PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Salosen Mara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrew Kehoe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kehoe has chosen "Master of Puppets" by Metallica as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Mara
vs
Kehoe

186 cm
29
176 lbs
19 - 8 - 0

178 cm
32
175 lbs
23 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sun-Tzu
Milwaukee's Best 160 (80% laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Salosen Mara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Andrew Kehoe!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Taro Takaoka and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kehoe.
Nice straight punches there by Kehoe. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Kehoe.
Mara swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've been informed that Kehoe has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Kehoe misses with a double jab.
Kehoe throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Mara connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kehoe moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Kehoe ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kehoe lands the left hand.
Mara lands a jab.
A big right from Mara misses.
Mara wants to land a leg kick but Kehoe is out of range.
A low kick from Kehoe is predictable there
and Mara counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Andrew Kehoe seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
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!
Kehoe throws the left hand but Mara avoids the punch easily.
Kehoe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mara's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kehoe connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Mara scrambles back to his feet.
A telegraphed right hand from Mara misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mara throws a body punch but Kehoe moves out of range.
Mara swings for the body but Kehoe moves out of range.
Mara is looking to slow Kehoe down with leg kicks.
Mara is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Mara rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Kehoe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Kehoe checks a leg kick nicely.

Kehoe has managed to clinch.
Kehoe lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mara backwards.
Mara misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kehoe stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Mara tries to work over Kehoe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Mara's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mara tries to move into range but Kehoe moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Mara blocks a jab.
Mara half committed to a counter leg kick.
Kehoe misses with a wild combination.
Kehoe tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kehoe fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Mara sprawls well initially but Kehoe persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
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!
Kehoe tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mara knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kehoe thows a huge punch but Mara dodges it nicely.
Mara has hold of Kehoe's hands but Kehoe slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Kehoe slips a nice elbow through Mara's hands, connecting with Mara's forehead.
Kehoe is thwarting Mara's attempts to control the position.
Mara is refusing to be controlled, as Kehoe sits in half guard.
Kehoe missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kehoe throwing shots but Mara is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mara slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kehoe wants to control from the top but Mara keeps moving.
Mara seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Mara had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kehoe defends it easily.
Mara keeping moving, preventing Kehoe from controlling successfully.
Kehoe postures up in Mara's guard and throws a big left but Mara blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Kehoe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kehoe is stalling in the full guard.
Kehoe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mara keeping moving, preventing Kehoe from controlling successfully.
Kehoe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Kehoe tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kehoe lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kehoe throws out a loose jab but Mara uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kehoe tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mara was well out of range. Poor timing from Kehoe.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Kehoe dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice takedown defense from Mara. No joy for Kehoe on that attempt.
Mara throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kehoe scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Kehoe lands a jab to the head.
Kehoe misses with a looping left.
Mara connects with a high kick.
Mara bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Kehoe's head.

It looks like Andrew Kehoe has been cut.
Salosen Mara is winning the standup battle so far.
Kehoe shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mara as he avoids it easily.
Mara cracks the inside of Kehoe's front leg.
Kehoe catches Mara with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kehoe slips a jab from Mara.
Mara cracks Kehoe with an open hand slap.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mara throws a lazy right hand but Kehoe sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mara throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Kehoe counters with a nice body shot.
Kehoe with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A slow jab from Mara misses its intended target.
Kehoe lunges at Mara with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mara's hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mara moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Mara gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Kehoe to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Mara is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Kehoe trying to control but Mara is working from the bottom.
Kehoe is in close to Mara's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mara is controlling Kehoe's posture.
Kehoe trying to control the position from guard on top but Mara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kehoe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kehoe throws a big elbow that misses.
Mara controlling Kehoe's posture.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mara slips a jab from Kehoe.
Kehoe drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mara fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Kehoe.
Kehoe misses with a low kick as Mara jumps back.
Mara ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mara misses with a hook.
Kehoe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mara.
Mara throws a solid leg kick but Kehoe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Mara.
Kehoe throws out a counter right but Mara avoids it with no problem.
That kick from Mara tenderised Kehoe's leg. Kehoe is trying to keep his angry face on.
A slow jab from Mara misses its intended target.
Kehoe swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kehoe takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kehoe goes for a double leg but Mara avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mara continues to drive forward.
Salosen Mara has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andrew Kehoe.
Kehoe throws a leg kick but Mara sees it coming and moves out of range.
Mara throws a body punch but Kehoe moves out of range.
Kehoe takes one to the chin there.
Salosen Mara is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mara lands a nice looking body shot.
Mara takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Kehoe looks to score with a jab to the body but Mara is just out of range.
Mara lands a really nice looking cross but Kehoe seems unphased.
Kehoe fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kehoe takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Mara misses with a straight right.
Kehoe throws out a counter right but Mara avoids it with no problem.
Mara lands with a thumping leg kick.
Kehoe scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mara with a nice cross.

Kehoe is rocked!
Mara moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Kehoe is still on wobbly legs! Can Mara finish him?
Mara checks a leg kick.
Kehoe moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Mara lands a nice hook to Kehoe's body. Kehoe takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Kehoe is looking to score with low kicks.
Kehoe takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Whack! Mara lands a heavy head kick that drops Kehoe. The ref tackles Mara to stop the fight - a great save by the referee because Kehoe was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Head Kick). Salosen Mara!
Salosen Mara spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.