PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Kelly (ranked 4417 p4p, 4308 weight class) and Steven Garner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Kelly
vs
Garner

152 cm
25
139
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
18
141
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paul Kelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Steven Garner!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly is trying hard to land a takedown here. Garner sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Garner throws a lazy head kick

and Kelly moves into the clinch.
Kelly jumps guard but Garner turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Garner manages to pull guard.
Kelly stopping the sweep attempt from Garner.
Kelly wanted to stand there but Garner had control of the position.
Kelly knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Garner on the ground.
Garner working a defensive guard here.

Garner working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Kelly has passed into half guard!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garner is trying to stand up here but Kelly is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Garner can do anything to dispel that myth.
Kelly is trying to control the action in half guard but Garner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kelly performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kelly stops Garner from getting back to his feet.
Kelly really is a fat lump.
Garner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kelly trying to control the action but Garner is working from the bottom.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two 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.
Garner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Garner fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kelly avoids it really well and circles away.
Garner misses with an attempted mid kick.
Steven Garner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kelly has managed to clinch.

Kelly pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kelly throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kelly clinches with his opponent.
Kelly gets underhooks to prevent Garner's takedown attempt.
Garner is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Paul Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steven Garner.
Garner is trying to force a seperation but Kelly has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Garner is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Garner has had enough of the clinch but Kelly keeps him there for the moment.
Kelly tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Kelly jumps guard but Garner turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Garner goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kelly prevents it.
Garner is trying to stall.
Kelly fails to pull guard.
Garner prevents the takedown attempt.
Kelly prevents a takedown attempt there.
Garner misses with a short punch on the inside.

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.
Garner drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Kelly can't get the takedown.
Kelly is breathing heavily.
Kelly prevents Garner from breaking the clinch.
Garner has Kelly pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kelly manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Kelly's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Garner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Garner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Kelly defends it nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Kelly dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kelly stuffs the takedown.
Garner misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kelly takes a swing at Garner's ribcage but misses.
Kelly misses with a hook. Garner ducked under it nicely.
Garner scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Kelly shoots for a takedown but Garner saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kelly takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Garner scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Garner fails to land with a series of punches.
Garner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kelly slips a jab and a cross from Garner.
Garner catches Kelly with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garner misses the shot to the body.
Garner throws a left and a right that both miss
and Kelly counters with a leg kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Kelly or perhaps it was just good defense by Garner, which made it look bad.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garner shoots in but no luck this time.
Kelly tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Garner manages to circle out of the way.
Garner is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kelly sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Paul Kelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steven Garner.
A head kick misses from Kelly.
Kelly shoots in and drives through. Garner sprawls well.
Garner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Garner looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kelly.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Garner.

Garner decides to stand up, so the ref orders Kelly to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Garner drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Kelly is looking to get back to his feet here but Garner is keeping cool and he's managed to take Kelly's back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kelly can't escape the position.
Garner struggling to land strikes to the head as Kelly covers up.
Kelly rolls, trying to escape but Garner keeps control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garner thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Garner throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.

Garner looking for the RNC.
Garner punches the canvas rather than the man.
Garner throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Garner biding his time, controlling Kelly.
Garner punches the canvas rather than the man.
Garner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Garner working for a choke but Kelly is defending well.
Garner lands with a hammerfist to the side of Kelly's head.

Garner working for the choke.
Garner is punishing Kelly with strikes - can he finish him?!
Even with his hooks in, Garner manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Kelly covering up well and avoiding damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Steven Garner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Kelly's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Garner fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Kelly checks it well.
Garner fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Kelly throws a series of punches but Garner avoids them all with ease.
Garner fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kelly avoids a punch combination nicely.
Garner throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kelly.
Kelly tries to clinch up but Garner circles away and keeps his distance.
Garner throws a series of punches but Kelly avoids them all with ease.
Garner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kelly gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Garner is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garner manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Garner fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kelly is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Kelly. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kelly is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Garner is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kelly pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Garner is trying to break the clinch but Kelly is controlling him.
Garner drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kelly gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Garner tries to score a body lock takedown but Kelly shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's two 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.
Kelly is trying to break the clinch but Garner has him pressed against the cage.
Kelly keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Garner's efforts to push away.
Garner is trying to pull guard but Kelly turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kelly looking for a takedown.
Garner is trying to break free.
A bit of stalling here from Garner.
Kelly is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Garner is defending well.
Kelly drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Garner gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Kelly trying to stall but Garner improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garner can't break the clinch.
Garner is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kelly tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Garner's elbow.
Garner wants to break the clinch but can't.
Garner tries for a takedown. No joy.
Garner trying to land knees to the body.
Kelly wants to take the fight to the mat but Garner manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Garner wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Garner is trying to push Kelly away but Kelly has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Garner tries to pull guard but Kelly forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Garner is trying to push Kelly away but Kelly has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Garner drags the fight down to the ground.
Garner tries to strike from the bottom.
Garner is trying to control the position but Kelly postures up.
Garner 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Garner trying to keep a closed guard but Kelly is proving a slippery customer.
Kelly prevents Garner from getting back to his feet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Garner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Garner 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steven Garner!