PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Daniel ElRippo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

ElRippo
vs
Baker

179 cm
19
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel ElRippo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jimmy Baker!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Colin Fotheringham and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
ElRippo drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Baker fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baker wants to clinch.
Baker tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baker clinches up with ElRippo and pushes him back against the cage.
Baker looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Baker tries a body shot but ElRippo blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
ElRippo is working for takedown but Baker is calmly controlling the position for now.
Baker looking to stall.
Baker missing with knees to the body.
ElRippo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Baker lands a nice shot to the body.
ElRippo goes for a takedown attempt but Baker pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel ElRippo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

ElRippo shoots in and bounces Baker off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Baker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Baker looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ElRippo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baker is keeping the position for now.
Baker keeping moving, preventing ElRippo from controlling successfully.
ElRippo tries to free his leg and advance position but Baker is retaining full guard.
ElRippo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Baker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
ElRippo wants to pass the guard but Baker is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Baker tries to clinch there but ElRippo circles away.
ElRippo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Baker as he avoids it easily.
ElRippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Baker.
Baker moves in looking to clinch but ElRippo pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
ElRippo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
ElRippo fails with the takedown.
Baker tries to clinch but ElRippo moves out of range.

ElRippo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Baker looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
ElRippo 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.
ElRippo is breathing heavily.
Baker can't do much from the bottom here.
Baker is pushing ElRippo's head away, looking to escape. ElRippo manages to hold on to the position though.
Baker is looking to regain half guard here but ElRippo keeps moving and retains side control.

ElRippo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Baker, who protects the arm well.
Baker really doesn't want to stay on the ground with ElRippo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Baker struggling a bit 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.
Baker is trying to get back to half guard.
ElRippo staying calm.
Baker is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, ElRippo asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Baker tries to clinch but ElRippo is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel ElRippo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

ElRippo moves forwards but Baker connects with a nice, crisp jab.
ElRippo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Daniel ElRippo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
ElRippo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Baker throws out the jab.
ElRippo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Baker circles away.
ElRippo shoots in but no luck this time.
Baker wants to clinch.
Baker moves in looking to clinch but ElRippo pushes him off.

ElRippo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Baker being controlled here, momentarily.
Baker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
ElRippo stops Baker from standing up.
ElRippo won't allow Baker to sweep him here.
Baker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
ElRippo postures up.
ElRippo wants to control from the top but Baker keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baker tries to clinch up but ElRippo circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baker is looking to slow ElRippo down with leg kicks.
ElRippo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

ElRippo shoots in and bounces Baker off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
ElRippo pushing down on Baker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Baker is trying to defend against the ground and pound but ElRippo scores with a couple of nice shots.
ElRippo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Baker pushes ElRippo off but ElRippo dives into side control.
ElRippo passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Baker!
ElRippo looking to control and managing it successfully.

ElRippo stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
ElRippo shoots in but Baker avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel ElRippo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker wants to clinch up but ElRippo keeps it at a distance.
ElRippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Baker.

ElRippo looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

ElRippo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and ElRippo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Baker trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
ElRippo tries to free his leg and advance position but Baker is retaining full guard.

ElRippo gets to his feet - Baker follows without any prompting.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Baker!
ElRippo circles away from the clinch attempt.
ElRippo fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baker tries to clinch but ElRippo is having none of it.

ElRippo scores with a takedown into Baker's guard.
Baker looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but ElRippo puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

ElRippo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

ElRippo gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
ElRippo circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel ElRippo dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

ElRippo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
ElRippo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt ElRippo.
ElRippo swats away the attempt to clinch by Baker.
ElRippo keeps the fight on the outside.
Baker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
ElRippo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Baker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

ElRippo lands a takedown into guard.
Baker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Baker wants to sweep here but ElRippo controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker wants to stand up but ElRippo is controlling him.
Baker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
ElRippo pushes down on Baker's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Baker on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Baker wants to improve his position but ElRippo is controlling well.
ElRippo lands with a punch from half guard.

ElRippo is looking for a kimura but Baker is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for ElRippo to get the leverage.
ElRippo is looking to take a break and control but Baker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Baker is trying to stand up here but ElRippo is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Baker is pressing down on ElRippo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
ElRippo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
ElRippo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

ElRippo drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. ElRippo seems to have locked his on tight now - Baker screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for ElRippo, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Daniel ElRippo!