PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Khalil Yan (ranked 6025 p4p, 6401 weight class) and Ricardo Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Yan
vs
Walker

193 cm
19
247
2 - 1 - 0

196 cm
18
263
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Khalil Yan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Walker!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Walker looks for a takedown but Yan sprawls well.
Walker tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Yan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Walker pushes Yan up against the cage in a clinch.
Yan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yan is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Walker to keep the fight standing.

Yan decides to pull guard.
Walker trying to control the position from guard on top but Yan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Yan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Walker manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Walker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yan sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yan trying to control the position from guard on top but Walker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Walker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Yan is one step ahead there.
Walker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Yan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Walker keeps trying to improve his position.

Walker looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Yan looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Walker's guard.
Walker told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Yan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Walker doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Yan.
Yan seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Walker is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Yan's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Yan's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Walker trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Walker doesn't have the hooks in and Yan manages to turn into his guard.
Yan forces his way into half guard.
Walker moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Walker working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yan preventing the sweep.
Yan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Walker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Walker is still trying to improve position.
Walker working a defensive guard but Yan passes into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Yan in particular looking to stall.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Walker pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yan swings away with a body shot that misses
and Walker counters with a two punch combo.

Walker has taken the fight to the clinch.
Yan fails to pull guard.
Yan controlling the action here for a moment.
Yan taking a breather.
Yan gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Walker is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Yan is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walker is trying to pull guard but Yan has him pressed against the cage.
Yan is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Walker gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Yan is pressed up against the cage. Walker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Yan down to the mat. Yan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Khalil Yan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Walker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Walker tries to close the distance and clinch but Yan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Walker stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walker wants it to stay on the feet.
Walker tries a head kick but it misses.

Walker has managed to clinch.
Walker stops a takedown attempt from Yan.
Walker tries to break the clinch but Yan is controlling the position.
Yan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Walker prevents it.
Yan tries to pull guard but Walker forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Yan throws an elbow but it misses.

Walker turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Walker manages to end up in side control.
Yan is looking to regain half guard here but Walker keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walker is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Yan sneaks back into half guard.
Yan is staying active underneath Walker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Yan moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Walker landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yan keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.
Walker lands a couple of elbows.
Walker tries to free his leg and advance position but Yan is retaining full guard.
Yan striking off his back but it's not causing Walker any problems.
Walker trying to control the position from guard on top but Yan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Walker tries to free his leg and advance position but Yan is retaining full guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

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.
Yan keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Yan shoots in for a takedown but Walker shows good takedown defense.
Walker tries to counter with a clinch but Yan shakes him off and moves away.
Yan fakes the leg kick and cracks Walker in the body.
Walker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Yan as he avoids it easily.
Walker is breathing heavily.

Yan pushes Walker up against the cage in a clinch.
Yan blocks the elbow strike.
Yan prevents the takedown attempt.

Walker drags the fight down to the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Walker controls Yan momentarily but Yan frees himself.
Yan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Walker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Yan throws a front kick that sends Walker stumbling back into the cage.
Walker fails with a takedown attempt.
Walker tries to clinch but Yan moves out of range.

Yan gets the takedown into side control.

Yan looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Yan tries to advance to mount but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yan trying to control the action but Walker is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yan working the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Walker's face as Yan controls the position.

Yan decides to stand back up. Yan steps back and let's Walker get back to his feet.
Yan is looking to clinch.

Walker is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Yan's half guard.
Yan tries to get to full guard but Walker has control of the leg.

Walker is working for a submission of some sort.
Walker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yan keeping hold of Walker's head, controlling as best he can.

Walker is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
It looks like Walker is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Walker is working away from the top position though.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The fighters are battling for position here. Yan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Walker wants to stand but Yan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Walker stands up from Yan's guard - Walker perhaps looking for a knockout.

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.
Yan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Yan darts in looking for a takedown but Walker gets double underhooks and turns Yan into the cage.
Yan misses with the head strike.
Yan has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Walker avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Walker.
Walker is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Yan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Walker wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Yan has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Walker regains guard immediately.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Yan wants to get up but he can't break Walker's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Walker is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khalil Yan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Yan 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khalil Yan!