PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Garegin Balayan (ranked 158 p4p, 23 weight class) and Anthony Gonzalez (ranked 595 p4p, 82 weight class). Balayan comes to the cage accompanied by Troika. Anthony Gonzalez is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Balayan
vs
Gonzalez

180 cm
33
170 lbs
28 - 11 - 0

178 cm
40
180 lbs
35 - 24 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Aspire Clothing
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 28 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Garegin Balayan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Gonzalez!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonzalez lands a front kick.
Balayan ducks under a wild hook from Gonzalez.
Balayan throws a shot to the body.
Balayan throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Balayan scores with a punch to the head.
Balayan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Balayan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Balayan misses with a body shot.
Balayan connects with a crisp jab.
Balayan lands a right hook to the body.
Balayan scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A big right from Balayan misses.
Gonzalez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Balayan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Balayan looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan slips under a jab from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez throws a body kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Balayan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Garegin Balayan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balayan thumps Gonzalez with a low kick.
Gonzalez throws an off balance right hand
and Balayan counters with a right hand to the body.
Balayan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Balayan misses with a low kick.
Gonzalez has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Balayan throws a right hand that Gonzalez ducks under and follows up with a left that Gonzalez also avoids with ease.
Gonzalez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gonzalez misses with a head kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Balayan, as that shot connected.
Balayan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gonzalez appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Balayan, as that shot connected.
Gonzalez walks into a jab.
Gonzalez throws a head kick but Balayan moves out of range.
Balayan fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balayan lands a leg kick that knocks Gonzalez off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Balayan lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gonzalez's sensitive parts.
Donk. Balayan catches Gonzalez right on the button with a cross.
Balayan connects with the punch.
It looks like Balayan has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Balayan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Balayan getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Balayan throws a shot from downtown. Gonzalez moves away and avoids it.
Gonzalez is looking for the big counter here.
Gonzalez throws a nice looking combination but Balayan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A low kick from Balayan is predictable there
and Gonzalez counters with a nice uppercut.
Gonzalez looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gonzalez misses with a body shot.
Gonzalez throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Balayan counters with a good, hard body kick but Gonzalez shrugs it off.
Balayan misses with a hook to the body
letting Gonzalez counter with a right hand.
A swing and a miss from Gonzalez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan throws a hook to the side of Gonzalez's head but Gonzalez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Balayan is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Balayan fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gonzalez.
Gonzalez walks into a left hand.
Gonzalez misses with a hook
and Balayan finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Balayan scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gonzalez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gonzalez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Balayan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Balayan cracks a nice hook into Gonzalez's ribs.
Balayan throws a solid leg kick but Gonzalez takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Balayan.
Gonzalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Balayan throws out a leg kick but Gonzalez moves out of range and Balayan only half commits.
Balayan cracks Gonzalez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
A looping hook to the body misses from Balayan. Gonzalez does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balayan lands a head shot.
Balayan fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gonzalez checks it well.
Balayan connects with a body shot.
A swing and a miss from Gonzalez.
A little feinted left hand from Balayan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Gonzalez tries a head kick but it misses.
Gonzalez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gonzalez avoids the body shot from Balayan.
A combination from Gonzalez does no damage.
Balayan bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Balayan takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Balayan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balayan scores with the left hand. Gonzalez knows he should have avoided that one.
Balayan dips to his left and cracks Gonzalez with an uppercut!
Balayan connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garegin Balayan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Balayan throws a shot to the body.
Balayan connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Anthony Gonzalez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gonzalez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Balayan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Balayan tried to counter with a leg kick but Gonzalez avoided it.
Balayan jabs Gonzalez right on the nose. Gonzalez blinks but takes it well.
Balayan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gonzalez can do to turn this around?
Balayan takes a swing at Gonzalez's ribcage but misses.
Balayan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gonzalez misses the jab.
Crunch! Balayan slams his shin into Gonzalez's torso.
Gonzalez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Balayan counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan scores with a nice head shot.
Balayan connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Balayan drops his hands momentarily and Gonzalez takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gonzalez connects with a right hand. Balayan shakes it off.
Jab by Balayan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez takes one on the button.
Balayan scores with a nice head shot.
Gonzalez throws a body kick that misses.
Gonzalez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gonzalez takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Gonzalez throws a right hand that Balayan ducks under and follows up with a left that Balayan also avoids with ease.
Gonzalez connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Balayan's hands.
Gonzalez scores with a nice right hand.
Balayan connects with a looping right hand.
Gonzalez misses with a head kick.
Gonzalez moves out of range as Balayan throws a body kick.
It seemed like Gonzalez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Balayan misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gonzalez throws a counter combo.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Balayan, right into the meat.
Gonzalez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left lands for Balayan.
Balayan feints a jab promting Gonzalez to slip. Balayan then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Gonzalez slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Gonzalez looks to land a right hand but Balayan moved out of range.
A counter left hand to the body from Balayan misses its target.
Balayan lands with a shot to the body.
A big left from Gonzalez misses.
Balayan thuds his shin into the meat of Gonzalez's side.
Gonzalez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Gonzalez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Garegin Balayan is winning the standup battle so far.
Balayan lands a glancing blow to the side of Gonzalez's head.
Balayan throws a leg kick that misses.
Gonzalez was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Balayan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gonzalez.
Gonzalez throws out a loose jab but Balayan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gonzalez slips under a jab from Balayan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan dodges the punch combination from Gonzalez.
Balayan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gonzalez. That did some damage!
Gonzalez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Balayan. That one must have hurt.
Balayan misses with a body kick.
Gonzalez has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Balayan.
Balayan lunges at Gonzalez with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Gonzalez's hand.
Balayan digs a good body shot into Gonzalez's ribs.
Gonzalez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Balayan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Balayan scores with a kick to the body.
Gonzalez has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Gonzalez on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Balayan. Balayan obviously looking to wear him down.
Nice uppercut lands for Balayan. That snapped Gonzalez's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balayan lands a right hook to the body.
Balayan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Balayan slips under a jab from Gonzalez.
Balayan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gonzalez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gonzalez tries to move into range but Balayan moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gonzalez throws a low kick, looking for Balayan's leg but Balayan calmly moves out of range.
Gonzalez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Balayan.
Balayan throws a quick inside leg kick.
Balayan throws a hook but Gonzalez blocks it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balayan slips under a jab.
Balayan thows a left - swing and a miss!
A cross from Balayan lands.
Balayan staying out of range there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Garegin Balayan dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

