PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Micah Hays (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Kenway (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Hays
vs
Kenway

168 cm
27
149 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

175 cm
26
154 lbs
6 - 2 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

On Tap (160Q & Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Micah Hays!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edward Kenway!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hays walks into a left hand.
Hays on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hays throws a body shot but no joy.
Kenway swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Kenway lands a jab-cross combination.
Hays tries a head kick but it misses.
Hays misses with a low kick as Kenway jumps back.
A countering left hand to the body from Kenway misses.
Kenway throws a body punch but Hays moves out of range.

Hays has managed to clinch.
Kenway tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kenway fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kenway throws a punch but it's blocked by Hays.
Kenway swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.

Hays breaks from the clinch.
Kenway jabs at Hays's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kenway walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hays checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Hays quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Kenway throws a push kick but Hays slaps the foot to one side.
Kenway slips a straight right by Hays.
Kenway cracks Hays with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Kenway ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hays walks into a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hays throws a wild body kick that Kenway sees coming a mile off.
Kenway looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kenway throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A decent looking cross lands there for Kenway.
Hays tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kenway has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hays fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kenway throws a sloppy head kick and Hays moves out of range easily.
Micah Hays seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hays lands a lovely overhand right.
Hays throws a head kick that misses.
Hays tries to clinch but Kenway is having none of it.
Hays backing away here, and Kenway unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Hays takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Hays throws a head kick but Kenway moves out of range.
Hays misses with a body shot.
Hays ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kenway moves away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hays. Kenway does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hays throws out a leg kick but Kenway moves out of range and Hays only half commits.
Hays tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kenway connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hays tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kenway looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Hays blocks the low kick.
Hays misses with a lunging right hand
and Kenway connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kenway thows a body kick. Hays tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Kenway has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Kenway connects with a single shot there.
Kenway connects with a high kick.
Hays drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Kenway wants to clinch up but Hays keeps it at a distance.
Hays connects with the punch.
Hays throws a solid leg kick but Kenway takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hays.
Kenway is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Hays had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Hays looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Kenway tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hays swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hays ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hays takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Kenway lands a jab to the nose.
Kenway lands a really nice looking cross but Hays seems unphased.
Kenway scores with a decent looking hook.
Jab from Kenway.
Hays misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kenway.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays walks into a stiff left hand from Kenway.
Kenway scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hays is looking to clinch.
Kenway staying out of range there.
Nice cross by Kenway.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kenway.
Kenway lands a head shot.
Hays is looking to slow Kenway down with leg kicks.
Kenway lands with a right hand.
Hays throws a body kick that misses.
Kenway uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hays.
Nice cross by Kenway.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hays throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kenway swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Kenway lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Kenway misses with a shot to the body
and Hays counters with a low kick, right behind Kenway 's knee.
Hays throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kenway.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kenway blocks the body kick.
Kenway catches Hays with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kenway throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hays swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hays shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Kenway eats them both and turns towards Hays to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Kenway connects with the punch.
Hays tried to score with a low kick but Kenway checks it.
Hays keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kenway.
Hays tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Kenway was well out of range. Poor timing from Hays.

Hays instigates a clinch.
Kenway lands with a right to the head.
I was talking to Hays's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Kenway can't find room to land a body shot as Hays controls the action.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kenway.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hays takes a shot to the head.
Kenway swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Kenway.
Hays misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kenway lands on the inside with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Kenway dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kenway jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hays looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Kenway lands a nice shot to the body.
Kenway lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kenway showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hays.
Hays takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kenway lands a head kick. Hays smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kenway.

Hays instigates a clinch.
Hays blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kenway lands with a right to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kenway lands an uppercut.

Hays pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jab by Kenway.
Kenway misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kenway lands a really nice looking cross but Hays seems unphased.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kenway connects with an inside leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Kenway blocks the leg kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Kenway!
Hays misses with a wild combination.
Kenway fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hays manages to avoid it.
Kenway digs a good hook to Hays's body.
Hays shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Hays forces Kenway back against the cage and clinches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hays.
Edward Kenway seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hays misses with a punch to the body.
Hays blocks an uppercut.

