PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Todd Wad (ranked 4228 p4p, 471 weight class) and Taj Balandabad (ranked 2313 p4p, 289 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.

Wad
vs
Balandabad

187 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Todd Wad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Taj Balandabad!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Daniel Cesar and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wad wants to clinch up but Balandabad keeps it at a distance.
Wad throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Balandabad.

Wad gets tackled into the cage by Balandabad. Balandabad maintains the clinch.
Balandabad lands an elbow inside that Wad shrugs off.
Wad is looking for a takedown.
Nice elbow from Balandabad.

It looks like Todd Wad has been cut.
Balandabad trying to land knees to the body.
A shot in the inside from Balandabad.

Balandabad escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Balandabad lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Balandabad moves into the clinch successfully.
A frustrated look appears on Wad's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Balandabad looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Balandabad misses with a body punch.

Balandabad pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Wad gets a takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balandabad tries to kick Wad off in order to stand up. Wad Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balandabad is not content to let Wad control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Balandabad can do anything to dispel that myth.
Balandabad pushes Wad away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Wad gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Wad is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Balandabad will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Wad is looking to take a break and control but Balandabad is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Balandabad is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Wad has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two 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.
Balandabad is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Wad trying to control the position but Balandabad is working away.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Balandabad closes the distance and pushes Wad back into the cage.

Wad has picked Balandabad up - he's going for a ride! Wad dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Wad seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Balandabad does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Wad lands with a punch from half guard.
Wad takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Wad is looking to take a break and control but Balandabad is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balandabad pushes Wad off looking to stand but Wad dives back in and keeps control.
Wad trying to control the action but Balandabad is working from the bottom.
Balandabad is trying to stand up here but Wad is controlling him well.
Balandabad avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Wad.
Wad working over Balandabad with some ground and pound. Balandabad looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Still in half guard, Wad seems content to control.
Balandabad scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Wad manages to mount him!
Balandabad wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Wad trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balandabad is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Balandabad is squirming around, avoiding Wad's attempts to control the action.
Balandabad squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Wad wants to control the pace but Balandabad is squirming around nicely.

Balandabad defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Wad.
Wad controlling the pace for now.
Balandabad really wants to buck Wad off and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Todd Wad will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Todd Wad's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Balandabad connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Balandabad blocks a head kick by Wad.
Wad lands a lovely overhand right.
Balandabad goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Balandabad throws a half hearted mid kick.
Wad drops down looking for a counter takedown but Balandabad sprawls and moves away.

Balandabad clinches.
A body shot lands from Balandabad.
Balandabad misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Balandabad tries to work over Wad's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balandabad comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Balandabad creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Wad's defenses.
Wad wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Balandabad lands a right hand.
Balandabad misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balandabad tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Wad avoids it.
Balandabad misses with a hook to the ribs.

Balandabad breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick from Balandabad lands but Wad takes it in his stride.
Balandabad connects with a body shot.

Balandabad clinches.
Balandabad looks to throw an elbow but misses.
I was talking to Wad's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Wad managing to block the knees to the body from Balandabad.
Balandabad tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Balandabad escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wad tries to close the distance and clinch but Balandabad swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Balandabad closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balandabad manages to break the clinch.
Balandabad has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Wad lands a left and a right that send Balandabad crashing to the mat, dazed. Wad thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Balandabad is rocked!
Todd Wad is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Wad is defended easily by Balandabad.
Balandabad is still on wobbly legs! Can Wad finish him?
OH! Balandabad has been rocked by a huge right hand and is in deep trouble! Wad smells blood and charges in for the finish! Wad unloads a vicious overhand right and connects to the jaw of Balandabad sending him face first to the canvas! Unbelievable!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Todd Wad!