PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Cleophus Washington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelii Hale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Washington
vs
Hale

166 cm
18
133 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Enjoys gardening

BioPharm Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cleophus Washington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kelii Hale!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Washington tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hale swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Washington circles away from the clinch attempt

and Washington decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hale's guard.
Washington wants to control from the top but Hale keeps moving.

Washington drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hale dives on top into guard.

Washington working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hale doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hale manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Washington isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Hale stacks Washington on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Hale!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Washington tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hale wants to stand but Washington is controlling his arm.

Hale decides to stand back up. Hale steps back and let's Washington get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Washington circles away from the clinch attempt

and Washington counters with a takedown into side control.
Hale wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Hale explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Washington shoots in and drives through. Hale sprawls well.
Hale clinches but Washington breaks the clinch

and Washington decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hale's guard.
Washington in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Washington drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hale dives on top into guard.
Washington is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Washington is trying to control the position but Hale postures up.
Hale would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Washington looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Washington bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hale's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hale wants to stand and escape but Washington is having none of it.
Hale is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Washington throws and elbow that misses. Hale uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Washington's guard. Nice move by Hale!

Washington has his foot on Hale's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hale works his way back into a safe position though.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Washington looking for a sweep. Not yet Washington, not yet.
Hale must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hale wants to get up but he can't break Washington's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Washington throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hale trying to stand up but can't free himself from Washington's guard.

Washington throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Hale stands up from Washington's guard - Hale perhaps looking for a knockout.
Kelii Hale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hale closes the distance but Washington moves to the side

and Washington counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Washington is working for a kimura here but Hale manages to reverse the position and he's now in Washington's guard.
Hale wanted to stand there but Washington had control of the position.

Hale decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Washington, up you get!
Washington avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Washington looks for a takedown but Hale sprawls well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hale.
Washington takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Hale drives through and clinches with Washington against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cleophus Washington dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Washington misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hale throws a lazy head kick

and Washington decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hale's guard.
Hale wants to stand but Washington is controlling the position.

Washington has gone for a leg lock! Hale slips out almost immediately though and dives into Washington's guard.
Hale wants to get up but he can't break Washington's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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

Hale decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Hale gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hale tries a knee to the head but Washington blocks it.
Hale gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Washington.
Hale scores a nice knee to the body.
Washington takes an elbow to the forehead.

Hale escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hale clinches but Washington breaks the clinch

and Washington counters with a takedown into side control.

Washington is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hale is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hale is pushing Washington's head away, looking to escape. Washington manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Washington wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hale, who protects the arm well.
Washington tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hale tries to escape but Washington is in control.

Washington is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hale is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hale throws a body kick the misses

and Washington counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hale!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hale is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Washington looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hale squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Washington is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hale has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Hale is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

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

Washington is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Hale has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Hale!

Washington had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hale is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Washington Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hale's back instead.

Hale is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hale scores with a punch to the head.
Hale keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Washington looks for a takedown but Hale sprawls well.
Cleophus Washington is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hale pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hale scores with a nice body kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Hale.
Hale fails with an attempt to clinch.
Washington takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Hale gets a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Washington is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cleophus Washington. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hale lands an elbow inside that Washington shrugs off.
Hale lands a nice knee to the body.
Hale lands a damaging elbow.
Hale scores with a knee to the head.
Hale content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Washington takes an elbow to the temple.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Hale lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hale missing with knees to the body.
Hale stops a takedown attempt from Washington.
Hale lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hale landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Hale is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hale tries a knee to the head but Washington blocks it.
Washington changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hale fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hale lands a head kick. Washington smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hale tries to clinch but Washington moves out of range.
Hale tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Washington closes the distance and clinches up with Hale, looking for a takedown. Washington pushes Hale against the cage but Hale circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hale wants to clinch

and Washington decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hale's guard.
Washington stops Hale from standing up.
Washington trying to control but Hale is working from the bottom.
Kelii Hale has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hale throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Washington thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Washington drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hale dives on top into guard.
Cleophus Washington is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hale wants to stand but Washington is controlling his posture from full guard.
Washington has his hands on Hale's head, controlling the position.

Washington is looking for a triangle but Hale pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Hale stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hale throws a leg kick but Washington sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hale throws a head kick but Washington moves out of range.

Washington closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Washington wants to take a breather but Hale is having none of it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Washington stops Hale from getting back to his feet.
Hale won't allow Washington to pass to mount.
Cleophus Washington overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Washington controlling the action here.

Washington is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Hale doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Washington.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kelii Hale.
I think Washington 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cleophus Washington!