PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tad Whitney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stabill Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tad Whitney has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Whitney
vs
Balboa

187 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

195 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tad Whitney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stabill Balboa!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balboa shoots in looking for a takedown. Whitney tries to sprawl out of it but Balboa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Whitney manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Balboa lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Whitney circles away quickly and effectively.
Balboa doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Whitney decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Balboa's guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Balboa has his foot on Whitney's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Whitney works his way back into a safe position though.
Whitney landing some decent shots from guard.
Whitney sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa 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.
Whitney is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Tad Whitney has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Balboa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Whitney moves into the clinch.
Tad Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stabill Balboa.
Balboa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Whitney fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Balboa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Balboa tries for a takedown but Whitney circles away easily

and Whitney counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney is trying to break the clinch but Balboa has him pressed against the cage.
Balboa tries to pull guard but Whitney forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Balboa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Whitney avoids it.

Whitney pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Balboa moves into the clinch.
Balboa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Whitney pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Balboa looks winded!

Whitney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Balboa thows a leg kick but Whitney checks it

and Whitney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Whitney has hold of one of Balboa's legs. Balboa is fighting the takedown attempt but Whitney gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balboa wants to sweep but no luck.
Whitney trying to stand up but can't free himself from Balboa's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitney cracks Balboa with a solid left hand.
Whitney sitting in guard here, content to control.
Whitney works over Balboa with some ground and pound from guard.
Whitney is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Whitney with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Balboa is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Whitney sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Whitney connects with a couple of short punches.
Balboa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Whitney stays in close to Balboa's body and controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Whitney gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Balboa shoots and misses

and Whitney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Whitney is stalling here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Whitney gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Balboa drags the fight down to the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Whitney is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Whitney wants to stand but Balboa has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tad Whitney dominated that 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.

Balboa forces Whitney back against the cage and clinches.
Balboa tries to score a body lock takedown but Whitney shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Balboa is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Whitney is defending well.

Balboa breaks the clinch.
Whitney wants to clinch
and Balboa counters with a slapping leg kick.
Whitney stuffs the takedown.
Tad Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stabill Balboa.
A thudding body kick lands there by Balboa!
Stabill Balboa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balboa misses with a takedown attempt

and Whitney moves into the clinch.
Balboa is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitney is trying to push Balboa away but Balboa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Balboa looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Whitney content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Whitney has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Balboa is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Whitney is defending well for now.
Whitney leaning against his opponent.
Whitney is trying to force a seperation but Balboa has the dominant position.
Balboa prevents Whitney from breaking the clinch.
Balboa pushes off an throws an elbow but Whitney leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
The referee calls for Whitney to work.

Whitney's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa with a poor takedown

and Whitney counters with a nice double leg into side control. Balboa won't be happy with that.
A lull in the action here as Whitney stalls from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Whitney tries to move into full mount but can't pass Balboa's legs.
Balboa tries to control but Whitney manages to take his back.
Whitney is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Balboa. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Balboa is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is really stuck here.
Balboa is trying to remain composed but Whitney is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Balboa trying to control the position but Whitney manages to sink in the hooks.
Whitney scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Balboa is looking for a way out.
Whitney controlling well, preventing Balboa from escaping the position.
Whitney controls the position.
Whitney has the hooks in. Balboa is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitney trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Balboa doesn't escape.
Whitney loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Balboa hold on?
Whitney biding his time, looking for the opening.
Tad Whitney overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
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!
Whitney has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Whitney connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Balboa to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Whitney connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Balboa to escape the position.
Whitney throwing damaging strikes from the back! Balboa could be in trouble here!
What can Balboa do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tad Whitney dominated that second round.
That's time! Whitney's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Balboa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Whitney counters with a takedown into side control.
Whitney takes a little break here. Balboa wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Balboa is not content to let Whitney control the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Whitney remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tad Whitney.
Balboa tries for a takedown but Whitney circles away easily

and Whitney holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Whitney avoiding damage as Balboa throws knees to the body.
Balboa works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Whitney has Balboa pressed against the cage, preventing Balboa from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Whitney lands a takedown into guard.
Whitney is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Balboa looking to control.
Balboa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Whitney's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Whitney won't allow Balboa to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitney is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Whitney is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balboa can do to turn this around?

We're going to have a standup here because Tad Whitney wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Whitney gets a clinch.
Balboa goes for a takedown attempt but Whitney pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tad Whitney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stabill Balboa.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balboa misses with a takedown

and Whitney counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Whitney.

Whitney lands a takedown into guard.

Whitney stands up and waves to Balboa to follow him.
Balboa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Whitney counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Balboa's guard now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitney would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Whitney controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Tad Whitney has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Balboa avoids the head kick by Whitney.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balboa clinches up against the cage.
Whitney holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Balboa wants a takedown but no success here.
Whitney is trying to break the clinch but Balboa is controlling him.
Whitney is pushing Balboa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Balboa.
Stabill Balboa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tad Whitney is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Whitney stalls.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tad Whitney showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Whitney, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tad Whitney!