PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Tidd (ranked 2293 p4p, 1536 weight class) and Kevin Walters (ranked 227 p4p, 158 weight class). Kevin Walters has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tidd
vs
Walters

155 cm
33
149
15 - 12 - 0

180 cm
25
156
9 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Tidd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kevin Walters!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Russell Pearce and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tidd keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Walters rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tidd moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Walters scores with a hook.
Tidd throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tidd with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Walters misses with a straight left.
Walters tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tidd swivels and escapes.
Walters ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tidd moves away.
Tidd takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Tidd throws a series of punches but Walters moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tidd looks to throw the jab but Walters is out of range.
Tidd misses with a double jab.
Walters uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tidd.
No luck for Tidd with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tidd gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Walters to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Walters slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tidd looking for a sweep. Not yet Tidd, not yet.
Walters is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Walters won't allow Tidd to sweep him here.
Walters looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Walters wants to control from the top but Tidd keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walters is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Walters tries to free his leg and advance position but Tidd is retaining full guard.
Walters throwing strikes from guard but Tidd blocks nicely.
Tidd keeping moving, preventing Walters from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Tidd is pulling down on Walters's head to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Walters misses with a looping right.
Tidd half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Walters lands a lovely overhand right.
Tidd walks into a stiff left hand from Walters.
Walters misses the shot to the body.
Walters uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tidd.
Walters steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tidd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Walters has closed the distance and engaged Tidd in a clinch.
Walters is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tidd is defending well for now.
Tidd goes for a takedown attempt but Walters pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tidd tries to clinch up.
Tidd throws an overhand right that lands on Walters's shoulder, as Walters tries to avoid the shot.
Tidd misses with an uppercut. Walters saw that one coming.
Tidd swings for the body but Walters moves out of range.
Tidd throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Walters breaks from the clinch.
Walters avoids the body shot from Tidd.
Walters throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tidd sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tidd misses with a straight right.
Walters is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Tidd throws a hook to the side of Walters's head but Walters sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walters tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Tidd counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Walters!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Walters is looking for a sweep.
Walters keeps trying to improve his position.
Walters avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tidd.
Walters gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Walters wants to get back to full guard.
Walters has his hands clasped together around Tidd's back. He's all about the action.
Tidd throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Walters trying to control but Tidd postures up.
Tidd prevents Walters from improving his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kevin Walters will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tidd avoids the body shot from Walters.
Walters throws a body shot but no joy.
Tidd slips a straight right by Walters.
Tidd half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Tidd throws a series of punches but Walters avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Tidd does no damage.

Walters shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Walters was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Walters wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tidd keeps working.
Tidd can't do much from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walters controls the position.
Tidd is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at UnderGround BJJ & MMA, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Tidd is looking for a sweep.
Tidd is working hard here to advance position.
Walters is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Tidd will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walters tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Walters trying to control the action but Tidd is working from the bottom.
Tidd might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tidd trying to remain calm as Walters controls from the top position.
Walters's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tidd is working to avoid the ground and pound but Walters connects with a decent elbow.
Walters has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tidd is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Tidd's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tidd is being controlled here.
Kevin Walters has got the better of the ground game so far.
Walters trying to control the action but Tidd is working from the bottom.
Tidd is trying to get back to half guard.
Walters scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Walters.
Walters working the head with strikes.
Tidd tries to buck Walters off but Walters is having none of it.
Tidd seems a little lost for a moment, as Walters dominates the positioning.
Walters in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Tidd is trying to control Walters's posture but Walters avoids it.
Tidd is letting Walters control him for a moment.
Walters is looking to take a break and control but Tidd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tidd is letting Walters control him for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tidd is looking to regain half guard here but Walters keeps moving and retains side control.
Walters controlling the position from side mount.
Tidd tries to improve position but can't.
Walters is looking to take a break and control but Tidd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Walters controlling the position from side mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Walters ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tidd moves away.
Joe Tidd is winning the standup battle so far.
Walters throws a looping overhand right but Tidd ducks down to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Walters showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tidd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Walters avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tidd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walters.
Tidd misses with a few strikes there.
Walters swings for the body but Tidd moves out of range.
Tidd is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Walters's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
A big right from Tidd misses.
Walters looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tidd is fending him off so far but Walters persists. Nope, Tidd circles away and we're back to standing.
Tidd avoids the body shot from Walters.

Tidd clinches up against the cage.
Tidd is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Walters pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tidd has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Walters avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tidd has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Walters avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Tidd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tidd has Walters pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Walters manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Walters works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Walters is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Walters pushes down on Tidd's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Walters's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Walters's back!
Tidd avoiding Walters 's attempts to control his hands.
Tidd connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Walters to escape the position.
Even with his hooks in, Tidd manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Tidd gets his hands free as Walters looks to control.
Tidd throwing sloppy strikes.
Tidd controlling well, preventing Walters from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walters trying to control the action but Tidd just sinks the hooks in.
Tidd tries to get the hooks in deep but Walters pushed the leg off.
Tidd scores with strikes from the back.
Walters rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Walters keeping control of the position.
Tidd thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Walters tries to get to full guard but Tidd has control of the leg.
Tidd slips a nice elbow through Walters's hands, connecting with Walters's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walters is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Walters makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Walters.
Tidd makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Walters utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Walters is trying to keep Tidd in close.
Tidd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tidd lands a couple of digs.
Tidd postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Tidd stopping the sweep attempt from Walters.
Walters is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tidd sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Walters looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tidd wants to control from the top but Walters keeps moving.
Tidd is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Walters wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tidd lands a couple of digs.
Walters has control of Tidd's left arm, preventing Tidd from doing any damage.
Joe Tidd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kevin Walters is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tidd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Tidd showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Walters has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Walters!
Kevin Walters made sure to mention his sponsor, Conviction in his post fight interview.