PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jacob MacFlannigan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julian Balenzano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

MacFlannigan
vs
Balenzano

190 cm
21
175 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacob MacFlannigan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Julian Balenzano!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MacFlannigan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Balenzano rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but MacFlannigan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Balenzano takes a jab right on the kisser.
MacFlannigan throws a left and a right that both miss

and Balenzano counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Balenzano wants to stand but MacFlannigan has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Balenzano wants to control from the top but MacFlannigan keeps moving.

MacFlannigan uses the cage to get back to his feet.
MacFlannigan is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
MacFlannigan swats away the attempt to clinch by Balenzano.
MacFlannigan misses with the combination.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balenzano.
MacFlannigan throws a right and a left that Balenzano avoids nicely.
Balenzano throws a combination. MacFlannigan tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Balenzano shoots in for a takedown but MacFlannigan shows good takedown defense.
Balenzano finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Balenzano tries to clinch but MacFlannigan moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacFlannigan throws a left and a right that both miss
and MacFlannigan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Balenzano throws a combination. MacFlannigan tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Balenzano tries to clinch but MacFlannigan moves out of range.

Balenzano decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
MacFlannigan pushes Balenzano off looking to stand but Balenzano dives back in and keeps control.
Balenzano wants to pass to mount but MacFlannigan is defending the position.

Balenzano is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and MacFlannigan defends it well.
MacFlannigan is refusing to be controlled, as Balenzano sits in half guard.
MacFlannigan looks like he's trying to stand up.

Balenzano is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacFlannigan flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
MacFlannigan tries to kick Balenzano off but Balenzano keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Balenzano misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
MacFlannigan catches Balenzano with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
MacFlannigan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Balenzano counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Balenzano.
MacFlannigan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Balenzano sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed MacFlannigan's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
MacFlannigan throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Balenzano manages to pass to side control.
Balenzano taking a breather here.
MacFlannigan tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacFlannigan really wants to buck Balenzano off and get back to his feet.
Balenzano looking to control and managing it successfully.
MacFlannigan throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
MacFlannigan is looking to improve his position but Balenzano isn't that keen on the idea.
Balenzano breaks from MacFlannigan's wrist control and lands an elbow.
MacFlannigan squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Balenzano controlling the position easily from mount.
Balenzano raining down shots from the mount!
Balenzano trying to control but MacFlannigan is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balenzano putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Balenzano dominated that 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.

Balenzano digs a good hook to MacFlannigan's body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balenzano looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
MacFlannigan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
MacFlannigan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Balenzano counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in MacFlannigan's guard now.
Balenzano stops MacFlannigan from standing up.
Balenzano postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Balenzano working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Balenzano trying to control the position from guard on top but MacFlannigan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Balenzano decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on MacFlannigan, up you get!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Balenzano.
MacFlannigan wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacFlannigan is looking for a sweep.
Balenzano prevents MacFlannigan from escaping the position.

Balenzano stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Jacob MacFlannigan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
MacFlannigan connects with a nice looking jab.
Balenzano shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has MacFlannigan pinned against the cage. MacFlannigan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Balenzano shoots in looking for a takedown. MacFlannigan tries to sprawl out of it but Balenzano keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. MacFlannigan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Balenzano swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Balenzano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Jacob MacFlannigan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julian Balenzano.

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.
A jab lands there for MacFlannigan.
MacFlannigan throws a hook but Balenzano avoids it easily.
Balenzano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A combination from Balenzano does no damage.
A left lands for Balenzano.
MacFlannigan throws a left and a right that both miss

and Balenzano counters with a nice double leg into side control. MacFlannigan won't be happy with that.

MacFlannigan bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
MacFlannigan lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
A right-left combo lands from Balenzano.
Jacob MacFlannigan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Balenzano takes the fight into the clinch.
Balenzano can't break the clinch.
Balenzano wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

MacFlannigan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jacob MacFlannigan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balenzano looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
MacFlannigan keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Balenzano misses with a head kick.
Balenzano takes a swing at MacFlannigan's ribcage but misses.
MacFlannigan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Balenzano counters with a straight right hand.
A punch combination from MacFlannigan misses.
MacFlannigan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Balenzano throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around MacFlannigan's waist but MacFlannigan gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Balenzano off to one side.
MacFlannigan wants to land a leg kick but Balenzano is out of range.
MacFlannigan misses with a double jab.
MacFlannigan lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
MacFlannigan throws a right and a left that Balenzano avoids nicely.
Balenzano shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has MacFlannigan pinned against the cage. MacFlannigan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
MacFlannigan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Balenzano looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? MacFlannigan is fending him off so far but Balenzano persists. Nope, MacFlannigan circles away and we're back to standing.
MacFlannigan lands a jab to the head.
MacFlannigan keeps the fight on the outside.
MacFlannigan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Balenzano walks into a jab.
Balenzano is looking to clinch but MacFlannigan is avoiding it.
Balenzano fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
MacFlannigan throws a right and a left that both miss.

