PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shoryu Ken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bro Ham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ken
vs
Ham

165 cm
25
157 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

165 cm
25
159 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shoryu Ken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bro Ham!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Matheus Silva and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ham just misses with a punch to the body.
Ham throws a combination. Ken tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ham is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ken.
Ken uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ham.
Ham takes a swing at Ken's ribcage but misses.
Ham loads up on a big right hand but Ken slips the punch.
Ham tries a low kick but Ken avoids it.
Ken shoots in looking for a takedown. Ham tries to sprawl out of it but Ken keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ham manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ken displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ham throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ham uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ham looks to land a right hand but Ken moved out of range.
Ken looks for a takedown but Ham sprawls well.
Ham swinging wildly here.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ken.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shoryu Ken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ham digs a good body shot into Ken's ribs.
Ken displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ham throws out the jab.
Ham throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ken closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ham circles away.

That's two 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.
Ham works Ken's body with a nice hook.

Ken gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Ham to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Ham is pushing down on Ken's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ken is fighting to maintain full guard but Ham has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ken wants to improve his position but Ham is controlling well.
Ham is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Ken reverses the position - he's now on top in Ham's guard.
Ken throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Ken drops back looking for a leg! Ham is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ham manages to kick Ken off! Ken jumps back into Ham's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ham is trying to control the position but Ken postures up.
Ken throwing strikes from guard but Ham blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ham keeping full guard, as Ken tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ken preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ken slips under a jab from Ham.
Ham will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Ham looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ham passes into half guard.
Ham tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ken knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ken is refusing to be controlled, as Ham sits in half guard.
Ham looks to land a strike but Ken avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Ham trying to move into half guard but instead Ken has managed to sweep!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ham looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ham is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bro Ham dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ken has his takedown stuffed
and Ken takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ken avoids the body shot from Ham.
Ken with a poor takedown
and Ham counters with a thumping low kick.
Ham lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ken misses with a takedown attempt

and Ham counters with a single leg into guard. Ken didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shoryu Ken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ham throwing strikes from guard but Ken blocks nicely.
Ken has momentary wrist control but Ham slips an elbow through the middle.
Ham is looking to work some ground and pound but Ken has wrist control.
Ham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ken swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ham forces his way into half guard.
Ham trying to mount his opponent but Ken defends it.
Ham prevents Ken from improving his position.
Ham wants to take a breather but Ken is having none of it.
Ken manages to get to full guard.

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.
Ken looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ken swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ham throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ham misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ken.
Ham looks to land a left hand but Ken moved out of range nicely.

Ham scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ham wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ken keeps working.
Ken is working to avoid the ground and pound but Ham connects with a decent elbow.
Ham trying to control the position but Ken is working away.
Ham working the ground and pound.
Ham wants to control but Ken is keeping him busy.
Ken avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ham.
Ham wants to control but Ken is keeping him busy.

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.
Ken is looking to reverse the position.
Ham sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Ken is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Ham landing strikes.
Ham lands some shots froms side control.
Ham lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ken manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Ham not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ken manages to get to full guard.
Ham lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bro Ham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. 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.

Ham tries for a takedown but Ken circles away easily

and Ken counters with a shoot takedown. Ham fights it but they end up in guard.
Ken trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ham is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ham trying to control the position here.
Ham manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Ken manages to get himself to full guard.
Ken wants to sweep here but Ham controlling him for the moment.

Ham avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ken is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ken wants to sweep but no luck.
Ham must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ken swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Ken is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ham wants to control from the top but Ken keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ham in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ken tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ken can't keep his opponent in guard - Ham advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ken has hold of Ham's hands but Ham slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ken is refusing to be controlled, as Ham sits in half guard.
Ken blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ham.
Ham is looking to pass Ken's guard but actually Ken recovers to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ken keeping moving, preventing Ham from controlling successfully.

Ken working for a triangle but Ham defends it easily.
Ham throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ham showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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.
Ken wants to sweep here but Ham controlling him for the moment.
Ham throwing strikes from guard but Ken blocks nicely.
Bro Ham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ken lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Ham!
Ham tries to hold on but Ken postures up.
Ham is looking to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shoryu Ken showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Ham 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bro Ham!