Kenway breaks from the clinch.
Kenway goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Hays swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kenway throws a body shot but no joy.
Kenway throws a series of punches but Hays moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hays takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hays throws a hook but Kenway blocks it.
Hays moves out of range of the body kick.
Kenway has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hays throws a body punch but Kenway moves out of range.
Hays takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Hays wants to slow Kenway down by chopping away at his legs.
Hays lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kenway circles away quickly and effectively.
Hays ducks under a wild hook from Kenway.
Hays misses the shot to the body.
Hays scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hays's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Kenway connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hays scrambles back to his feet.
Kenway lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Hays throws a series of punches but Kenway moves out of range.
Hays throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice defenses there by Kenway.
Hays misses with a straight left.
Hays uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kenway.
Micah Hays is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenway scores with a jab to the jaw.
Kenway throws out a loose jab but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hays on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Kenway cracks Hays with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Hays moves into range and clinches up with Kenway.
A head punch on the inside from Hays fails to land.

Kenway breaks the clinch.
Kenway misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Hays connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hays walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Kenway checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Kenway. Hays shrugs it off though.
Hays swats away the attempt to clinch by Kenway.
Hays swinging wildly here.
It seemed like Kenway was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A head kick by Hays misses
and Kenway connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kenway lands a jab to Hays's midsection.
Hays throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kenway lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Edward Kenway seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kenway stuns Hays with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Kenway lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kenway defending well as Hays loads up on a big left hand.
Hays throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hays closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Good standup being displayed there by Kenway as he connects with a hook.
A left lands for Kenway.
Kenway moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Hays fails to land with a series of punches.
A combination from Hays does no damage.
Hays misses with a straight left.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hays walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kenway.
Hays throws a hook to the side of Kenway's head but Kenway sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hays tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kenway manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Kenway showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kenway throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hays on the side of the head.
Kenway scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Hays is looking to chop away at Kenway's legs.
Kenway lands a head kick!
Hays throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kenway counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kenway checks a leg kick.
Hays throws a lazy head kick
and Kenway counters with a stiff right hand.
Kenway thumps Hays with a low kick.
Hays takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Hays throws a head kick but Kenway moves out of range.
Kenway scores with a punch to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kenway cracks Hays with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Kenway throws a nice looking combination but Hays bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kenway fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hays takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kenway fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hays manages to avoid it.
Kenway moves out of range of the body kick.
Kenway swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hays stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Kenway swings for the body but Hays moves out of range.
Kenway throws a push kick but Hays slaps the foot to one side.
Hays throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kenway lands a jab to the head.
Hays takes a swing at Kenway's ribcage but misses.
Kenway looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Some wild striking there from Hays.
Hays swings widly with a right hand
and Kenway counters with a low kick, right behind Hays 's knee.
Hays lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Hays pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hays walks into a left hand.

Kenway closes the distance and clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A short right from Kenway on the inside.
Kenway misses with a punch on the inside.
Hays misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hays.
Kenway lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hays backwards.
Hays doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kenway creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kenway tries a body shot but Hays blocks it.
Hays blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hays blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kenway.
Kenway tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kenway misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Kenway fails to land.
Hays tries a body shot but Kenway blocks it.
Kenway misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kenway slows down the pace here.
Hays lands a right hand.
Hays blocks a body shot from Kenway.
Hays's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kenway doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kenway throws a head punch that misses.
Kenway misses with a short punch on the inside.

Hays breaks the clinch.
Kenway is looking to slow Hays down with leg kicks.

Kenway pushes Hays up against the cage in a clinch.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Kenway uses good head movement to avoid it.
Edward Kenway is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Hays.
Hays scores with a shoulder strike.
Hays lands a nice uppercut.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kenway misses with a body punch.
A head punch on the inside from Hays fails to land.
Kenway throws a punch but it's blocked by Hays.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kenway.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kenway tries to work over Hays's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kenway misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
Kenway lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hays or not.
Kenway lands a hook to the side of the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hays throws a punch but it's blocked by Kenway.
Kenway cracks Hays with a nice body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kenway.
Hays has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hays misses with a body punch.
Micah Hays has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hays tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kenway's elbow.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kenway creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Kenway misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kenway lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edward Kenway comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kenway 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edward Kenway!
After winning the bout, Edward Kenway thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.