PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gilmat Kirk (ranked 1354 p4p, 1587 weight class) and William Spud (ranked 149 p4p, 174 weight class). Kirk comes to the cage accompanied by Lords of Iron. The crowd seem to be enjoying Spud's choice of entrance music: Havana. William Spud is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Kirk
vs
Spud

170 cm
37
148
14 - 10 - 0

169 cm
41
157
36 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers -160Q
IC&E Nutrition

The Dirty Needle Project
Conquer

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 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gilmat Kirk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 18 - 0, fighting out of London, William Spud!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Saam Ante and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spud throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kirk tries to move into range but Spud moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Spud misses with a straight left.
Kirk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Spud manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Spud digs a good body shot into Kirk's ribs.

Kirk closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Spud to the mat! Spud manages to get full guard.

Spud kicks Kirk off and gets to his feet.
Kirk shoots and misses
and Kirk takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Spud misses with a lunging right hand
and Kirk counters with a one-two to the body.
Spud throws a jab but it's blocked by Kirk.
Spud throws an off balance right hand
and Kirk makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Spud with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Kirk drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kirk chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spud working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kirk.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Spud holds on and takes a little breather.
Spud 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.
Spud preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kirk content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kirk is looking to work some ground and pound but Spud has wrist control.
Kirk preventing the sweep.
Kirk throws a big right hand that misses.
We've been hearing that Kirk has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Kirk pushes down on Spud's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kirk prevents Spud from improving his position.

Kirk is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Spud has managed to free his arm - good work.
Kirk thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Spud's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kirk looking for a submission but Spud manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Spud is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kirk accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kirk scoring with punches to the head and body.
Spud preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Kirk drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Spud manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Kirk has Spud in his guard.

Spud engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spud wanted to stand there but Kirk had control of the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Kirk has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Spud is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Kirk.
Spud tries to stand but Kirk is controlling his head.
Kirk is looking to regain half guard here but Spud keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Spud wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kirk keeps working.
Kirk has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kirk wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Kirk tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Kirk wants to control but Spud postures up.
Kirk tries to control but Spud manages to take his back.
I really don't envy Kirk right now.
What can Kirk do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Kirk is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but William Spud will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kirk moves forwards but Spud connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Spud throws out a loose jab but Kirk uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kirk defending well as Spud loads up on a big left hand.
William Spud seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spud throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kirk sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kirk fails with the takedown.
Spud cracks Kirk with a right hand to the side of the head.
Kirk closes this distance looking for a takedown but Spud circles away.
Spud looks like he wants to counter punch here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spud looks to land a left hand but Kirk moved out of range nicely.
Spud waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kirk.
A combination from Kirk does no damage.
Gilmat Kirk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A left lands for Spud.
William Spud seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kirk closes the distance and clinches up with Spud, looking for a takedown. Kirk pushes Spud against the cage but Spud circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gilmat Kirk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kirk fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Spud misses the target.
Kirk is looking to counter punch.
William Spud is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kirk fails in his attempt to clinch.
Spud looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Kirk changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Spud tries to avoid it but Kirk manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Spud to the ground. Spud escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Spud fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Spud misses with a two punch combination.

Spud gets tackled into the cage by Kirk. Kirk maintains the clinch.
Kirk blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kirk.
Kirk tries to pull guard but Spud forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kirk blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spud tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Kirk's elbow.
Spud misses with the head strike.
Spud softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Spud breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Spud lands a nice leg kick that just misses Kirk's sensitive parts.
Spud throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kirk counters with a nice body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kirk shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Spud pinned against the cage. Spud gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kirk tries to close the distance and clinch but Spud swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Spud has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Spud thows a leg kick but Kirk checks it
and Kirk makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Spud with a hook.
Spud thuds a left hand into Kirk's body.
Kirk darts in trying to clinch
letting Spud counter with a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kirk uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Spud.
Kirk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Spud swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spud now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Kirk moves into range and clinches up with Spud.
Kirk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Spud stops a takedown attempt from Kirk.
Kirk fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kirk tries to score a body lock takedown but Spud shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Kirk looking for a takedown.
Kirk has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Spud after a bit of a struggle.
Spud tries to throw a body punch but Kirk avoids it by throwing Spud back against the cage.
Kirk blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Spud misses with a body punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Spud.
A nice left hand lands by Spud.
A head punch on the inside from Spud fails to land.
Spud softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Spud fails to land.
Spud misses with a body punch.
Kirk drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kirk jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Spud walks away with a smile on his face. Kirk gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Spud throws a jab but it's blocked by Kirk.
Spud connects with a single shot there.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Spud throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Spud darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Spud throws a shot from downtown. Kirk moves away and avoids it.
Kirk takes one to the chin there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

William Spud showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice uppercut lands for Spud. That snapped Kirk's head back.

Kirk rushes Spud and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Spud lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kirk is trying to drag Spud to the mat but Spud just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Spud tries a body shot but Kirk blocks it.

Kirk pulls Spud into guard.

Kirk working for a triangle but Spud defends it easily.
Kirk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Spud is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spud showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spud is sitting in close to Kirk's body. Kirk has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Spud is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Spud is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Kirk.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Gilmat Kirk!
Gilmat Kirk decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.