PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Baldwin (ranked 1123 p4p, 148 weight class) and Wilhelm Strauss (ranked 1021 p4p, 136 weight class). Strauss is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Root Of All Evil. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Baldwin
vs
Strauss

185 cm
30
178 lbs
24 - 17 - 1

174 cm
32
170 lbs
18 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 24 - 17 - 1, fighting out of New York, Brandon Baldwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Wilhelm Strauss!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baldwin lands with a kick to the temple. Strauss shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

It looks like Wilhelm Strauss has been cut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Strauss. Baldwin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Baldwin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Strauss fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Baldwin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Strauss.
Baldwin lands a head kick. Strauss smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Baldwin avoids the body shot from Strauss.
Brandon Baldwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baldwin scores with a kick to the midsection.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Baldwin, right into the meat.
Baldwin throws a right hand that Strauss ducks under and follows up with a left that Strauss also avoids with ease.
Baldwin slips a jab and a cross from Strauss.
It looked like Baldwin was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Strauss throws a looping overhand right but Baldwin ducks down to avoid it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strauss scores with a nice head shot.
Baldwin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Baldwin wants to land a leg kick but Strauss is out of range.
Strauss steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Baldwin. That one must have hurt.
The fighters circling - Strauss throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Strauss is out of range and Baldwin settles back down.
Baldwin lands a head kick. Strauss smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Baldwin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Baldwin fakes the leg kick and cracks Strauss in the body.
Baldwin moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Strauss looks winded!
Strauss misses with a low kick as Baldwin jumps back.
Baldwin throws a body kick that misses.
Strauss tries to counter with a clinch but Baldwin shakes him off and moves away.
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses.
Baldwin tries to land a front kick but Strauss steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Baldwin looks to land a body kick but Strauss moved away.
Strauss throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Baldwin has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Big Bear Fight Factory in the buildup to the fight.
Baldwin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Strauss.
Baldwin tries a low kick but Strauss avoids it.
Baldwin throws a push kick but Strauss slaps the foot to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin throws a leg kick
enabling Strauss to counter with a crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Strauss throws a body punch but Baldwin moves out of range.
Strauss throws a nice looking combination but Baldwin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Strauss misses with a looping left.
Strauss lands a nice shot that snaps Baldwin's head back.
Strauss throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses.
Baldwin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Baldwin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Strauss.

Baldwin lands a big head kick that sends Strauss tumbling to the mat! Baldwin takes a step backwards and waves Strauss back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Jab from Strauss.
Baldwin finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Baldwin connects with a leg kick. Strauss looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Baldwin throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin is looking to score with low kicks.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Baldwin.
Baldwin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Baldwin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Baldwin throws a wild body kick that Strauss sees coming a mile off.
Baldwin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A lazy body kick from Baldwin
and Strauss counters with a low kick, right behind Baldwin 's knee.
Baldwin throws a lazy head kick
and Strauss counters with a leg kick.
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baldwin blocks a low kick nicely.
Baldwin throws a leg kick but Strauss moved away.
Strauss takes a jab right on the kisser.

That has opened up Wilhelm Strauss's cut even more.
Strauss misses with a hook. Baldwin ducked under it nicely.
Baldwin misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strauss connects with a single shot there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baldwin slips a jab from Strauss.
Baldwin feints a jab promting Strauss to slip. Baldwin then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Strauss slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Baldwin takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Strauss fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Baldwin manages to avoid it.
Strauss moves in looking to clinch but Baldwin pushes him off.
Baldwin throws a solid leg kick but Strauss takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Baldwin.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Strauss stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Baldwin.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strauss loads up on a big right hand but Baldwin slips the punch.
Strauss is looking to clinch but Baldwin is avoiding it.
Strauss takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Baldwin feints and then cracks Strauss's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Strauss down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Baldwin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wilhelm Strauss's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Baldwin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wilhelm Strauss has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Baldwin throws a wild body kick that Strauss sees coming a mile off.
Strauss wants to counter with a clinch but Baldwin pushes him away.
Baldwin throws a leg kick
and Strauss counters with a thumping low kick.
Baldwin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Baldwin lands with a kick to the temple. Strauss shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Brandon Baldwin is winning the standup battle so far.
Strauss stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Baldwin.
Baldwin connects with an inside leg kick.
Baldwin explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Baldwin tries a head kick but it misses.
Strauss is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Baldwin throws a head kick but Strauss moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baldwin staying out of range there.
Baldwin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Strauss fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Baldwin is out of range.
Strauss avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin slips a straight right by Strauss.
Strauss moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Baldwin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Strauss has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Baldwin.
Baldwin blocks a head kick by Strauss.
Baldwin chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Strauss can pounce on him.
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Strauss only half commits to the counter leg kick.

Strauss forces Baldwin back against the ropes and clinches.
Baldwin is trying to force a seperation but Strauss has the dominant position.

Baldwin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Baldwin wants to land a leg kick but Strauss is out of range.
Strauss misses with a wild body shot.
Baldwin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Strauss. That did some damage!
Strauss tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Baldwin throws a sloppy head kick and Strauss moves out of range easily.
Baldwin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Strauss. That did some damage!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin throws a sloppy head kick and Strauss moves out of range easily.
Strauss steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Baldwin.
Strauss misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Strauss misses with a straight right.
Strauss blocks a leg kick.
Baldwin throws a push kick but Strauss slaps the foot to one side.
Strauss connects with a leg kick. Baldwin looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Strauss blocks a leg kick.
Strauss is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Baldwin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Strauss's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Strauss misses with a straight left.
Baldwin scores with a head kick. Strauss tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Strauss scores with a hook to the body. Baldwin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baldwin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Strauss connects with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Strauss keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Baldwin.
Strauss avoids the head kick by Baldwin.
Strauss misses with a straight right.
Baldwin throws a sloppy head kick and Strauss moves out of range easily.
Strauss lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Strauss is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Baldwin.
Baldwin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Strauss is looking for the big counter here.
Strauss moves out of range of the leg kick from Baldwin.
Baldwin lands with a slapping head kick.

The cut above Wilhelm Strauss's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

Strauss cracks Baldwin with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Strauss has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Baldwin to stand back up!

Baldwin is rocked!

It looks like Brandon Baldwin has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baldwin walks into a straight right, dropping him to the canvas! Strauss swarms him and finishes the fight with a hail of punches! What a brutal finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Wilhelm Strauss!
An out of breath Wilhelm Strauss thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.