PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Moises Baird (ranked 7110 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Reigns (ranked 7321 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Moises Baird has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Baird
vs
Reigns

160 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Good elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Moises Baird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roman Reigns!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Baird fails with an attempt to clinch.
Reigns is looking to chop away at Baird's legs.
Baird shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Reigns but Reigns pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Baird gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Reigns blocks an elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Reigns breaks the clinch.
Reigns has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Baird is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Baird goes for a double leg but Reigns avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Reigns continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moises Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baird tries to close the distance and clinch up but Reigns swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird wants to clinch.

Baird closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Baird lands in his opponent's guard.
Baird wants to stand but Reigns has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Baird throws a big elbow that misses.
Baird keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Reigns's head.
Baird throwing strikes from guard but Reigns blocks nicely.

Reigns escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Baird gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Reigns looks winded!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reigns throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Baird throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Baird throwing strikes from guard but Reigns blocks nicely.
Reigns has momentary wrist control but Baird slips an elbow through the middle.
Reigns wants to stand but Baird is controlling the position.
Baird could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Reigns avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Reigns is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Baird is in close to Reigns's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Baird loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baird works over Reigns with some ground and pound from guard.
Baird postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Baird missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Baird keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Reigns's head.
Baird works over Reigns with some ground and pound from guard.
Reigns has momentary wrist control but Baird slips an elbow through the middle.
Baird loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Baird throws a big elbow that misses.
Baird throwing strikes from guard but Reigns blocks nicely.
Baird chips away with some ground and pound.
Baird throwing strikes but missing.

Reigns is looking for a triangle but Baird pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reigns wants to stand and escape but Baird is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baird working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reigns's head.
Baird is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Baird throws a big elbow that misses.
Reigns looking to control.
Baird throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Reigns controls Baird momentarily but Baird frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Baird shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Horrible takedown attempt by Baird or perhaps it was just good defense by Reigns, which made it look bad.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reigns defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Baird.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Moises Baird dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Reigns displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Baird.
Reigns takes a swing at Baird's ribcage but misses.
Nice sprawl there from Reigns as Baird shoots in.
Baird tries for a takedown but Reigns sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moises Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reigns looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Reigns shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baird 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.
Baird keeping moving, preventing Reigns from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Reigns postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird looking for a sweep. Not yet Baird, not yet.

Reigns drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Reigns jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Reigns postures up and lands a big shot to Baird's brow.
Baird wants to improve his position but instead Reigns has moved into half guard.
Reigns lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Reigns is trying to control the action in half guard but Baird is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Reigns prevents Baird from improving his position.
Reigns wants to take a breather but Baird is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reigns throwing shots but Baird is blocking nicely.
Baird is looking for a sweep. Reigns is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Reigns in particular looking to stall.
Baird tries to get to full guard but Reigns has control of the leg.
Reigns content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baird looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baird tries to clinch but Reigns is having none of it.
Baird shoots for a double leg takedown but Reigns sprawls well. He's pushed Baird's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
And Reigns tries to counter it with a takedown but Baird pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reigns moves into range and clinches up with Baird.
Baird changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Reigns fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Reigns throws a series of punches but Baird moves out of range.
Baird shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Reigns but Reigns pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Roman Reigns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Reigns drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Baird is looking to stand back up but Reigns counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Baird.

Reigns has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Baird tries to roll over but Reigns keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reigns trying to control from half guard but Baird is working away.
Reigns tries to stand but can't do so whilst Baird controls his leg.
Baird tries to roll over but Reigns keeps him under control.
Reigns is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Baird wants to improve his position but Reigns is controlling well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roman Reigns showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Reigns has taken the fight to the clinch.

Reigns manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Baird gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Reigns stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Reigns wants it to stay on the feet.
Baird fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Reigns looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Reigns stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Moises Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baird tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Reigns paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baird fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird darts in looking for a takedown but Reigns gets double underhooks and turns Baird into the cage.
A countering left hand to the body from Reigns misses.

Reigns shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Baird is trying to defend but Reigns finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Baird is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Reigns scores with a couple of nice shots.

Reigns seems to be working for a kimura but Baird defends the submission attempt.
Baird won't allow Reigns to pass to mount.
Baird wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reigns wants to pass to mount but Baird is defending the position.
Reigns wants to take a breather but Baird is having none of it.
Baird tries to get to full guard but Reigns has control of the leg.
Reigns throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Baird trying to control from the bottom.

Reigns 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.
Baird is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird wants to get back to full guard but Reigns has passed into side control.
Baird is looking to reverse the position.
Reigns scoring with punches from side control.
Baird regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Baird tries to roll over but Reigns keeps him under control.
Baird has a hand on Reigns's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Reigns takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Reigns lands a nice shot to the head.
Baird is wriggling around trying to escape.

Reigns with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Baird is working to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baird might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Reigns sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roman Reigns comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Reigns has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roman Reigns!