PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Girth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JanPeter Balkenende (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balkenende is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: another 1 bites the dust. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that JanPeter Balkenende was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Girth
vs
Balkenende

175 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

160 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jimmy Girth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, JanPeter Balkenende!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Daniel Bishop and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Girth looks for a takedown but Balkenende sprawls well.
Girth fails with a takedown attempt.
Girth tries to clinch but Balkenende moves out of range.
Girth shoots in for a double leg but Balkenende sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmy Girth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Girth fails with the takedown.

Balkenende forces Girth back against the cage and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Girth gets underhooks to prevent Balkenende's takedown attempt.
Girth is trying to maintain a safe position but Balkenende gets an underhook and turns Girth into the cage.
Girth gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Balkenende.
Girth lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Balkenende gets underhooks to prevent Girth's takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balkenende has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Girth clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
A bit of a pause in the action here. Balkenende controlling the positon.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Balkenende's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Balkenende is working the ground and pound. Can Girth escape?
Balkenende scores with punches to the body.
Balkenende lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Girth.
Balkenende scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Girth is looking for a way out.
Girth is really stuck here.

Girth manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Girth is breathing heavily.

Balkenende closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Balkenende lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Balkenende looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Balkenende chips away with some ground and pound.
Girth bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Balkenende's guard.
Balkenende looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Girth will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Balkenende looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Girth throws a strike but Balkenende rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Balkenende postures up.
Balkenende is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Balkenende wants to control from the top but Girth keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balkenende with a nice head shot there.
Balkenende trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Balkenende won't allow Girth to sweep him here.
Girth is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Balkenende trying to control the position from guard on top but Girth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Girth gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Balkenende counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Girth's guard now.
Balkenende pushes down on Girth's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Girth wants to control but Balkenende is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Girth missing with punches from the bottom.

Girth looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Girth slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Girth is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Girth looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Girth had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Balkenende is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Girth Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Balkenende's back instead.
Girth somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

Girth working for a choke but Balkenende reverses nicely into Girth 's guard.

Girth working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Balkenende doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Balkenende manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Girth wants to control but Balkenende passes easily into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JanPeter Balkenende dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Girth looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Girth misses with a takedown

and Balkenende counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Balkenende wants to pass the guard but Girth is defending well.
Girth gets back to full guard.
Girth scores with a nice shot.
Balkenende wants to stand and escape but instead Girth has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Girth is pushing down on Balkenende's leg trying to pass to half guard. Balkenende is fighting to maintain full guard but Girth has managed to sneak the leg through.

Girth is trying to work for a kimura but Balkenende is defending well.
Girth looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Balkenende with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Balkenende is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Girth seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Balkenende does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ground and pound from Girth.
Balkenende wants to improve his position but Girth is controlling well.
Girth has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Girth wants to lay and pray for a moment but Balkenende keeps working.
Girth tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
The fighters are battling for position here. Balkenende manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Girth stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balkenende swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Balkenende seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Balkenende lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Girth!
Girth is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balkenende is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Girth tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balkenende controlling the position easily from mount.
Girth tries to buck Balkenende off but he can't manage it.
Girth is wriggling around trying to escape.
Girth slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Balkenende wants to pass the guard but Girth is defending well.
Girth gets back to full guard.
Balkenende stopping the sweep attempt from Girth.
Girth throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Girth manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Girth looking to control but Balkenende is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Girth looking to finish Balkenende with some ground and pound. This is bad for Balkenende!
Girth lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Girth connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
JanPeter Balkenende has got the better of the ground game so far.
Balkenende tries to hold on but Girth postures up.
Girth is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Balkenende can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Girth looking to secure an arm triangle but Balkenende defends it well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Balkenende can do anything to dispel that myth.
Girth landing punches.
Balkenende is trying to reverse the position but instead Girth has taken his back - oops!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balkenende can't escape the position.

Girth tightening his grip on Balkenende, looking for the choke.
Girth is trying to stick to Balkenende's back but Balkenende is turning into Girth. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Girth's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Balkenende.

Balkenende avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Balkenende lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Girth is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Girth tries to strike from the bottom.
Girth keeping full guard, as Balkenende tries to pass.
Girth trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jimmy Girth will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Girth uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Jimmy Girth is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Girth tries for a takedown but Balkenende circles away easily

and Balkenende counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Girth wants to control but Balkenende is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Balkenende lands with a punch from half guard.
Balkenende is nestled in close to Girth, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Balkenende lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Balkenende working over Girth with some ground and pound. Girth looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Girth is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Balkenende seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Girth is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). JanPeter Balkenende!