PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wayne Ballantine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Swanson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Ballantine
vs
Swanson

178 cm
19
177 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
23
182 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Crippler's Corner

Crippler's Corner
Crippler's Corner

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Wayne Ballantine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Swanson!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballantine walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Swanson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Swanson ducks under a wild hook from Ballantine.
Swanson throws a right hand that Ballantine ducks under and follows up with a left that Ballantine also avoids with ease.
Ballantine throws a body punch but Swanson moves out of range.

Swanson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ballantine struggling a bit here.
Ballantine is trying to improve his position.
Ballantine wants to get back to his feet but Swanson drags him back down.
Swanson tries to move into full mount but can't pass Ballantine's legs.
Swanson trying to control the position but Ballantine is working away.
Ballantine is working to avoid the ground and pound but Swanson connects with a decent elbow.
Ballantine tries to buck Swanson off but Swanson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine is not content to let Swanson control the position.
Ballantine sneaks back into half guard.
Ballantine wants to get back to full guard.
Swanson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Ballantine is trying to stand up here but Swanson is controlling him well.
Ballantine is refusing to be controlled, as Swanson sits in half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ballantine fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ballantine cracks Swanson with a good jab.

Ballantine shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Ballantine working for a guillotine from mount but Swanson is in no mood to give up.
Swanson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swanson regains half guard.
Swanson wants to improve his position but Ballantine is controlling well.
Swanson works his way to full guard. Good work.

Ballantine avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Swanson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Swanson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ballantine throwing strikes from guard but Swanson blocks nicely.
Ballantine stopping the sweep attempt from Swanson.
Ballantine landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swanson trying to keep a closed guard but Ballantine is proving a slippery customer.

Swanson is working an open guard so Ballantine takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Swanson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Swanson misses with the combination.
Swanson misses with a two punch combination.
Wayne Ballantine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ballantine cracks Swanson with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ballantine misses with a two punch combination.
Ballantine throws a leg kick that misses.
Ballantine moves away from the strike by Swanson.
Ballantine throws a nice looking combination but Swanson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ballantine attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Ballantine lands a nice hook to Swanson's body. Swanson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swanson misses with a straight left.
Ballantine takes a swing at Swanson's ribcage but misses.
Some wild striking there from Swanson.
Swanson has a takedown stuffed.
Swanson looks gassed!
Nice defenses there by Swanson.
Ballantine misses with a straight right.
Ballantine scores with a jab to the head.
Swanson blocks a leg kick.
A cross from Ballantine lands.
Ballantine slips under a jab.
Swanson on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ballantine misses with a takedown
and Swanson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Ballantine dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ballantine just misses with a punch to the body.
Ballantine pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Wayne Ballantine is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ballantine throws an overhand right that lands on Swanson's shoulder, as Swanson tries to avoid the shot.
Ballantine misses with a double jab
and Swanson counters with a two punch combo.
Ballantine looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Swanson ducks under a wild hook from Ballantine.
Ballantine misses with a shot to the body
and Swanson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Ballantine feints and then cracks Swanson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Swanson down.
Ballantine waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Swanson.
Ballantine throws a one two combo.
Swanson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ballantine.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ballantine.
Ballantine scores with a nice head shot.
Ballantine misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ballantine throws a nice looking combination but Swanson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Swanson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ballantine misses with a few strikes there.
Ballantine throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ballantine fails to land with a series of punches.
Ballantine swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Ballantine lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Ballantine lands with a cross.
Swanson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ballantine moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Swanson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nice defenses there by Ballantine.
Ballantine lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ballantine throws a big shot that misses.
Ballantine uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Swanson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine throws a left and a right that both miss
and Swanson counters with a left to the body.
Ballantine ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Swanson moves away.
Swanson misses with a body shot.
A big left from Ballantine misses.
Ballantine just misses with a punch to the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ballantine lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Swanson has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Swanson and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Swanson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Ballantine.
Swanson throws a shot from downtown. Ballantine moves away and avoids it.
Swanson misses with a looping left.
Ballantine throws a hook to the side of Swanson's head but Swanson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ballantine lands a jab to the nose.
A clash of legs there as Swanson blocks the low kick.
Swanson slips a straight right by Ballantine.
Ballantine misses with a combination
and Swanson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good exchange - Ballantine coming out on top.
Ballantine throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ballantine slips under a jab from Swanson.
Ballantine lands a two punch combo.
Swanson slips under a jab from Ballantine.
A punch combination from Ballantine misses.
A big right from Ballantine misses.
Swanson tries to bum rush Ballantine with a series of wild strikes but Ballantine uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A slow jab from Ballantine misses its intended target.
Swanson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ballantine swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Swanson counters with a nice uppercut.
Swanson swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Ballantine makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Swanson misses with a straight left.
Ballantine throws a right hand that Swanson ducks under and follows up with a left that Swanson also avoids with ease.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine misses with a body punch
and Swanson counters with a straight right hand.
Swanson misses with the combination.
Ballantine with a hook.
Ballantine misses with a wild combination.
Swanson throws a lazy right hand but Ballantine sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ballantine scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Swanson dodges the punch combination from Ballantine.
Ballantine thows a body shot but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Swanson lands a head shot.
Ballantine misses with a combination

and Swanson counters with a shoot takedown. Ballantine fights it but they end up in guard.
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!
Ballantine throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wayne Ballantine dominated that second 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ballantine swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ballantine throws a jab when Swanson was well out of range.
Ballantine throws a left and a right that both miss

and Swanson counters with a single leg into guard. Ballantine didn't expect that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swanson chips away with some ground and pound.
Swanson passes Ballantine's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Swanson wants to free his trapped foot but Ballantine is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Swanson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ballantine does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ballantine slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ballantine doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ballantine trying to keep a closed guard but Swanson is proving a slippery customer.
Ballantine trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Swanson trying to control but Ballantine is working from the bottom.
Ballantine is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Swanson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine is nestled in close to Swanson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ballantine wants to lay and pray for a moment but Swanson keeps working.
Swanson is looking to control Ballantine's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Swanson avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Swanson wants to improve his position but Ballantine is controlling well.
Ballantine moves nicely into side control.
Ballantine working the body and head with strikes.
Ballantine working the head and body with strikes.
Swanson is not content to let Ballantine control the position.
Swanson gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine is looking to take a break and control but Swanson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Swanson wants to control but Ballantine is keeping busy.
Ballantine wants to lay and pray for a moment but Swanson keeps working.
Swanson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ballantine works over Swanson with some ground and pound from guard.
Ballantine has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ballantine trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ballantine missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Swanson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Ballantine from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine tries to free his leg and advance position but Swanson is retaining full guard.
Ballantine lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ballantine thows a big elbow that misses.
Ballantine lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ballantine lands a couple of elbows.
Swanson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ballantine is one step ahead there.
Ballantine is working Swanson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Swanson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ballantine trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Swanson keeping moving, preventing Ballantine from controlling successfully.
Ballantine lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

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.
Ballantine keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Swanson's head.
Swanson working a defensive guard here.
Ballantine scoring with some ground and pound.
Swanson being controlled here, momentarily.
Ballantine looking to sit in guard and control but Swanson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Swanson looking to pass the guard.
Ballantine looking for a sweep. Not yet Ballantine, not yet.
Joe Swanson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ballantine throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Swanson.
I think Ballantine 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

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