PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Corey Baird (ranked 4119 p4p, 2875 weight class) and Anti Happy (ranked 371 p4p, 282 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Happy's choice of entrance music: Bvana iz lagune & Mikri Maus - AntiHepi. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Baird
vs
Happy

170 cm
28
148
7 - 11 - 0

172 cm
27
158
9 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conviction

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 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Corey Baird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anti Happy!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Steven Brown and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Happy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Happy scores with a takedown into Baird's guard.
Happy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Baird wants to hit a sweep here but Happy passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Baird there!
Happy throws a wild left hand from mount and Baird manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Happy wants to stand up but Baird has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Happy throwing shots but Baird is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Happy thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baird's head.
Baird gets full guard.
Happy stands up over Baird, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Happy wants to pass the guard but Baird is keeping the position.
Happy postures up in Baird's guard and throws a big left but Baird blocks it.
Happy wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
Happy works over Baird with some ground and pound from guard.
Happy wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Baird holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baird utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Happy wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
Baird preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Baird managing to control the position.
Baird not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Happy throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Happy.
A little feinted left hand from Baird on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Happy walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
A jab from Baird misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Baird. Happy does a little dance to reset his feet.

Happy 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.
Happy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Happy wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
Happy is looking to work some ground and pound but Baird has wrist control.
Happy trying to control the position from guard on top but Baird is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Happy forces his way into half guard.
Baird regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Happy.
Happy distracts Baird with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Baird has momentary wrist control but Happy slips an elbow through the middle.
Happy trying to control but Baird is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Happy is looking to work some ground and pound but Baird has wrist control.
Happy is looking to work some ground and pound but Baird has wrist control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anti Happy 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.

Happy slips a straight right by Baird.
Baird ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Happy closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Happy fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Happy is defended easily by Baird.
The fighters circling - Baird throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Happy misses with a takedown attempt
and Baird counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Corey Baird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anti Happy.
Happy uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Baird.
Happy drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Baird defends it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Happy closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Baird quickly recovers to half guard.
Baird regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Happy.
Baird is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Happy not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Happy trying to control but Baird is working from the bottom.
Happy is fighting to break Baird's control of his arms but Baird is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Happy's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Happy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Baird works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Happy engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Happy moves forwards but Baird connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Corey Baird is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Happy just misses with a punch to the body.
Happy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Baird listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Baird misses with a left hand

and Happy counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Well, if Happy is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Happy is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Happy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird blocking the ground and pound attempt from Happy.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Happy trying to control the action but Baird is working from the bottom.
Baird wants to control but Happy is keeping busy.
Baird keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Baird is not content to let Happy control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Baird pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Happy shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Baird makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Baird scores with a body shot.
Happy looks to land a combination but Baird avoids it well.
Baird misses with a body shot.
Baird throws out a powerful jab.
Baird loads up on a big right hand but Happy slips the punch.
Happy shoots and misses
and Baird counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Baird dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Happy needs to keep his hands up - Baird had a free shot at his head there.
Baird punishes Happy's body with a nice straight punch.
Happy tries to clinch but Baird moves out of range.
Baird looks to throw the jab but Happy is out of range.
Baird looks to land a right hand but Happy moved out of range.

Baird gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Happy looking to sit in guard and control but Baird gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Baird gets to his feet - Happy follows without any prompting.
Happy throws a body kick that misses
and Baird cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Baird throws a jab but it's blocked by Happy.
Happy wants to counter the offense by Baird and move into the clinch position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Happy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Baird!
Happy lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Happy trying to control the action but Baird is working from the bottom.
Happy might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Baird haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Happy throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Baird tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Baird parries the strikes from Happy easily there. Happy is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Baird to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Baird avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Happy.
Happy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baird keeps working.
Anti Happy has got the better of the ground game so far.

Happy tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Happy controls the position from side control.
Happy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Baird keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Happy cracks Baird with a big elbow.
Happy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Baird is looking to regain half guard here but Happy keeps moving and retains side control.

Happy swings around for an armbar but Baird sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Happy's guard.
Baird would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Baird gets to his feet - Happy follows without any prompting.
Baird connects with a good right hand that stumbles Happy. Happy circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Happy avoids the body shot from Baird.
Corey Baird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baird wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Happy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Baird misses the target.
Baird misses with a wild combination.

Happy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Baird manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Happy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Baird keeping full guard, as Happy tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
Corey Baird showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baird has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Corey Baird!
Corey Baird thanked the fans post fight for their support.