PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Knock Out (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Out
vs
Balboa

172 cm
25
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Knock Out!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joe Balboa!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Out wants to clinch up but Balboa keeps it at a distance.
Balboa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balboa tries a head kick but it misses.

Out drives through and clinches with Balboa against the cage.
Balboa tries to break the clinch but Out is controlling the position.
Balboa can't get the takedown.
Out is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Out escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Out wants to clinch.
Out is looking to clinch.
Out tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Balboa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Balboa shoots in and gets a takedown into Out's guard.
Balboa passes into half guard.
Balboa wants to stand but Out has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Out knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Balboa on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Out wants to get back to his feet.
Out won't allow Balboa to pass to mount.

Balboa is working for a kimura but Out is defending it quite comfortably.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Balboa there.
Out is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balboa is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Out!

Balboa is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Out tries to close the distance and clinch but Balboa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Balboa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balboa tries to clinch there but Out circles away.

Balboa gets tackled into the cage by Out. Out maintains the clinch.
Balboa gets underhooks to prevent Out's takedown attempt.
Out has Balboa pressed against the cage, preventing Balboa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Out escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Out gets a clinch.
Out lands a good knee to the midsection. Balboa won't want to take too many of those.
Out lands an elbow just above Balboa 's eye.
A bit of stalling here from Out.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Balboa wants a takedown.
Balboa looking for a takedown.
Knock Out has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Balboa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa has had enough of the clinch but Out keeps him there for the moment.
Balboa has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Out is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Balboa is trying to break free.
Out slows down the pace here.
Balboa is looking to break free of the clinch but Out has double underhooks.
Out has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Balboa is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Out is trying to drag Balboa to the mat but Balboa just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Out lands an elbow inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Balboa will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Out pushes Balboa up against the cage in a clinch.
Balboa is trying to stall.
Out lands an elbow that stopped Balboa in his tracks for a moment.
Out has Balboa pressed against the cage, preventing Balboa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Out lands an elbow inside.

Out lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Out wants to stand but Balboa has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Balboa tries to get to full guard but Out has control of the leg.
Balboa regains full guard. Nicely done.

Out decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Balboa swats away the attempt to clinch by Out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Out tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balboa paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Knock Out is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Out defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Balboa.
Out misses with a head kick.
Out misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Out darts in trying to clinch
and Balboa counters with a right hand to the body.
Balboa throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Out shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balboa defends it nicely.
Out avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Out leaves Balboa with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Knock Out seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Knock Out has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Balboa.
Balboa is looking to clinch but Out is avoiding it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Out.
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Out as he jumps to the side.

Out gets a clinch.
Balboa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Out stalls.

Out gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Balboa regains guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Out in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Out has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Out with a flurry of punches that miss.
Out wants to get up but he can't break Balboa's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Balboa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Out postures up in Balboa's guard and throws a big left but Balboa blocks it.
Balboa controlling Out's posture.
Out is looking to work some ground and pound but Balboa has wrist control.
Balboa manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Balboa has hold of Out's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Out manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balboa is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Balboa misses with a jab, cross combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Out is looking to clinch.
Out throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Knock Out dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Out closes the distance and clinches.

Balboa manages to pull guard.
Balboa controlling the position.
Balboa looking for a sweep. Not yet Balboa, not yet.
Out loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Balboa is adopting a defensive guard.
Out keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Balboa's head.
Out working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Out postures up.

Out gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Out lands a head kick. Balboa smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Out blocks a leg kick.
Out misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Balboa doesn't manage to clinch there - Out circles away.

Out clinches with his opponent.
Balboa tries for a takedown but Out manages to get underhooks.

Out breaks from the clinch.
Out wants to clinch.
Out circles away from the clinch attempt.
Out is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Out wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Out has taken the fight to the clinch.
Balboa takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Out.
Out lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Out is working for takedown but Balboa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Balboa goes for a takedown attempt but Out pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A leg kick checked by Out.
Out throws a head kick but Balboa moves out of range.
Balboa shoots in but no luck this time.
Knock Out has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Balboa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Out tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balboa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick misses from Out.

Out clinches up with Balboa and pushes him back against the cage.
Out lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Out scores with a knee to the head.
Balboa fails to pull guard.
Balboa blocks the elbow strike.
Out lands a good knee to the midsection. Balboa won't want to take too many of those.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Out.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Out.
Out with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Out is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Balboa gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Out gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Balboa taking a breather.

Out escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Balboa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Balboa gets tackled into the cage by Out. Out maintains the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Out lands an elbow inside that Balboa shrugs off.
Balboa is looking to control Out's arms but Out gets an underhook and turns him. Now Balboa has his back to the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Out.
Balboa is looking to take this one to the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balboa is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Out unloads a knee to the mid-section. Balboa lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

And that's the end of the fight!
Knock Out showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Out 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Knock Out!