PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Phelan Whelan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Tate (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Kevin Tate enters the cage!

Whelan
vs
Tate

177 cm
23
179 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

183 cm
22
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Phelan Whelan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kevin Tate!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Lou da Vinci and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whelan connects with a body shot.

Whelan gets the takedown into side control.
Tate is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Whelan has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whelan takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Tate misses with a low kick as Whelan jumps back.
Whelan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tate tries to clinch up.
Tate throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Whelan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tate, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tate using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Whelan has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tate stalling in the clinch but Whelan improves position.
Whelan digs a right hand underneath Tate's ribcage. Tate let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tate with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A body shot lands from Whelan.
Tate letting Whelan take a breather here.
Tate goes for a takedown in the clinch but Whelan prevents it.
Tate misses with a hook to the ribs.
Tate misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Whelan.
Tate throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Whelan blocks it with crossed arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whelan wants to break free but Tate has control.
Whelan prevents Tate from breaking the clinch.
Tate misses with a knee to the head.
Tate with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Whelan can't break the clinch.
Tate wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Whelan is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Tate tries to pull guard but Whelan holds him up against the cage and eventually Tate drops back down to his feet.
Whelan wants to break free but Tate has control.
Tate is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Whelan is keeping busy.
Whelan has had enough of the clinch but Tate keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tate throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Whelan blocks it with crossed arms.
Whelan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tate throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tate has Whelan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Whelan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Phelan Whelan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Tate.
Tate with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Tate looks gassed!
Tate will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Whelan up against the cage.
Whelan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tate has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tate is trying to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phelan Whelan dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tate takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Whelan instigates a clinch.

Whelan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Whelan lands a nice shot to the body.
Tate on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Whelan closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Whelan stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Whelan.
Whelan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tate moves away.
Tate misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tate tries to clinch but Whelan moves away
and Whelan counters with a straight right hand.

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.
Tate lands a nice leg kick that just misses Whelan's sensitive parts.
Tate misses with a head kick.
Tate is breathing heavily.
Whelan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Whelan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tate looks to clinch
and Whelan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Whelan throws a body punch but Tate moves out of range.

Whelan has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whelan managing to block the knees to the body from Tate.
Whelan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Whelan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tate motions for Whelan to come forward. Tate throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tate throws a leg kick which misses Whelan's front leg but catches the back leg as Whelan tries to avoid it.
Tate misses with a head kick.

Whelan changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tate looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Whelan looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tate is avoiding damage well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Whelan stands up and beckons Tate to his feet.
Phelan Whelan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick by Tate misses
and Whelan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

Whelan clinches with his opponent.
Tate looking to slow down the pace here.

Whelan decides to pull guard.

Whelan has his feet on Tate's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phelan Whelan dominated that second round.
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!

Whelan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Whelan with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tate keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Whelan drives through and clinches with Tate against the cage.
Whelan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tate throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Whelan blocks it with crossed arms.
Whelan pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tate is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Whelan is keeping busy.
Tate takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Whelan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tate wants to clinch

and Whelan counters with a shoot takedown. Tate fights it but they end up in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Tate trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whelan wants to get up but he can't break Tate's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tate manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Whelan manages to get himself to full guard.
Whelan wants to stand but Tate is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whelan is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Tate dives into side control.

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.
Tate in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Tate looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Whelan is avoiding damage well.
Kevin Tate has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whelan wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

And that's the end of the fight!
Phelan Whelan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Whelan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Phelan Whelan!