PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saho Bala (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rory O Malley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saho Bala has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Bala
vs
O Malley

172 cm
24
156 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Saho Bala!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rory O Malley!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Jorge Garcia and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Malley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Bala closes the distance and clinches.
O Malley scores with a shot to the side of Bala's head.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala misses with some punches.
Bala lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of O Malley backwards.
Bala misses with some punches.
O Malley prevents a body shot from Bala.
Bala misses with the head strike.
O Malley has a couple of punches blocked by Bala.
O Malley lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Bala blocks a punch to the side of the head.
O Malley stalling.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bala goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
O Malley misses with a body punch.
O Malley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Bala prevents it.
O Malley tries to stall but Bala uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala swings wildly with an uppercut but O Malley uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Malley stalling in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Bala.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bala.
Bala scores with an uppercut up the middle.
O Malley tries to stall but Bala uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Bala lands a hook that snaps the head of O Malley backwards.
Bala presses O Malley against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
O Malley throws an elbow that misses.
Stalling in the clinch from O Malley.
Bala misses with some punches.
Bala misses with a short punch on the inside.
O Malley tries to land knees in the clinch but Bala avoids the damage to the body.
O Malley missing with knees to the body.
Bala lands a nice uppercut.
A short right from O Malley.
O Malley pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for O Malley.
O Malley pushes off an throws an elbow but Bala leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bala lands a hook to the side of the head.

O Malley is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Malley misses with a hook to the ribs.
O Malley is still on wobbly legs! Can Bala finish him?
Bala managing to block the knees to the body from O Malley.
O Malley seems to have recovered his senses.
Bala is working O Malley over against the cage.
Bala has a couple of punches blocked by O Malley.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
A shot in the inside from Bala.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala throws a head punch that misses.
Bala misses with the head strike.
Bala softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bala lands a left hand.
Bala lands a shot to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bala.
Bala blocks an elbow strike from O Malley.
Bala lands on the inside with an uppercut.
O Malley misses with a short punch on the inside.
Bala misses with a punch on the inside.
O Malley blocks a body shot from Bala.
O Malley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Malley blocking some punches.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bala.
O Malley working aggressively here.
Bala dodges an elbow strike from O Malley.
A head punch on the inside from Bala fails to land.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Bala fails to land.
Bala working aggressively here.
Bala throws a punch but it's blocked by O Malley.
Bala lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
O Malley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
Bala working aggressively here.
Bala avoiding damage as O Malley throws knees to the body.
Bala lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt O Malley or not.
Bala pushes O Malley back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bala misses with a short punch on the inside.
O Malley looking to slow down the pace here.
Bala blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Malley stalling in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Bala fails to land.
Bala throws a punch but it's blocked by O Malley.
Bala tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A nice right hand lands inside from Bala.
O Malley blocks an uppercut.
O Malley stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Bala misses with a punch on the inside.
O Malley just leaning against Bala, taking a breather.
Bala blocks an uppercut.
Bala throws a punch but it's blocked by O Malley.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala lands a nice uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bala.
O Malley misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from O Malley fails to land.
O Malley throws an elbow that misses.
O Malley swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saho Bala dominated that round.
That's time! Bala's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

O Malley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
O Malley misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bala.
Bala tries to clinch there but O Malley circles away.
And O Malley responds with a good body kick, but Bala manages to step out the way in time.

