PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Adam Baker (ranked 3637 p4p, 4967 weight class) and Tony Ortiz (ranked 461 p4p, 556 weight class). The key to victory for Adam Baker has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Baker
vs
Ortiz

192 cm
25
189
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Adam Baker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Ortiz!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Joseph Jones and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ortiz shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ortiz is pushing down on Baker's leg trying to pass to half guard. Baker is fighting to maintain full guard but Ortiz has managed to sneak the leg through.

Ortiz is looking for a kimura but Baker is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ortiz to get the leverage.
Ortiz wants to pass to mount but Baker is defending the position.
Baker gets back to full guard.
Baker working a defensive guard here.
Baker seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Ortiz is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Baker is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Baker has escaped and now he's on top!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortiz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Baker controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Baker passes Ortiz's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Baker is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Ortiz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ortiz is still trying to improve position.

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.
Ortiz moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Baker looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Ortiz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Baker defends it easily.

Ortiz looking for subs off his back but Baker has passed one foot through into half guard.
Baker wants to take a breather but Ortiz is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ortiz can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz is looking for a sweep. Baker is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ortiz keeps trying to improve his position.
Baker trying to mount his opponent but Ortiz defends it.
Baker wants to control but Ortiz is keeping him busy.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ortiz will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Baker changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

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

Ortiz bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Ortiz wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Baker, who protects the arm well.
Baker tries to bench press Ortiz off him but Ortiz keeps the position.
Baker stops Ortiz from passing to mount.

Ortiz swings around for an armbar but Baker sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Ortiz's guard.
Ortiz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ortiz looking for a sweep. Not yet Ortiz, not yet.
Baker passes Ortiz's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Ortiz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ortiz slaps away a takedown attempt from Baker, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Ortiz closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Baker quickly recovers to half guard.
Baker wants to get back to full guard.

Baker actively working from the bottom here.
Ortiz wants to control but Baker is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baker looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ortiz is pressing down on Baker's thigh, looking to free his foot. Baker is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker wants to control but Ortiz is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Baker slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ortiz wants to pass the guard but Baker is keeping the position.

Ortiz is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Baker is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Baker has escaped and now he's on top!

Ortiz looking for a guillotine here but Baker defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker trying to control but Ortiz is working from the bottom.

Baker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Baker works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Baker trying to mount his opponent but Ortiz defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ortiz!
Ortiz is wriggling around trying to escape.
Baker looking to control but Ortiz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Baker looking for a guillotine from mount but Ortiz is having none of it.
Baker with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baker is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Ortiz to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Ortiz shrugs it off.
Ortiz manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Baker is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Ortiz is defending against the submission attempts here by Baker.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Ortiz looking for submissions off his back.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Adam Baker will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Baker tries to sprawl but Ortiz drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Ortiz is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Baker has managed to free his arm - good work.
Ortiz works his way into side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker is trying to control Ortiz's posture but Ortiz avoids it.
Baker manages to work his way to half guard, despite Ortiz's best efforts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker trying to control from the bottom.
Baker moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Baker working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Ortiz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Ortiz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Baker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ortiz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ortiz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Baker keeping moving, preventing Ortiz from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ortiz wants to pass the guard but Baker is keeping the position.

Baker looking for a guillotine here but Ortiz defends easily.
Ortiz trying to move into half guard but instead Baker has managed to sweep!

Ortiz is trying to control the position but Baker postures up.
Ortiz wants to sweep but no luck.
Baker passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Baker working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz tries to bench press Baker off him but Baker keeps the position.
Baker wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ortiz keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Baker swings around for an armbar but Ortiz sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Baker's guard.
Baker is trying to keep Ortiz in close.
Ortiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Baker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baker trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Ortiz comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ortiz 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Ortiz!
A very excited looking Tony Ortiz made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.