PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mr Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samin Ax (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mr Ward has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ward
vs
Ax

165 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
31
140 lbs
8 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mr Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Samin Ax!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Dillan Fox and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ax shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ward sprawls well. Ward wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ax gets slowly back to his feet.

Ward closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Ward jumps into guard, dragging Ax to the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ax accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ward escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ax gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ax pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.
Ward is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Ward throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ward is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax wants to pass the guard but Ward is keeping the position.
Ward wants to sweep here but Ax controlling him for the moment.

Ward is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ward wants to stand but Ax is controlling the position.
Ax with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Ax must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ax wants to control from the top but Ward keeps moving.
Ward seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Ward wants to sweep here but Ax controlling him for the moment.
Ward might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ward is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ax trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.

Mr Ward has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Ax closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Ward to the mat! Ward manages to get full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ward looking for a sweep. Not yet Ward, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to stand but Ax is controlling the position.
Ax is looking to work some ground and pound but Ward has wrist control.
Ax scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Ax avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ward trying to keep a closed guard but Ax is proving a slippery customer.
Ward is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Ward has his foot on Ax's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ax works his way back into a safe position though.
Ward not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ax won't allow Ward to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ward trying to control but Ax is having none of it.
Ward landing strikes from the mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ward lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Ax hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ward shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ax but Ax pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ward takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ward attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Ward misses with a takedown attempt - Ax sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ward misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ward tries for a takedown but Ax circles away easily

so Ax counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mr Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ward is pulling down on Ax's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mr Ward overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Ward has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ax can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ward trying to control the position.
Ax throws a big elbow that misses.
Ax throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ward trying to control the position.
Ax trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.
Ward keeping full guard, as Ax tries to pass.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ax in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Ward is on top in guard.
Ax tries to strike from the bottom.
Ax being controlled here, momentarily.

Mr Ward has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ward has a takedown stuffed.

Ax gets caught napping as Ward dives in and scores a takedown. Ax manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward trying to control but Ax is working from the bottom.
Ward throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ax works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ax manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Ax throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Ward because Ax loaded up on that one.
Ward swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Ward tries to hold on but Ax pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ax throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Ward wants to hold on but Ax pushes him away.
Ward is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ward sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Ax is trying to work for a kimura but Ward is defending well.
Ax thows a huge punch but Ward dodges it nicely.
Ward gets back to full guard.
Ward not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ax with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ax prevents Ward from getting back to his feet.
Ward working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mr Ward will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ward throws a combination that misses

and Ax counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Ward!
Ax is working Ward over with some ground and pound from side control.
Ward misses with an elbow from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Ward's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ax landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ward is looking to regain half guard here but Ax keeps moving and retains side control.
Ward manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Ground and pound from Ward.
Ward wants to take a breather but Ax is having none of it.

Ward is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ax is refusing to be controlled, as Ward sits in half guard.
Ward sitting and controlling from the half guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Ward wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ax keeps working.

That's two 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.

Mr Ward has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ward shoots in for a takedown but Ax shows good takedown defense.
Samin Ax has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ax shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ward sprawls well. Ward wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ax gets slowly back to his feet.
Mr Ward is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ward moves into the clinch.
Ax on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ward manages to break the clinch.
Ward looks to land a combination but Ax avoids it well.
Ward dives in for a single leg takedown but Ax sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Ward pulls guard.
Ward looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ax is one step ahead there.
Ax won't allow Ward to get back to his feet.
Ax throws a big right hand that misses.
Ward bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ax's guard.
Ax wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ax is keeping the position for now.
Ax keeping moving, preventing Ward from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mr Ward.
Ward fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mr Ward. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ax avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mr Ward.
Well Ward has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:28
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mr Ward!