PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rhys Herbert (ranked 18659 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Kelly (ranked 4262 p4p, 0 weight class). Jimmy Kelly has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Herbert
vs
Kelly

190 cm
30
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

201 cm
25
211 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Pit Bull Development

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rhys Herbert!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Kelly!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Herbert swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Kelly counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kelly.
Kelly can't get the takedown.
Kelly has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Herbert is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kelly blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kelly drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Herbert gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rhys Herbert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Kelly.

Herbert escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Herbert tries to close the distance and clinch but Kelly swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly shoots in but no luck this time.
Herbert seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Herbert defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kelly.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Herbert throws a nice looking combination but Kelly bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herbert throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kelly's waist but Kelly gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Herbert off to one side.
Herbert fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kelly avoids it really well and circles away.
Kelly dives in and grabs Herbert's left leg, looking for a takedown. Herbert pushes down on Kelly's head and hops out.
Herbert defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kelly.
Herbert throws a big counter combination but Kelly scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Kelly dives in and grabs Herbert's left leg, looking for a takedown. Herbert pushes down on Kelly's head and hops out.
Kelly looks winded!
Herbert defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kelly.
As Kelly looks to move away, Herbert throws a big counter combo but Kelly just gets out of the way.

Herbert has taken the fight to the clinch.
Herbert tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kelly just stands there and leans against the cage.
Herbert drops down looking for an ankle pick but Kelly pulls his leg out and moves away.
Herbert just misses with a punch to the body.
Herbert tries to clinch up but Kelly circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbert fails with the takedown.
Kelly looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Herbert as he avoids it easily.
Herbert misses with an uppercut. Kelly saw that one coming.
Kelly changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Herbert stuffs the takedown.
No joy there for Herbert, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And Kelly tries to counter it with a takedown but Herbert pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kelly shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Herbert pinned against the cage. Herbert gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Herbert is looking to counter the offense by Kelly and move into the clinch.
Kelly keeps the fight on the outside.
Herbert shoots for a takedown but Kelly saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kelly tries for a takedown but Herbert sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
As Kelly looks to move away, Herbert throws a big counter combo but Kelly just gets out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Herbert shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kelly pinned against the cage. Kelly gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Herbert defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Kelly.
A punch combination from Herbert misses.
A combination from Herbert does no damage.
Kelly darts in looking for a takedown but Herbert gets double underhooks and turns Kelly into the cage.
Herbert fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kelly has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Kelly misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Herbert fails in his attempt to clinch.
Herbert misses with a takedown attempt - Kelly sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kelly tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Herbert throws a combination. Kelly tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Kelly tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Herbert swivels and escapes.
Herbert stuffs the takedown attempt from Kelly. Kelly gets slowly back to his feet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Kelly tries to keep at a distance but Herbert has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rhys Herbert dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kelly looks for a takedown but Herbert sprawls well.
Herbert is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Kelly.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt.
A punch combination from Herbert misses.
Herbert is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kelly can do to turn this around?
Herbert wants to clinch.
Kelly tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Herbert leaves Kelly with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Rhys Herbert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Kelly.
No luck for Herbert with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Herbert swivels and escapes.
Kelly is breathing heavily.
Kelly shoots in and drives through. Herbert sprawls well.
Kelly avoids the head kick by Herbert.
Herbert throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kelly fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Herbert throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kelly's waist but Kelly gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Herbert off to one side.
Herbert is looking to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Kelly. No joy for Herbert on that attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kelly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kelly closes the distance and clinches up with Herbert, looking for a takedown. Kelly pushes Herbert against the cage but Herbert circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Herbert wants to clinch up but Kelly keeps it at a distance.
Kelly with the counter takedown but Herbert avoids it easily.
Rhys Herbert is winning the standup battle so far.
Herbert tries to close the distance and clinch but Kelly swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Herbert misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice sprawl there from Herbert as Kelly shoots in.
It looked like Herbert was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Herbert tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kelly swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Herbert.
Herbert wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Herbert shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Kelly as he jumps to the side.
Kelly fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Herbert avoids it really well and circles away.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kelly.
Herbert looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Herbert.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kelly closes the distance and clinches up with Herbert, looking for a takedown. Kelly pushes Herbert against the cage but Herbert circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Kelly gets tackled into the cage by Herbert. Herbert maintains the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Herbert.
Herbert is trying to pull guard but Kelly turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kelly is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Herbert is defending well.

Herbert breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rhys Herbert dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Herbert slaps away a takedown attempt from Kelly, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Kelly tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Herbert defends well and Kelly ends up having to push Herbert into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Herbert moves in looking to clinch but Kelly pushes him off.
Herbert has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Kelly.
Herbert shoots in but Kelly avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kelly changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Kelly throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Rhys Herbert has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly fails with a takedown attempt.
Rhys Herbert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Kelly.
Herbert shoots for a takedown but Kelly saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kelly is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Herbert wants to clinch.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Herbert wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Herbert attempts a counter takedown but Kelly avoids it well and moves away.
Kelly stuffs the takedown attempt from Herbert. Herbert gets slowly back to his feet.
Rhys Herbert is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Herbert.
Kelly with the counter takedown but Herbert avoids it easily.
Kelly fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Herbert fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kelly.
Herbert feinted with a counter takedown.
Herbert fails in his attempt to clinch.
Herbert throws a head kick but Kelly moves out of range.
Herbert stuffs the takedown.
A combination from Herbert does no damage.
Kelly shoots in looking for a takedown. Herbert tries to sprawl out of it but Kelly keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Herbert manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Herbert is looking to counter punch.
Herbert shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kelly changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Herbert shoots in looking for a takedown but Kelly manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Herbert's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Kelly fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Herbert shoots in looking for a takedown but Kelly manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Herbert's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Herbert misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kelly changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Herbert tries to avoid it but Kelly manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Herbert to the ground. Herbert escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kelly shoots for a takedown but Herbert saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kelly or perhaps it was just good defense by Herbert, which made it look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Herbert shoots in but Kelly avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Herbert tries for a takedown but Kelly sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kelly looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Kelly blocks a head kick by Herbert.
Herbert misses with a takedown attempt

and Kelly counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kelly accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Herbert will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Jimmy Kelly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rhys Herbert is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kelly postures up in Herbert's guard and throws a big left but Herbert blocks it.

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 Rhys Herbert.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Herbert, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rhys Herbert!
Rhys Herbert took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.