PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joeseph Ballin (ranked 5772 p4p, 500 weight class) and Rigoberto Lopez (ranked 5929 p4p, 513 weight class). Joeseph Ballin has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ballin
vs
Lopez

200 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

175 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joeseph Ballin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rigoberto Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Donald Grub and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballin shoots in for a double leg but Lopez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Lopez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jab from Lopez.
Lopez on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Lopez fails with the takedown.
Lopez works over Ballin's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Joeseph Ballin has been cut.
Ballin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Lopez avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez tries to close the distance and clinch but Ballin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ballin fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joeseph Ballin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ballin pinned against the cage. Ballin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lopez uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Ballin has time to react.
Rigoberto Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ballin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ballin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Lopez sprawls and moves away.
Lopez moves in looking to clinch but Ballin pushes him off.
Ballin tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.

Ballin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ballin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Lopez pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Ballin circles away easily

and Ballin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ballin with a knee to the head.
Ballin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Lopez trying to stall but Ballin improves his position.
Ballin tries to score a body lock takedown but Lopez shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Ballin breaks from the clinch.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ballin as he jumps to the side.
Lopez looks winded!

Ballin gets a clinch.
Lopez tries for a takedown but Ballin manages to get underhooks.
Lopez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ballin prevents it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lopez gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Ballin manages to break the clinch.
Ballin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Lopez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Ballin moves into range and clinches up with Lopez.

Ballin manages to break the clinch.
Lopez shoots and misses

and Ballin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ballin.

Ballin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lopez throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ballin shoots for a takedown but Lopez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ballin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lopez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Lopez but Lopez pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Ballin clinches with his opponent.

Ballin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lopez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ballin counters with a three punch combo that has Lopez backing up. Lopez nods at Ballin to acknowledge the strikes.
We've been informed that Lopez has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ballin tries for a takedown but Lopez circles away easily
and Lopez counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ballin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lopez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Ballin.
Ballin moves out of range of the body kick from Lopez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joeseph Ballin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joeseph Ballin's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ballin closes the distance and clinches.
Lopez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Ballin breaks the clinch.
Joeseph Ballin is winning the standup battle so far.
Ballin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lopez wants to clinch.
As Lopez tries to get set, Ballin tries to push him back and clinch up but Lopez manages to avoid the attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez leaves Ballin with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Lopez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ballin is defended easily by Lopez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joeseph Ballin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Lopez.
Ballin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lopez tries to avoid it but Ballin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lopez to the ground. Lopez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lopez wants to clinch.
Lopez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ballin avoids it really well and circles away.
Ballin tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lopez tries to clinch but Ballin moves out of range.
Ballin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Ballin misses with a takedown attempt - Lopez sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ballin sets himself, and Lopez steps forward looking for the clinch! Ballin avoids it this time.
Lopez dives in for a single leg takedown but Ballin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Ballin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ballin taking a breather.

Ballin breaks the clinch.
Ballin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Ballin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lopez can do to turn this around?
Lopez tries to clinch up.

Ballin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Ballin.
Lopez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ballin as Lopez tries to tie him up.
Lopez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ballin managing to block the knees to the body from Lopez.
A bit of stalling here from Ballin.
Ballin has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lopez after a bit of a struggle.
Lopez takes a knee right on the jaw!
Lopez tries to break the clinch but Ballin is controlling the position.
Ballin is looking for a takedown.
The referee is keeping an eye on Lopez - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballin tries to score a body lock takedown but Lopez shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ballin.

Ballin manages to pull guard.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Ballin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ballin has his hands on Lopez's head, controlling the position.
Ballin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Lopez is looking to advance position but Ballin has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joeseph Ballin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joeseph Ballin's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Lopez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ballin swivels and escapes.
Horrible takedown attempt by Lopez or perhaps it was just good defense by Ballin, which made it look bad.
Lopez goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Ballin tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.
Lopez tries to clinch up but Ballin circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez misses with a body kick.
Ballin tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.
Ballin shoots for a double leg takedown but Lopez sprawls well. He's pushed Ballin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Ballin moves into range and clinches up with Lopez.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ballin goes for a takedown in the clinch but Lopez prevents it.

Ballin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ballin clinches up with Lopez and pushes him back against the cage.
Ballin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Joeseph Ballin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rigoberto Lopez.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Ballin drags the fight down to the ground.
Lopez trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ballin manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Lopez wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Ballin manages to pass to side control.

Ballin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lopez sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballin takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ballin is looking for a kimura here.
Ballin lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ballin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Lopez defends it well.
Ballin frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ballin lands a couple of good shots and Lopez has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Ballin has managed to slip his arm under Lopez's chin. This could be all over... yep, Lopez is tapping out! Submission win for Ballin.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Joeseph Ballin!