PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gerry Zimmerman (ranked 25056 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lee Baldock (ranked 5322 p4p, 0 weight class). Lee Baldock has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zimmerman
vs
Baldock

192 cm
18
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

160 cm
25
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 1, fighting out of London, Gerry Zimmerman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lee Baldock!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Paul Tew and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baldock misses with a head kick.
Baldock looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Baldock throws a sloppy head kick and Zimmerman moves out of range easily.
Zimmerman throws a big counter combination but Baldock scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Zimmerman instigates a clinch.

Baldock pulls guard.
Zimmerman showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Zimmerman seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Baldock for as long as he can get away with.
Baldock keeping moving, preventing Zimmerman from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zimmerman is really struggling to control Baldock but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Zimmerman is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Baldock wants to get back to his feet but Zimmerman passes into half guard.
Zimmerman trying to control from half guard but Baldock is working away.

Zimmerman seems to be working for a kimura but Baldock defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Zimmerman is working for a submission of some sort.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Zimmerman wants to take a breather but Baldock is having none of it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Baldock circles away from the clinch attempt
and Baldock counters with a left and a right that stings Zimmerman.
Zimmerman really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Zimmerman moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zimmerman gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Baldock regains guard.
Zimmerman trying to control the position from guard on top but Baldock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zimmerman knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Baldock on the ground.
Zimmerman is fighting to break Baldock's control of his arms but Baldock is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Baldock looks winded!
Zimmerman is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Baldock is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
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.
Zimmerman stops Baldock from standing up.
Baldock 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.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baldock paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baldock stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baldock wants it to stay on the feet.
Baldock goes for a double leg but Zimmerman avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Zimmerman continues to drive forward.
Baldock keeps the fight on the outside.
Lee Baldock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zimmerman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Baldock manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Baldock feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Zimmerman tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Baldock 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.

Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baldock swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baldock fails with the takedown.
Zimmerman thinks about countering with a head kick.
Zimmerman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Zimmerman moves out of range of the strikes.

Zimmerman fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baldock, pushing him back against the cage.
Zimmerman is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Baldock pulls him back up using the underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baldock breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zimmerman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baldock is breathing heavily.
Zimmerman slaps away a takedown attempt from Baldock, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zimmerman pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Zimmerman moves into range and clinches up with Baldock.
Baldock tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gerry Zimmerman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lee Baldock.
Zimmerman pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Baldock tries to pull guard but Zimmerman forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Baldock jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Zimmerman walks away with a smile on his face. Baldock gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch.

Zimmerman clinches up with Baldock and pushes him back against the cage.
Zimmerman is trying to break free.
Zimmerman tries to score a body lock takedown but Baldock shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zimmerman looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldock tries to pull guard but Zimmerman won't allow it.
Baldock letting Zimmerman take a breather here.
Zimmerman drops down looking for an ankle pick but Baldock pulls his leg out and moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Zimmerman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baldock shoots in but no luck this time.
Zimmerman wants to clinch up but Baldock keeps it at a distance.
Zimmerman tries to clinch up.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Baldock circles away.
Zimmerman is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zimmerman doesn't manage to clinch there - Baldock circles away.
Baldock swats away the attempt to clinch by Zimmerman.
Baldock keeps the fight on the outside.
Baldock keeps the fight on the outside.
Baldock lands with a cross.
Zimmerman is looking to clinch but Baldock is avoiding it.
Baldock now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Baldock will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Baldock circles away.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Baldock circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baldock looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zimmerman throws a big counter combination but Baldock scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Baldock avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baldock defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Zimmerman.

Zimmerman rushes Baldock and presses him up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Zimmerman's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zimmerman drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Baldock gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Zimmerman managing to block the knees to the body from Baldock.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lee Baldock will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Zimmerman tries to clinch up but Baldock circles away and keeps his distance.
Zimmerman tries to clinch there but Baldock circles away.
Baldock will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Baldock closes the distance and clinches up with Zimmerman, looking for a takedown. Baldock pushes Zimmerman against the cage but Zimmerman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Zimmerman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zimmerman looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Baldock is fending him off so far but Zimmerman persists. Nope, Baldock circles away and we're back to standing.
No luck for Zimmerman with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baldock keeps the fight on the outside.
Baldock takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Zimmerman moves in looking to clinch but Baldock pushes him off.
Baldock closes the distance and clinches up with Zimmerman, looking for a takedown. Baldock pushes Zimmerman against the cage but Zimmerman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zimmerman fails in his attempt to clinch.
Zimmerman tries to close the distance and clinch but Baldock swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Zimmerman moves into range and clinches up with Baldock.
Zimmerman is trying to push Baldock away but Baldock has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Zimmerman lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Baldock pushes Zimmerman off but Zimmerman dives into side control.
Zimmerman trying to control the position but Baldock is working away.

Zimmerman tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Zimmerman trying to control the position but Baldock is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldock tries to improve position but can't.
Zimmerman wants to control but Baldock is keeping him busy.
Baldock wants to control but Zimmerman postures up.

Zimmerman tries for a kimura but Baldock is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldock is not content to let Zimmerman control the position.

Zimmerman is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Baldock knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Baldock manages to work his way to half guard, despite Zimmerman's best efforts.

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.

Baldock looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Zimmerman is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Baldock defends it well.
Baldock is trying to get back to full guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

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 Gerry Zimmerman.
I think Baldock has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!