PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mark Spitz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Balbacoa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Spitz
vs
Balbacoa

190 cm
25
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

192 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mark Spitz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rocky Balbacoa!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balbacoa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Balbacoa looking to pass the guard.

Spitz throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Spitz has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Balbacoa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Balbacoa stopping the sweep attempt from Spitz.
Balbacoa pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Spitz is keeping the position for now.
Balbacoa trying to control the position from guard on top but Spitz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balbacoa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spitz is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Balbacoa is aware though and is defending well.

Spitz working for a triangle but Balbacoa defends it easily.
Balbacoa wants to get up but he can't break Spitz's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spitz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Balbacoa controls the pace.
Balbacoa passes Spitz's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Spitz is looking to improve his position.
Balbacoa looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Spitz looking for submissions off his back.
Spitz is breathing heavily.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Balbacoa lands strikes from half guard.
Spitz is not content to let Balbacoa control the position.
Spitz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Balbacoa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Balbacoa's back!

Spitz is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

Spitz is looking for the choke from the back position but Balbacoa is controlling his hands well.
Balbacoa manages to reverse the position and now he's in Spitz's guard. Nice work there by Balbacoa.
Balbacoa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Spitz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Balbacoa landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spitz keeping moving, preventing Balbacoa from controlling successfully.
Balbacoa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Balbacoa trying to control but Spitz is working from the bottom.

Spitz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Balbacoa is looking to work some ground and pound but Spitz has wrist control.
Balbacoa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Balbacoa slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Balbacoa stands and steps away. Spitz gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Spitz lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Mark Spitz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Spitz rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Balbacoa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Spitz throws a series of punches but Balbacoa moves out of range.

Spitz gets caught flat footed, as Balbacoa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Balbacoa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Balbacoa pushing down on Spitz's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Balbacoa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Spitz looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Balbacoa seems to be working for a kimura but Spitz defends the submission attempt.
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 Mark Spitz will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Balbacoa slips a jab and a cross from Spitz.
Balbacoa fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Spitz.
Spitz throws a right and a left that Balbacoa avoids nicely.

Balbacoa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Balbacoa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Balbacoa wants to work for an arm triangle but Spitz is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Spitz moves into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spitz trying to control the position.

Spitz looking for a guillotine here but Balbacoa defends easily.

Balbacoa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Spitz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Balbacoa defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balbacoa wants to control from the top but Spitz keeps moving.
Spitz utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Spitz looking for a guillotine here but Balbacoa defends easily.
Balbacoa wants to control from the top but Spitz keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spitz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Spitz looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Balbacoa passes into half guard.
Spitz is trying to control but Balbacoa passes into side control!
Spitz bucks up and tries to throw Balbacoa off but instead Balbacoa has got his back!
Spitz tries to roll but Balbacoa sticks to his back.

That's four 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.
What can Spitz do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Spitz is in bad spot here.
Can Spitz hold on?! Balbacoa is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Balbacoa lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Balbacoa slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Spitz staying busy and making it hard for Balbacoa to control.
Balbacoa doesn't have the hooks in and Spitz manages to turn into his guard.
Balbacoa throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Balbacoa is trying to control the position but Spitz postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Spitz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
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 Mark Spitz will probably get the nod.
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!

Balbacoa throws a shot from downtown. Spitz moves away and avoids it.
A head kick misses from Balbacoa.
Spitz misses with a two punch combination.
Balbacoa doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Balbacoa is defended easily by Spitz.
Balbacoa swinging wildly here.
Spitz moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Spitz lands a glancing blow to the side of Balbacoa's head.
A nice combination there by Spitz.
Spitz throws a right and a left that Balbacoa avoids nicely.
Spitz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Balbacoa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Spitz is trying to maintain the position but Balbacoa is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Spitz actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spitz gets full guard.
Spitz trying to control the position.

Spitz looking for a guillotine here but Balbacoa defends easily.
Spitz wants to sweep here but Balbacoa controlling him for the moment.

That's two 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.

Spitz is looking for a triangle but Balbacoa pushes his legs off easily.

Spitz has his foot on Balbacoa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Balbacoa works his way back into a safe position though.
Balbacoa preventing the sweep.
Balbacoa passes into half guard.
Balbacoa is looking to take a break and control but Spitz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spitz tries to get to full guard but Balbacoa has control of the leg.

Spitz is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Balbacoa pulls his head out easily.

Spitz looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Balbacoa pushes past his half guard into mount!

Balbacoa with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Balbacoa cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Spitz avoids a series of strikes thrown by Balbacoa.
Balbacoa throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Spitz bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Spitz is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Spitz advances to half guard.

Spitz wants to work for an arm triangle but Balbacoa is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Mark Spitz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Balbacoa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Spitz missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Balbacoa keeping moving, preventing Spitz from controlling successfully.
Spitz is looking to work some ground and pound but Balbacoa has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Spitz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Spitz 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:28
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Spitz!