Balenzano shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in MacFlannigan's guard.
Balenzano trying to control but MacFlannigan is working from the bottom.
MacFlannigan wants to get back to his feet but Balenzano is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
MacFlannigan striking off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julian Balenzano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

MacFlannigan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Balenzano misses with a combination
and MacFlannigan counters with a nice uppercut.

Balenzano gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
MacFlannigan keeps control of Balenzano as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
MacFlannigan has Balenzano pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Balenzano manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Balenzano has had enough of the clinch but MacFlannigan keeps him there for the moment.
Balenzano tries to pull guard but MacFlannigan holds him up against the cage and eventually Balenzano drops back down to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balenzano is trying to break free.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Balenzano fails to pull guard.

Balenzano breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balenzano lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as MacFlannigan backs up against the cage.
Balenzano on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Balenzano tries to clinch but MacFlannigan moves out of range.
MacFlannigan misses with the combination.

Balenzano gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Balenzano is trying to break free.
Balenzano has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. MacFlannigan avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Jacob MacFlannigan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julian Balenzano.

MacFlannigan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
MacFlannigan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Balenzano counters with a stiff right hand.
MacFlannigan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Balenzano moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
MacFlannigan scores with a three punch combo!
MacFlannigan throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Balenzano misses with a wild combination.
MacFlannigan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Horrible takedown by Balenzano or perhaps it was just good defense by MacFlannigan which made him look bad.
MacFlannigan is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balenzano misses with a wild combination.
MacFlannigan stuffs the takedown.
Balenzano is on the wrong end of a nice combination from MacFlannigan.
Balenzano bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Good leg kick by Balenzano there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
MacFlannigan misses with a double jab
and MacFlannigan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice takedown defense from Balenzano. No joy for MacFlannigan on that attempt.
MacFlannigan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Balenzano counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
MacFlannigan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
MacFlannigan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Balenzano.
Balenzano misses with a two punch combination.
Balenzano will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nice takedown defense from MacFlannigan. No joy for Balenzano on that attempt.
Balenzano tries to close the distance and clinch but MacFlannigan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Balenzano.
MacFlannigan throws a right hand that Balenzano ducks under and follows up with a left that Balenzano also avoids with ease.
MacFlannigan throws an overhand right that lands on Balenzano's shoulder, as Balenzano tries to avoid the shot.
Balenzano tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but MacFlannigan swivels and escapes.
A decent looking cross lands there for MacFlannigan.
MacFlannigan misses with a wild combination.
Balenzano throws a one two combo.
MacFlannigan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Balenzano counters with a three punch combo that has MacFlannigan backing up. MacFlannigan nods at Balenzano to acknowledge the strikes.
MacFlannigan lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Balenzano uses good head movement to avoid the hook from MacFlannigan.
Balenzano shoots for a double leg takedown but MacFlannigan sprawls well. He's pushed Balenzano's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Balenzano cracks MacFlannigan with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Balenzano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice takedown defense from MacFlannigan. No joy for Balenzano on that attempt.
Balenzano uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from MacFlannigan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
MacFlannigan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Balenzano counters with a one-two to the body.
MacFlannigan throws a right and a left that Balenzano avoids nicely.
Balenzano closes this distance looking for a takedown but MacFlannigan circles away.
MacFlannigan misses with a combination

and Balenzano counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in MacFlannigan's guard now.
Balenzano tries to stand but MacFlannigan is controlling from the bottom.
Balenzano prevents MacFlannigan from getting back to his feet.

MacFlannigan pushes Balenzano off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Balenzano shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Balenzano was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Jacob MacFlannigan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Balenzano can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as MacFlannigan is looking to escape.

Balenzano stands up from mount. Strange move.

And that's the end of the fight!
Julian Balenzano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Balenzano winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Julian Balenzano!