempt for now.

Monkey is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Welsh is hanging on to Monkey's back as he tries to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Welsh has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Monkey wants to escape the position.
Monkey is keeping busy.
Monkey tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Welsh avoids the attempt from Monkey to control.
Monkey is trying desperately to improve position.

Welsh is working for a guillotine from mount but Monkey frees his head quite easily.

Welsh working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welsh prevents Monkey from getting the reversal.
Monkey in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Monkey is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Welsh pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Welsh trying to control but Monkey is having none of it.
Monkey is trying to escape the mount but Welsh keeps good control and instead manages to take Monkey's back.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Welsh's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Monkey tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Welsh controlling from mount.

Welsh with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Welsh content just to control the position here.
Monkey is desperately trying to improve his position but Welsh has a good base and remains in mount.
Monkey gets back to half guard.
Welsh trying to control the action but Monkey is working from the bottom.
Monkey is trying to stand.
Still in half guard, Welsh seems content to control.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Monkey misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Monkey is not content to let Welsh control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Monkey looking for submissions off his back.

Monkey actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Welsh 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Welsh shoots for a takedown but Monkey saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Welsh clinches.
Welsh is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Monkey drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Welsh gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Monkey goes for a takedown in the clinch but Welsh prevents it.
Monkey is trying to drag Welsh to the mat but Welsh just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Quiet Monkey. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A knee to the head by Welsh.
Monkey wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey takes a knee right on the jaw!
Welsh scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Monkey is trying to force a seperation but Welsh has the dominant position.
Our sources have told us that Monkey has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Monkey is trying to pull guard but Welsh has him pressed against the cage.
Monkey is trying to drag Welsh to the mat but Welsh just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Welsh utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Welsh lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Welsh pulls guard effortlessly.
Monkey trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Monkey throws an elbow that misses. Welsh uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Monkey's guard. Nice move by Welsh!
Welsh is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Welsh lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Welsh trying to control but Monkey is working from the bottom.

Welsh avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Welsh scoring with some ground and pound.
Welsh trying to control but Monkey is working from the bottom.

Welsh stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Welsh cracks Monkey with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Welsh looks for a takedown but Monkey sprawls well.

Welsh closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welsh lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Monkey is looking for a takedown.
Welsh scores with a knee to the head.

Welsh breaks the clinch.
Monkey throws a leg kick

and Welsh counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Welsh.
Welsh slowing the pace effectively.
TJ Welsh is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Welsh landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Monkey changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Welsh fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Monkey tries to score with a low kick but Welsh moves his leg out of the way.
Welsh looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monkey throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Welsh's waist but Welsh gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Monkey off to one side.

Welsh dives in and scores a takedown into Monkey's guard.
Welsh is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Welsh's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Quiet Monkey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Monkey escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Welsh gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Monkey working for a triangle but Welsh defends it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
TJ Welsh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Welsh has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... TJ Welsh!
TJ Welsh decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.