PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jam Balaia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zack Sparks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jam Balaia is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Balaia
vs
Sparks

190 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jam Balaia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Zack Sparks!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balaia shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sparks as he avoids it easily.
Balaia slips under a jab.
Sparks looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Balaia is fending him off so far but Sparks persists. Nope, Balaia circles away and we're back to standing.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Balaia is defended easily by Sparks.
Sparks shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Balaia pinned against the cage. Balaia gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Sparks shoots for a takedown but Balaia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jam Balaia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Sparks.
Balaia lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Sparks dives in and grabs Balaia's left leg, looking for a takedown. Balaia pushes down on Sparks's head and hops out.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balaia.
Nice takedown defense from Balaia. No joy for Sparks on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Balaia sprawls well. Balaia wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sparks gets slowly back to his feet.
Balaia closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sparks circles away.
Balaia is looking to clinch but Sparks is avoiding it.
Sparks stuffs the takedown attempt from Balaia. Balaia gets slowly back to his feet.
Sparks shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balaia defends it nicely.
Sparks tries to clinch there but Balaia circles away.
Balaia shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sparks as he jumps to the side.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sparks is defended easily by Balaia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparks missing with a left hand there. Balaia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sparks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balaia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sparks tries to close the distance and clinch but Balaia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Balaia keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sparks shoots in but Balaia avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Balaia feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Sparks's calf.
Sparks tries to close the distance and clinch but Balaia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice takedown defense from Balaia. No joy for Sparks on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Sparks with that takedown attempt.
Sparks displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Balaia.
Balaia connects with a solid leg kick.
Sparks throws a sloppy head kick
and Balaia counters with a slapping leg kick.
Balaia displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sparks.
Sparks shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balaia defends it nicely.
Sparks looks gassed!
Balaia uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sparks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparks keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Balaia is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sparks sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sparks tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Balaia swivels and escapes.
Balaia slips a jab and a cross from Sparks.
Balaia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Balaia misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Balaia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sparks moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balaia stuffs the takedown attempt from Sparks. Sparks gets slowly back to his feet.

Balaia fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sparks, pushing him back against the cage.
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 Jam Balaia will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Balaia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sparks avoids it really well and circles away.
Sparks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Balaia circles away.
Balaia shoots in for a double leg but Sparks sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sparks throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Balaia sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Balaia lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Balaia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sparks pinned against the cage. Sparks gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jam Balaia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balaia plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Balaia has managed to clinch.
Balaia is trying to push Sparks away but Sparks has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Balaia has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Sparks is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Sparks changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Balaia fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sparks shoots for a takedown but Balaia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jam Balaia is winning the standup battle so far.
Sparks swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Balaia misses with a takedown attempt - Sparks sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sparks tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balaia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sparks is defended easily by Balaia.
No luck for Balaia with that takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balaia keeps the fight on the outside.
Balaia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sparks tries to avoid it but Balaia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sparks to the ground. Sparks escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Balaia throws a nice looking combination but Sparks bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Sparks dives in and scores a takedown into Balaia's guard.
Balaia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Sparks gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sparks looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balaia looks for a takedown but Sparks sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparks fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sparks is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sparks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Balaia avoids the head kick by Sparks.
Sparks tries to clinch there but Balaia circles away.

Balaia drives through and clinches with Sparks against the cage.
Balaia blocks a body shot from Sparks.
Sparks looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparks looking to stall.
Sparks wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sparks tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Balaia just stands there and leans against the cage.
Sparks has Balaia pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Balaia manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Balaia is trying to break free.
Balaia is trying to break the clinch but Sparks is controlling him.

Balaia successfully pulls guard.
Sparks not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sparks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balaia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zack Sparks will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sparks leaves Balaia with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Sparks.
Balaia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sparks.
Balaia connects with a high kick.
Sparks throws a lazy body kick
and Balaia counters with a nice leg kick.
Sparks looks for the body kick but Balaia saw that one coming.
Jam Balaia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sparks falls off balance throwing a combination
and Balaia counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Sparks fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Balaia avoids it really well and circles away.
Sparks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Balaia fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparks fails to land the takedown.
Jam Balaia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zack Sparks.
Sparks fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Balaia digs a good body shot into Sparks's ribs.
Balaia shoots in for a takedown but Sparks shows good takedown defense.
Balaia plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Balaia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Balaia shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sparks but Sparks pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Balaia stuffs the takedown attempt from Sparks. Sparks gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balaia throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Sparks's head.
Sparks tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balaia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Balaia.
Sparks misses with a looping right.
Balaia connects with an inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balaia tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Balaia moves out of range of the strikes.
Balaia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sparks avoids it really well and circles away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sparks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balaia stuffs the takedown attempt from Sparks. Sparks gets slowly back to his feet.
Balaia throws a right and a left that Sparks avoids nicely.
Sparks goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sparks throws a head kick but Balaia moves out of range.
Balaia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sparks avoids it really well and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Balaia or perhaps it was just good defense by Sparks which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Balaia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sparks swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balaia shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sparks as he jumps to the side.
Sparks shoots for a takedown but Balaia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sparks shoots in but no luck this time.
Sparks circles away from the clinch attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice takedown defense from Sparks. No joy for Balaia on that attempt.
Sparks walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Balaia checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Sparks shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jam Balaia showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Balaia has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jam Balaia!