PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Corey Baird (ranked 2200 p4p, 1296 weight class) and Vladimir Tomcic (ranked 226 p4p, 135 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Baird
vs
Tomcic

170 cm
30
148
9 - 12 - 0

173 cm
30
156
16 - 12 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

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 9 - 12 - 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 16 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vladimir Tomcic!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Winston Howard and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tomcic moves out of range as Baird strikes.
Tomcic throws a shot from downtown. Baird moves away and avoids it.
Tomcic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tomcic slips a jab and a cross from Baird.
Tomcic showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Baird.
Baird throws a right hand that Tomcic ducks under and follows up with a left that Tomcic also avoids with ease.
Baird misses with a looping right.
Tomcic lands with a cross.
Tomcic thuds his right hand into Baird's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A jab from Baird does it's job there.
Tomcic displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Baird throws out the jab.
Baird is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tomcic.
Baird misses with a straight left.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A combination from Baird does no damage.
Tomcic moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Baird walks into a jab.
Tomcic goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Tomcic lands with a shot to the body.
Tomcic connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomcic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tomcic fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Tomcic misses with a body shot.
Baird was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Baird connects with a right hand. Tomcic shakes it off.
Baird has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Rabid Dog in the buildup to the fight.
Corey Baird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swing and a miss from Baird.
Baird will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Baird scores with a decent looking hook.
Tomcic takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Baird's corner calls for a 1-2. Baird obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Baird misses with an uppercut.
Tomcic fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baird jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Some wild striking there from Baird.
Nice defenses there by Tomcic.
Tomcic flicks out a counter leg kick but Baird steps away.
Corey Baird is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tomcic lands a high kick!

It looks like Corey Baird has been cut.
Tomcic moves out of range as Baird strikes.
A little jabbing left from Tomcic on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Baird.
Tomcic bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Baird's head.
Baird on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Baird is rocked!
Baird misses with a looping right.
Oh Baird is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Baird lunges at Tomcic with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Tomcic's hand.
Baird takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Baird catches Tomcic with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Baird throws the left hand but Tomcic avoids the punch easily.
Tomcic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tomcic lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Baird lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tomcic circles away quickly and effectively.
Baird misses with a straight left.
Tomcic cracks Baird with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Tomcic moves out of range as Baird strikes.
No joy there for Baird, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tomcic slips under a jab from Baird.
A combination from Baird does no damage.
Tomcic swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Baird lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Tomcic backs up against the cage.
Baird seems to have got his legs back now.

It looks like Vladimir Tomcic has been cut.
Baird looks to land a right hand but Tomcic moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic defending well as Baird loads up on a big left hand.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tomcic! But no joy.
Baird throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tomcic lands a slapping body shot.
Tomcic with a nice calf kick.
Tomcic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Tomcic showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Baird.
Baird throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Baird takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Baird misses with a hook. Tomcic ducked under it nicely.
A jab from Baird misses.
Tomcic is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Baird had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Baird misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Baird is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tomcic.

Tomcic changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Baird looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tomcic in side control, throwing shots but Baird defends.
Tomcic is trying to ground and pound but Baird uses the momentary lack of control by Tomcic to regain half guard.
Baird is refusing to be controlled, as Tomcic sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tomcic thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baird's head.
Tomcic has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Tomcic is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Tomcic is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Baird defends it well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Baird manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tomcic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Corey Baird will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Baird lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Baird throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Tomcic misses with a wild body shot.

Tomcic closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Baird to the mat! Baird manages to get full guard.
Tomcic throws a big elbow that misses.
Tomcic tries to free his leg and advance position but Baird is retaining full guard.
Tomcic throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tomcic is looking to work some ground and pound but Baird has wrist control.
Tomcic wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
Tomcic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Baird works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tomcic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Tomcic drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Baird dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tomcic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Baird decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Tomcic scores with a leg kick.

Tomcic 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.
Baird keeping moving, preventing Tomcic from controlling successfully.
Baird looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
My spies in Desert Fitness & Training (14 Elite Coaches) inform me that Tomcic has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Tomcic throws a big elbow that misses.
Tomcic stands and throws Baird's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tomcic is working to tighten his grip on Baird's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Baird has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Tomcic is really squeezing tight and eventually Baird passes out! Tomcic breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Vladimir Tomcic!
Vladimir Tomcic made sure to mention his sponsor, Conviction in his post fight interview.