Filipino fighter pulverizes MMA legend

By: Rijel R. Reyes

Eric Kelly wowed the ecstatic SMART-Araneta Coliseum mob after a marvelous display of speed and power that crushed former Ultimate Fighting Championship Lightweight Champion and MMA legend Jens Pulver in ONE FC 5 in Manila last Friday, August 31, 2012.

Eric Kelly celebrated his win with the pumped-up crowd after a very impressive Technical Knockout stoppage in the second round of the exciting fight.

“He’s just fast and strong,” Pulver said in an interview after the match. “[He] might be the Manny Pacquiao of Mixed Martial Arts.”

Round one opened with a hard right hand from Kelly stunning the former UFC titlist, sending him back pedaling. Kelly threw a desperate high kick and fell on the ground wherein Pulver managed to take control for a while before a beautiful reversal from the Filipino fighter.  Kelly failed to take advantage of the position and the American managed to put the fight back on the stand-up.

When the fight was brought back to the center of the ring, Pulver countered a Kelly assault with a hard left-hook behind the ear that dropped the Filipino to the ground. Kelly survived and prevented Pulver from going home with an early knockout.

An aggressive Pulver continued to stalk Kelly throughout the round and landed leg kicks and good punch combinations to the body and head. Kelly failed a Judo throw sending him on the canvass wherein Pulver gained side control but failed to inflict damage to the Filipino which forced Pulver to put the fight back up in the last minute.

Both men picked where they left off at the start of the second round. Kelly landed the heavier and damaging shots that evidently shocked the American. A hurt Pulver fought back but was stunned by a right straight and knee to the head sending him again back pedaling to the cage.

Pulver absorbed number of blows that staggered and left him defenseless with his back against the cage. Kelly chased Pulver with more combinations of kicks and punches pummeling the American.  The Filipino fighter landed significant combinations and the big body kick at 3:19 sent the veteran folding and falling to the canvass.

A beaten Jens Pulver exposed his back which Eric Kelly obliged to take opportunity and landed heavy haymakers to the head that caused referee to stop the fight at 1:02 remaining in the round.