PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tarkan Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Balis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balis has chosen Still Unbroken as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Jones
vs
Balis

195 cm
21
242 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
21
265 lbs
2 - 9 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tarkan Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Balis!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Balis on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Balis is looking to clinch but Jones is avoiding it.

Jones forces Balis back against the cage and clinches.
Balis has Jones pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Jones manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Jones.
Jones is trying to force a seperation but Balis has the dominant position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Balis misses with an elbow strike.
Balis is trying to force a seperation but Jones has the dominant position.
Balis misses with an elbow strike.
Balis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Jones smiles and moves away.
Tarkan Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Balis.
Balis tries to clinch up

and Jones counters with a single leg into guard. Balis didn't expect that.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones cracks Balis with a solid left hand.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Balis throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balis strikes from his own guard.
Jonesis looking to pass into half guard but Balis pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Balis is in guard.
Balis trying to control the position from guard on top but Jones is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jones bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Balis's guard.
Balis keeping full guard, as Jones tries to pass.
Balis wants to stand and escape but Jones is having none of it.
Jones wants to control from the top but Balis keeps moving.
Jones would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Jones wants to pass the guard but Balis is keeping the position.
Balis wants to sweep but no luck.
Balis looks gassed!

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.
Jones stands up over Balis, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Jones is stalling in the full guard.

Jones drops back, looking for a kneebar! Balis looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Balis looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Balis!
Balis working away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Balis misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Balis decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balis throws a series of punches but Jones avoids them all with ease.
Balis tries to clinch

and Jones counters with a single leg into guard. Balis didn't expect that.
Balis keeping full guard, as Jones tries to pass.
Balis wants to stand but Jones is controlling the position.
Jones pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balis is keeping the position for now.
Balis wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones tries to stand but Balis is controlling from the bottom.
Balis wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones prevents Balis from getting back to his feet.
Balis wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Jones clinches.
Jones looking to throw knees to the head but Balis is blocking nicely.

Jones has Balis pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Jones pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Balis tumbling to the mat - Jones dives into Balis's guard.
Balis keeping full guard, as Jones tries to pass.
Jones prevents Balis from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Balis wants to stand and escape but Jones is having none of it.
Jones tries to stand but Balis is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarkan Jones dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Balis wants to clinch

and Jones counters with a single leg into guard. Balis didn't expect that.
Tarkan Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Balis is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Jones wants to get back to full guard.
Balis throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Balis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.
Balis is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Balis missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jones is trying to maintain the position but Balis is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balis prevents Jones from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jones darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Balis gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Jones knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Balis on the ground.
Jones trying to control but Balis is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Balis is on top in guard.
Balis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Balis tries to stand but Jones is controlling from the bottom.
Balis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Jones utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Balis wants to stand but Jones is controlling his posture from full guard.
Balis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balis tries to stand but Jones is controlling from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Jones fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Balis sprawls well initially but Jones persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Balis is positioning himself well to prevent Jones advancing to mount.
Balis is trying to maintain the position but Jones is very close to passing his half guard.
Jones wants to control but Balis is keeping him busy.
Balis is trying to stand up here but Jones is controlling him well.
Balis punching from the bottom.
Balis wants to get back to his feet.

Balis looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Balis is trying to stand up here but Jones is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Balis tries to clinch up

and Jones counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Jones.
Balis wants to sweep but no luck.
Balis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Jones postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Balis is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Jones, into his guard.
Balis wants to get up but he can't break Jones's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Balis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarkan Jones dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Jones gets the takedown into side control.
Balis is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Jones's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Jones lands a nice short elbow.
Balis is trying to stand back up but Jones is controlling him
Balis won't allow Jones to pass to mount.
Jones works his way into side control.
Jones scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Balis to see if he's OK.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jones landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Jones wants to control but Balis is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balis tries to buck Jones off but Jones is having none of it.
Balis is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Jones is controlling him well.
Jones is looking to take a break and control but Balis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Balis tries to improve position but can't.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Balis misses with a takedown attempt

and Jones moves into the clinch.

Jones has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Balis is trying to keep an underhook but Jones manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Jones prevents Balis from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balis missing with punches from the bottom.
Jones blocks the strikes from Balis.
Balis gets back to full guard.

Balis looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jones has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Balis is trying to keep Jones in close.
Balis is looking to stand up but Jones isn't so interested in that idea.
Balis manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balis working Jones over with strikes here.
Jones wants to control but Balis is having none of it.
Jones is desperately trying to improve his position but Balis has a good base and remains in mount.
Balis landing punches.
Balis cracks Jones with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Jones on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Jones tries to get out of the position.
Balis trying to control but Jones is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Jones is in a horrible position here. Balis smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Jones working to try and regain half guard.
Jones is squirming around, avoiding Balis's attempts to control the action.
John Balis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jones really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Tarkan Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Balis lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tarkan Jones.
Well Jones 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tarkan Jones!