PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nelly Haynes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Pettis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Haynes kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Nelly - The Champ. Pettis has chosen Pettis as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Haynes
vs
Pettis

182 cm
25
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 1

180 cm
26
190 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Elite Canadian Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nelly Haynes!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Anthony Pettis!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Haynes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Haynes lands a nice knee to the body.
Pettis is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
I was talking to Haynes's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Haynes crunches a lovely knee into Pettis's ribcage.
Pettis wants a takedown but no success here.
Pettis looks winded!
Haynes pressing his opponent against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haynes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Pettis tries for a takedown. No joy.
Nelly Haynes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Pettis.
Haynes with a knee to the head.
Haynes leaning against his opponent.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Pettis has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Haynes lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Haynes pressing his opponent against the cage.
Haynes lands a good knee to the midsection. Pettis won't want to take too many of those.
Knees in the clinch landing for Haynes.
Haynes connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haynes landing knees to the body.
Haynes scores with a knee to the head.
Haynes lands an elbow just above Pettis 's eye.
Knees in the clinch landing for Haynes.

Haynes lands a big knee from the Thai clinch and Pettis goes down hard! The ref takes a good look at him but he's still defending himself. Haynes in side control.

Pettis is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haynes passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Pettis!
Pettis is still in real trouble! Can Haynes finish him?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haynes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Haynes is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Pettis to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Pettis shrugs it off.
Pettis seems to have recovered his senses.
Haynes controlling from the full mount.
Haynes's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haynes trying to control but Pettis is having none of it.
Haynes takes Pettis's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Pettis is in trouble.
Pettis looking very determined here, making life difficult for Haynes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Haynes is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Pettis has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Haynes has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Pettis taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Haynes doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Nelly Haynes!
Nelly Haynes retains his middleweight title!
Nelly Haynes seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.