PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tom Svenn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wayne Ballantine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Svenn comes to the cage accompanied by We Taking Over. Wayne Ballantine has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Tom Svenn's chin.

Svenn
vs
Ballantine

185 cm
27
177 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

178 cm
24
181 lbs
15 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Svenn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wayne Ballantine!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballantine paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Ballantine is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Svenn.
Svenn digs a good hook to Ballantine's body.
Svenn lands with a nice body punch.
A swing and a miss from Ballantine.
Svenn lands with a cross.
Ballantine goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

It looks like Tom Svenn has been cut.

Ballantine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Svenn, pushing him back against the cage.
Ballantine working aggressively here.
Svenn tries to stall but Ballantine uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Ballantine throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Svenns head.
Svenn is working for takedown but Ballantine is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ballantine fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ballantine throws a punch but it's blocked by Svenn.
Ballantine has a couple of punches blocked by Svenn.
Ballantine working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ballantine.
Ballantine lands a right hand.
Ballantine is trying to stall.
Ballantine misses with a punch on the inside.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ballantine.
Svenn tries to pull guard but Ballantine won't allow it.
Ballantine scores with a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ballantine is pressed up against the cage. Svenn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ballantine down to the mat. Ballantine avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Svenn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ballantine misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine misses with a jab to the body
and Svenn counters with a straight right hand.
Svenn misses with a hook.
A slow jab from Ballantine misses its intended target.
Ballantine looks to land a right hand but Svenn moved out of range.
Svenn misses with a straight left.
Ballantine getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ballantine misses with a body shot
and Svenn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ballantine tries to clinch
and Svenn counters with a nice uppercut.
Svenn jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Ballantine walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Svenn gets a takedown into half guard.
Ballantine avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Svenn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Svenn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Svenn is looking for a kimura here.

Svenn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Svenn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ballantine keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Svenn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ballantine is looking to improve his position.
Svenn is looking to stall here but Ballantine recovers full guard.

That's four 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.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ballantine is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Svenn has gone for a leg lock! Ballantine slips out almost immediately though and dives into Svenn's guard.
Ballantine chips away with some ground and pound.

Svenn had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ballantine defends it easily.
Ballantine chips away with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Ballantine dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Svenn's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ballantine misses with a shot to the body
and Svenn counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Ballantine gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Svenn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Svenn throws a combination that misses
and Ballantine counters with a right hand to the body.
Svenn shoots in looking for a takedown but Ballantine manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Svenn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ballantine keeps the fight on the outside.
Ballantine works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Svenn bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ballantine's head backwards.
Ballantine ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Svenn on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Ballantine stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ballantine wants it to stay on the feet.
Ballantine throws an overhand right that lands on Svenn's shoulder, as Svenn tries to avoid the shot.
Svenn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Svenn keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ballantine.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine misses with an uppercut. Svenn saw that one coming.
Ballantine tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Ballantine takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ballantine connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Svenn misses with a body punch
and Ballantine counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Ballantine on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Svenn with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Ballantine to score with a decent uppercut.
Ballantine tries to clinch but Svenn moves out of range.
Ballantine lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ballantine misses with a body shot

and Svenn counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ballantine!
Ballantine working to try and regain half guard.

Svenn is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Ballantine has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Ballantine!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ballantine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Svenn looking for a guillotine here but Ballantine defends easily.
Svenn is trying to control the position but Ballantine postures up.
Ballantine controlling from the top position.
Ballantine preventing the sweep.
Ballantine throwing strikes from guard but Svenn blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svenn is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Svenn working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Ballantine has passed into half guard!
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
It looks like Ballantine is going to stand back up.
Svenn is looking for a sweep. Ballantine is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Svenn actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Svenn is trying to maintain the position but Ballantine is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ballantine is trying to control the action in half guard but Svenn is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Svenn actively working from the bottom here.
Ballantine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ballantine slips a nice elbow through Svenn's hands, connecting with Svenn's forehead.

Ballantine seems to be working for a kimura but Svenn defends the submission attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ballantine prevents Svenn from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Ballantine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tom Svenn's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Svenn comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Wayne Ballantine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ballantine scores with the left hand. Svenn knows he should have avoided that one.
Svenn throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Svenn scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Svenn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ballantine looks to land a left hand but Svenn moved out of range nicely.
Ballantine moves in looking to clinch but Svenn pushes him off.
Svenn misses with a wild body shot.
Svenn on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Ballantine dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ballantine wants to clinch
and Svenn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ballantine misses the jab.
Svenn is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Svenn.
Svenn throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ballantine counters with a left to the body.
Ballantine thuds a left hand into Svenn's body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ballantine ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Svenn moves away.
Ballantine misses with a double jab

and Svenn counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Svenn is thwarting Ballantine's attempts to control the position.
Ballantine is trying to get back to full guard.
Ballantine is doing well to control the position and prevent Svenn from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Svenn is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ballantine is just riding it out for now. Svenn eventually gives up the hold.
Ballantine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Svenn is stalling here. Ballantine is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Svenn seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Ballantine has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Svenn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Ballantine wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Ballantine in side control lands a decent elbow.
Tom Svenn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Svenn takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Svenn sneaks back into half guard.

Svenn looking for submissions off his back.
Ballantine winds up and cracks Svenn with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Wayne Ballantine is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine trying to control the pace.
Svenn is trying to control but can't.
Tom Svenn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ballantine looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Svenn is refusing to be controlled, as Ballantine sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Ballantine with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Svenn is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Ballantine's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Ballantine's back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Wayne Ballantine comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ballantine has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Wayne Ballantine!