No joy there for Gonzalez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Balayan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gonzalez. That did some damage!
Gonzalez throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Gonzalez misses with a left hand
and Balayan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gonzalez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Balayan connects with a crisp jab.
Jab, jab by Balayan - just one landing.
Balayan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Gonzalez tries a head kick but it misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Balayan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Balayan feints and then cracks Gonzalez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gonzalez down.
Balayan cracks Gonzalez with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan scores with a spinning back kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonzalez misses with a straight right.
Gonzalez throws a push kick but Balayan slaps the foot to one side.
It looked like Balayan was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez misses with a head kick.
A jab from Balayan finds it's way through Gonzalez's defenses.
Balayan throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Gonzalez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Balayan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A slapping leg kick lands for Balayan.
Balayan throws a head kick that misses.
Despite the aggression on Gonzalez's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Balayan scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Balayan getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gonzalez tries to land a front kick but Balayan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
An inside leg kick lands from Balayan.
Gonzalez looks to land a left hand but Balayan moved out of range nicely.
Balayan scores with a jab to the jaw.
Anthony Gonzalez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gonzalez tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Balayan moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gonzalez sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Gonzalez lands a high kick!
Gonzalez takes one to the chin there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Balayan. Gonzalez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gonzalez takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Balayan lands a nice hook to Gonzalez's body. Gonzalez takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gonzalez scores with a decent looking hook.
Balayan lands a jab to Gonzalez's midsection.
Balayan jabs Gonzalez to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Balayan fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gonzalez tries to land a body kick
and Balayan counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Gonzalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A little feinted left hand from Balayan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Gonzalez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Balayan connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Balayan's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gonzalez under the eye.
Balayan connects with a leg kick. Gonzalez looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Balayan scores with a kick to the body.
Balayan throws a leg kick which misses Gonzalez's front leg but catches the back leg as Gonzalez tries to avoid it.
Gonzalez misses with an uppercut
and Balayan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gonzalez's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Balayan connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gonzalez scrambles back to his feet.
Balayan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gonzalez.
Gonzalez throws a low kick but Balayan moves out of range easily.
Gonzalez's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A solid leg kick lands there for Balayan.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Gonzalez might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Balayan has got the better of the exchanges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonzalez throws a jab when Balayan was well out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balayan smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gonzalez looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Balayan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Gonzalez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balayan was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Balayan lands a head kick!
Balayan tests Gonzalez's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Balayan is looking to slow Gonzalez down with leg kicks.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balayan thuds a left hand into Gonzalez's body.
Balayan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Gonzalez moves out of range as Balayan throws a body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Garegin Balayan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Balayan has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27

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