PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Kelly (ranked 4641 p4p, 4602 weight class) and Focal Point (ranked 0 p4p, 379 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kelly
vs
Point

187 cm
18
155
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
145
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 Helsinki, Jack Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Focal Point!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Point shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Point postures up.
Kelly tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Point connects with a couple of short punches.
Point forces his way into half guard.
Point wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kelly keeps working.
Point controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly tries to kick Point off but Point keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Point trying to control the action but Kelly is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly tries to kick Point off but Point keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Point is thwarting Kelly's attempts to control the position.
Kelly looks like he's trying to stand up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Point tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kelly manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
As Point tries to get set, Kelly tries to push him back and clinch up but Point manages to avoid the attempt.
Kelly tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Point swivels and escapes.
Kelly tries to clinch there but Point circles away.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but Point shows good takedown defense.
Point is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Point takes the fight into the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kelly.

Point pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Point throws a head kick that misses.
Point leaves Kelly with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Point lands a jab to the head.
Point tries for a takedown but Kelly sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kelly shoots in but no luck this time.
Point shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kelly but Kelly pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kelly is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Point.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly shoots in and drives through. Point sprawls well.
Kelly shoots for a takedown but Point saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kelly really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Kelly is breathing heavily.

Point fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kelly sprawls well initially but Point persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Point passes to side control.
Kelly taking a bit of punishment here - Point scoring with strikes.
Point is looking to take a break and control but Kelly is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Point wants to stand but Kelly has his arm trapped.
Kelly manages to work his way to half guard, despite Point's best efforts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kelly is trying to get back to full guard.
Kelly is trying to control but can't.
Point is controlling the pace.
Point frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Focal Point dominated that round.
That's time! Kelly's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Point swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Point gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Kelly counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Point swinging wildly here.
Kelly appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Kelly misses with a kick to the body.
Point shoots in for a takedown but Kelly shows good takedown defense.
Kelly shoots in looking for a takedown but Point manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Kelly's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Point moves to clinch but Kelly breaks away

and Kelly counters with a shoot takedown. Point fights it but they end up in guard.
Kelly slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Kelly won't allow Point to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Point is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Point is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Kelly is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Point looking to control.
Kelly trying to control but Point is working from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Point can do anything to dispel that myth.
Point pulls Kelly in close to prevent any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Kelly throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Point tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Kelly is in Point's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly looking to pass the guard.
Kelly working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kelly trying to control the position from guard on top but Point is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kelly wants to stand and escape but instead Point has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Point pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Kelly is keeping the position for now.
Point content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Point being controlled here momentarily.
Kelly keeping moving, preventing Point from controlling successfully.
Point has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Point is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Kelly working for a triangle but Point defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kelly is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Point wants to control from the top but Kelly keeps moving.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Point changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kelly tries to avoid it but Point manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kelly to the ground. Kelly escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Point misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kelly feinted with a counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Kelly dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Point. No joy for Kelly on that attempt.
Point misses with an attempted mid kick.

Point feints and as Kelly raises his hands in defense, Point changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Point looking to pass the guard.
Point lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Point sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kelly's guard.
Kelly throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly wants to control but Point is keeping busy.
Kelly is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Point seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kelly does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Point is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Kelly gets back to full guard.
Kelly looking for a sweep. Not yet Kelly, not yet.
Point content to stall in guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Kelly is looking to break free of the clinch but Point has double underhooks.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kelly.

Point jumps into guard, dragging Kelly to the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Point is on top in guard.

Point stays in close to Kelly's body and controls the position.
Kelly manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Point manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly wants to control from the top but Point keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Point has a closed guard, preventing Kelly from standing up.
Kelly's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Point pulls Kelly in close to prevent any damage.
Point working a defensive guard but Kelly manages to pass into side control anyway.

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.
Kelly is looking to take a break and control but Point is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Point is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Kelly is taking a breather. Point says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kelly throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Focal Point comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Point 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight for Focal Point!
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Focal Point!
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight for Focal Point!

Focal Point wins by unanimous decision!