Bala tries to keep at a distance but O Malley has taken the fight into the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
O Malley swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bala lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bala lands with a left to the head.
Bala tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala lands a nice uppercut.
Bala misses with a body punch.
Bala throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Bala struggles to land a body shot inside as O Malley controls his hands.
Bala misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bala misses with a hook from the clinch.
The referee calls for O Malley to work.
O Malley blocks a body shot from Bala.
Bala swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Bala struggles to land a body shot inside as O Malley controls his hands.
Bala blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
O Malley has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bala is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
O Malley has a couple of punches blocked by Bala.
Bala throws a head punch that misses.
O Malley has a couple of punches blocked by Bala.
Bala misses with a punch to the body.
Good body shot from Bala.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from O Malley.
O Malley throws a punch but it's blocked by Bala.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
O Malley blocks a body shot from Bala.
Bala blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Bala misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Malley content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Saho Bala has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from O Malley.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, O Malley just misses with a elbow thrown towards Bala's brow.
Bala gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from O Malley.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
Bala lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
Bala swings wildly with an uppercut but O Malley uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Malley misses with a punch on the inside.
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!
Bala misses with some punches.
Bala is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that O Malley can do to turn this around?
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bala.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bala.
O Malley's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Malley is struggling to control the position.
O Malley trying to stall but Bala improves his position.
Bala tries a body shot but O Malley blocks it.
O Malley working aggressively here.
Bala lands a body punch in the clinch.
Bala lands with a right to the head.
O Malley stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
O Malley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Bala - that landed with a thud.
A shot in the inside from Bala.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
O Malley tries a knee to the head but Bala blocks it.
O Malley is breathing heavily.
Bala swings wildly with an uppercut but O Malley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bala lands a right hand.
O Malley leaning against his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Malley swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bala misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Bala.
O Malley blocks an uppercut.
O Malley blocks a body shot from Bala.
A head punch on the inside from Bala fails to land.
Bala misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
O Malley tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bala's elbow.
Bala working aggressively here.
Bala throws a punch but it's blocked by O Malley.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Bala working some nice short punches in the clinch.
O Malley misses with an elbow over the top.
Bala misses with some punches.
O Malley blocks an uppercut.
Bala blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bala softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saho Bala dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Bala tries to close the distance and clinch but O Malley swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
O Malley is looking to land body kicks.

O Malley moves into the clinch.
Bala working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bala avoids a wild elbow strike from O Malley.
Bala throws a head punch that misses.
O Malley taking a breather.
O Malley throws an elbow that misses.
O Malley blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bala lands a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Malley is trying to stall.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
O Malley misses with a punch on the inside.
O Malley looking to stall.
O Malley blocks a body shot from Bala.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala misses with a body punch.
O Malley trying to stall but Bala improves his position.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
O Malley prevents a body shot from Bala.
Bala throws a head punch that misses.
Bala scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nice body punch from Bala.
Bala misses with a hook from the clinch.
O Malley just leaning against Bala, taking a breather.
A head punch blocked on the inside by O Malley.
Bala blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bala has a couple of punches blocked by O Malley.
O Malley trying to land knees to the body.
Bala working aggressively here.
Bala scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Malley goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
O Malley leaning against his opponent.
Bala being controlled against the cage.
Bala swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from O Malley.
O Malley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bala prevents a body shot from O Malley.
Bala fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bala blocks the elbow strike.
O Malley is pushing Bala up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Bala tries to throw a body punch but O Malley avoids it by throwing Bala back against the cage.
Bala goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bala.
Bala misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rory O Malley has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bala throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Malley stalling against the cage.
Bala has a couple of punches blocked by O Malley.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for O Malley.
Bala misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bala.
Bala struggles to land a body shot inside as O Malley controls his hands.
A head punch on the inside from O Malley fails to land.
Bala swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bala lands a hook that snaps the head of O Malley backwards.
Saho Bala is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
O Malley lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Bala letting O Malley take a breather here.
O Malley effectively controlling the action here.
O Malley is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Bala is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Malley swings wildly with an uppercut but Bala uses good head movement to avoid it.
O Malley is stalling here.
O Malley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
O Malley misses with some punches.
O Malley stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
O Malley has Bala pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bala manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bala blocks an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Bala scores with a nice short uppercut.
Bala managing to block the knees to the body from O Malley.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saho Bala showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bala, 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saho Bala!
An out of breath Saho Bala thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.