PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Ballinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Dwan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ballinger comes into the arena with A Scottish Soldier by Andy Stewart blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ballinger
vs
Dwan

191 cm
22
222 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

184 cm
25
215 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Good kicks
Powerful

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 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ryan Ballinger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Dwan!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, David Schapiro and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dwan looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ballinger!
Dwan sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Dwan wants to control the pace but Ballinger is squirming around nicely.
Dwan fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Ballinger is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ballinger really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Dwan takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Ballinger is squirming around, avoiding Dwan's attempts to control the action.
Dwan throwing strikes but Ballinger recovers to half guard. A much better position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dwan trying to control the pace.

Dwan seems to be looking for submissions.

Dwan decides to stand up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dwan.
Ballinger takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dwan fails with a takedown attempt.
A low kick from Dwan is predictable there
letting Ballinger counter with a right hand.
A head kick by Dwan misses
and Ballinger counters with a stiff right hand.

Dwan is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ballinger throws a head kick that misses.
A big right from Ballinger misses.
Ballinger closes the distance but Dwan moves to the side
and Dwan counters with a one-two to the body.
Dwan throws a right and a left that Ballinger avoids nicely.

Dwan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ballinger wants to control but Dwan is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dwan slows the pace down in half guard.
Ballinger trying to control but Dwan postures up.

Dwan seems to be looking for submissions.
Dwan working the head and body with strikes.
Dwan prevents Ballinger from improving his position.
Ballinger trying to control from the bottom.

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.
Ballinger is not content to let Dwan control the position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ballinger manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Dwan tries to free his leg and advance position but Ballinger is retaining full guard.

Ballinger looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Dwan has picked Ballinger up and slammed him! Ballinger can't keep hold of the triangle and Dwan manages to pass to side control!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dwan tries to advance to mount but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Dwan dominated that round.
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.

Ballinger lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Dwan circles away quickly and effectively.
A head kick by Dwan misses
and Ballinger counters with a straight right hand.
Dwan lands a head kick. Ballinger smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Dwan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Dwan moves out of range of the strikes.
Dwan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ballinger misses with a lunging right hand

and Dwan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ballinger's guard now.
Dwan wants to control from the top but Ballinger keeps moving.
Dwan might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ballinger kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dwan stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ballinger swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dwan wants to control from the top but Ballinger keeps moving.
Ballinger utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dwan preventing the sweep.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tom Dwan.
Dwan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ballinger as he avoids it easily.
Ryan Ballinger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tom Dwan.
Dwan connects with a body shot that sends Ballinger's belly button to the back.

Ballinger closes the distance and pushes Dwan back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballinger lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Dwan backwards.
Ballinger tries to land a knee to the head but Dwan blocks with his arms.
Ballinger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dwan blocks it with crossed arms.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dwan is working for takedown but Ballinger is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ballinger pushes Dwan back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ballinger lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ballinger lands a right hand that snaps the head of Dwan backwards.
Ballinger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ballinger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ballinger struggles to land a body shot inside as Dwan controls his hands.

Dwan pulls guard successfully.
Ballinger with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ballinger throws a big right hand that misses.
Dwan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ballinger got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dwan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ballinger has managed to get both his arms back between Dwan's legs - danger averted.
Dwan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Dwan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ballinger passes easily into side control. Nice work.

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.
Dwan is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Ballinger is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Dwan manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Ballinger working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Ballinger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dwan taking some punishment here, with Ballinger in his half guard.
Ballinger throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dwan tries to roll over but Ballinger keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Dwan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Dwan lands with a slapping head kick.
Ballinger throws a sloppy head kick and Dwan moves out of range easily.
Ballinger tries to close the distance and clinch but Dwan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dwan misses the shot to the body.
Ryan Ballinger is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dwan throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Dwan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ballinger manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dwan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ballinger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dwan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballinger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Tom Dwan has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Dwan throws a lazy head kick

and Ballinger counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ballinger.
Dwan looking for a takedown.
Ballinger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Dwan blocks it with crossed arms.
Ballinger missing with knees to the body.
Dwan throws an elbow but it misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Dwan.
Ballinger is pressed up against the cage. Dwan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ballinger down to the mat. Ballinger avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Dwan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ballinger fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ballinger throws a lazy head kick

and Dwan counters with a shoot takedown. Ballinger fights it but they end up in guard.

Dwan drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ballinger looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ballinger looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ballinger!
Ryan Ballinger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dwan wants to control but Ballinger postures up.
Ballinger working the ground and pound but Dwan is defending the strikes.
Dwan is looking for a sweep.
Ballinger misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Dwan is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ballinger off and has taken his back!

Dwan looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Ballinger is controlling Dwan 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballinger throws and elbow that misses. Dwan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ballinger's guard. Nice move by Dwan!
Dwan preventing the sweep.
Tom Dwan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Ballinger is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Dwan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dwan wants to pass the guard but Ballinger is keeping the position.
Tom Dwan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dwan trying to control the position from guard on top but Ballinger 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.
Dwan slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Ballinger takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Dwan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Dwan winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Dwan!