PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Walken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and TJ Welsh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Welsh has chosen Lets Have A War as his entrance music. TJ Welsh will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Walken
vs
Welsh

176 cm
26
195 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

190 cm
27
199 lbs
13 - 14 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

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, Christopher Walken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, TJ Welsh!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Welsh tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Walken counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Walken misses with a few strikes there.
Welsh closes the distance but Walken moves to the side
and Walken counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Walken keeps the fight on the outside.
Welsh darts in looking for a takedown but Walken gets double underhooks and turns Welsh into the cage.
Walken lands a left hand that snaps the head of Welsh backwards.

It looks like TJ Welsh has been cut.
Walken throws a punch but it's blocked by Welsh.
Welsh is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Welsh misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Welsh is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Walken throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Welsh has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Walken uses from the top position.
Welsh looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Welsh keeping moving, preventing Walken from controlling successfully.
Walken trying to move into half guard but instead Welsh has managed to sweep!

Welsh gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Welsh shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Walken defends it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Welsh looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Welsh wants to clinch up but Walken keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Welsh fails with the takedown.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Welsh.
Walken lands a jab to Welsh's midsection.
Welsh shoots in and drives through. Walken sprawls well.
Walken has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gentlemanly Scholars Fight Club Gym(4 Sprbt 4*+)(1 in the buildup to the fight.
Walken digs a good body shot into Welsh's ribs.
Walken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Welsh circles away quickly and effectively.
Welsh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Welsh tries to clinch but Walken is having none of it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Welsh misses with a takedown attempt
and Walken counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Walken stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walken wants it to stay on the feet.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Welsh.
Walken displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Welsh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walken lands a body shot.
Welsh shoots in for a double leg but Walken sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Walken will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Welsh shoots in for a takedown but Walken shows good takedown defense.
Walken keeps the fight on the outside.
Welsh tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Walken manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Walken rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Welsh moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Welsh shoots for a takedown but Walken saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Welsh looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Welsh shoots for a double leg takedown but Walken sprawls well. He's pushed Welsh's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walken avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Welsh looks to clinch
and Walken counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Christopher Walken is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Welsh fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Walken avoids it really well and circles away.

Welsh shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Welsh is looking to work some ground and pound but Walken has wrist control.
Walken keeping moving, preventing Welsh from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Walken is working an open guard so Welsh takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Welsh tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Walken defends well and Welsh ends up having to push Walken into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Walken misses with a shot to the kidneys.
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.
The cut man is working on TJ Welsh's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Walken throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Welsh shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Walken sprawls well. Walken wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Welsh gets slowly back to his feet.
Welsh takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Welsh tries to clinch up
and Walken counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Welsh thinking.
Welsh showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Walken.
Welsh shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Walken but Walken pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Welsh takes one to the chin there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Welsh is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Walken paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Welsh.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Welsh.
Welsh tries to clinch there but Walken circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Walken as Welsh shoots in.
Welsh darts in trying to clinch
and Walken cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Welsh has managed to clinch.
Welsh throws a knee to the head but misses.
Welsh landing knees to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Walken.
Welsh working Walken over with knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Walken.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Walken tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Walken lands a body shot.
Welsh unloads a knee to the mid-section. Walken lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Walken stalls.
Walken tries to stall but Welsh uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Welsh tries to pull guard but Walken won't allow it.
Walken is looking to control Welsh's arms but Welsh gets an underhook and turns him. Now Walken has his back to the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Walken.
Walken dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Walken wants to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Christopher Walken.
Welsh shoots in for a double leg but Walken sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walken works Welsh's body with a nice hook.
Welsh wants to clinch
and Walken counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Welsh thinking.
Welsh dives in for a single leg takedown but Walken sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Walken pushes Welsh back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Welsh manages to break the clinch.
Welsh wants to clinch up but Walken keeps it at a distance.
Walken throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Walken moves into range and connects with a jab.
Walken scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Welsh looks to clinch
and Welsh takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Welsh darts in looking for a takedown but Walken gets double underhooks and turns Welsh into the cage.
Welsh's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Welsh using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Walken has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Walken lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Welsh backwards.

Welsh is rocked!
Walken avoiding damage as Welsh throws knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Welsh lands a nice knee to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Walken.
Christopher Walken has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Welsh putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Walken in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Walken tries to throw a body punch but Welsh avoids it by throwing Walken back against the cage.
Walken on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Welsh pulls guard successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Walken stops Welsh from standing up.
Welsh has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Christopher Walken will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on TJ Welsh's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Welsh tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Walken counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Welsh thinking.
Walken lands with a shot to the body.
Christopher Walken is winning the standup battle so far.
Welsh avoids the body shot from Walken.
Walken loads up on a big right hand but Welsh slips the punch.
Welsh doesn't manage to clinch there - Walken circles away.
Walken misses the shot to the body.
Welsh misses with a takedown
and Walken counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Welsh fails with an attempt to clinch.
Welsh closes the distance looking to clinch
and Walken connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Welsh rushes Walken and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Walken creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Walken tries to throw a body punch but Welsh avoids it by throwing Walken back against the cage.
Walken scores with a shoulder strike.
Welsh looking to throw knees to the head but Walken is blocking nicely.
Walken is pushing Welsh up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Welsh lands a right hand.

Welsh breaks the clinch.
Welsh tries to clinch but Walken is having none of it.
Walken lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Welsh circles away quickly and effectively.
Walken moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Welsh.
Welsh fails in his attempt to clinch.
Walken slaps away a takedown attempt from Welsh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Christopher Walken has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of TJ Welsh.
The fight stays on the outside here - Welsh looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Welsh walks into a straight right hand from Walken.
Welsh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Walken is looking to wear down Welsh with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Welsh wants to clinch
and Walken counters with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Walken keeps the fight on the outside.
TJ Welsh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Welsh shoots in looking for a takedown but Walken manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Welsh's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Welsh tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Walken manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Walken lands with a shot to the body.
Walken jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Welsh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Walken paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Walken throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Welsh wants to clinch but Walken slips to the side
and Walken cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Welsh drives through with a takedown into Walken's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Welsh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Walken wants to stand up but Welsh is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Welsh accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Walken knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Welsh on the ground.

Welsh gets to his feet - Walken follows without any prompting.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walken works Welsh's body with a nice hook.
Walken misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Welsh.
Walken throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Walken circles away from the clinch attempt.
Walken misses with a looping left.
Welsh fails with a takedown attempt.
Welsh bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Welsh tries to clinch up
and Walken counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Christopher Walken.
I think Walken 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a draw!