PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kyle Swaby (ranked 4576 p4p, 4651 weight class) and Finn Baller (ranked 0 p4p, 564 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Swaby
vs
Baller

185 cm
22
170
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
170
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kyle Swaby!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Finn Baller!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yuuki Gou and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Baller drives through and clinches with Swaby against the cage.
Swaby is trying to pull guard but Baller turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Baller is looking to take this one to the mat.
Swaby prevents the takedown attempt.
Baller tries to pull guard but Swaby forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kyle Swaby has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finn Baller.

Swaby pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Baller takes the fight into the clinch.
Baller tries to pull guard but Swaby won't allow it.
Swaby is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Baller manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baller pulls guard effortlessly.
Baller is trying to keep Swaby in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baller wants to stand and escape but Swaby is having none of it.
Baller looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Swaby postures up.

Swaby drops back looking for a leg! Baller is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Baller manages to kick Swaby off! Swaby jumps back into Baller's guard.
Baller is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Swaby stands and steps away. Baller gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Swaby shoots in looking for a takedown. Baller tries to sprawl out of it but Swaby keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Baller manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Baller moves out of range as Swaby throws a body kick.
Swaby is trying hard to land a takedown here. Baller sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Baller looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Baller drives through and clinches with Swaby against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Swaby is trying to break the clinch but Baller has him pressed against the cage.
Swaby swings wildly with an uppercut but Baller uses good head movement to avoid it.

Swaby breaks from the clinch.

Baller clinches up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swaby wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Swaby tries to pull guard but Baller won't allow it.
Baller is trying to drag Swaby to the mat but Swaby just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Baller pulls guard successfully.
Baller is controlling Swaby's posture.
Baller is wriggling around but Swaby manages to pass to half guard.

Baller looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swaby thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baller's head.
Swaby throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Swaby stops Baller from getting back to his feet.
Swaby frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baller trying desperately to get to his feet.
Swaby misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Finn Baller 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.

Baller tries to score a power double leg takedown but Swaby sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Baller somewhat.
Swaby lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

Baller pushes Swaby up against the cage in a clinch.

Swaby jumps into guard, dragging Baller to the mat.
Swaby wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Swaby has momentary wrist control but Baller slips an elbow through the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Swaby is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Swaby lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swaby working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Swaby pushes down on Baller's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Swaby is trying to control the action in half guard but Baller is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Swaby thows a huge punch but Baller dodges it nicely.
Swaby has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Swaby prevents Baller from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Swaby gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Swaby has Baller up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swaby has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Baller is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Swaby jumps guard but Baller stands there with Swaby around his waist. Swaby gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Baller changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Swaby fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Baller swinging wildly here.

Baller instigates a clinch.
Swaby wants to stall.
Swaby trying to stall but Baller improves his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swaby wants to take the fight to the mat but Baller manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kyle Swaby. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Swaby stops a takedown attempt from Baller.
Swaby is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Baller is defending well for now.
Swaby jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Baller walks away with a smile on his face. Swaby gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Baller gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Baller breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baller tries a head kick but it misses.
Swaby tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Baller looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Swaby is fending him off so far but Baller persists. Nope, Swaby circles away and we're back to standing.
Baller has a takedown stuffed.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Swaby is defended easily by Baller.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swaby dives in for a single leg takedown but Baller sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baller jumps guard but Swaby turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Baller is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Swaby gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Swaby is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Baller pushes Swaby back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Baller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Swaby avoids a kick to the body.
Swaby tries to score a power double leg takedown but Baller sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Swaby somewhat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Swaby gets tackled into the cage by Baller. Baller maintains the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Finn Baller will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Swaby throws a body shot but no joy.
Baller pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Swaby throwing a counter right hand but Baller manages to avoid it.
Swaby looks for a takedown but Baller sprawls well.
Baller changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Baller fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Swaby avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baller closes the distance and clinches up with Swaby, looking for a takedown. Baller pushes Swaby against the cage but Swaby circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Swaby ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Baller moves away.

Baller moves into the clinch.
Baller content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baller has Swaby pushed against the cage.
Baller is trying to pull guard but Swaby has him pressed against the cage.
Kyle Swaby has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finn Baller.

Swaby gets control of Baller's arms and successfully pulls guard. Swaby will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Baller must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Baller sitting in guard here, content to control.
Swaby is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Baller wants to get back to his feet.
Baller tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Swaby manages to move to mount!
Swaby blocks Baller's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Swaby working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Baller tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Baller tries to hold on but Swaby pushes him away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Baller can do anything to dispel that myth.
Baller is wriggling around trying to escape.
Swaby blocks Baller's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

Swaby working for a submission but Baller is keeping him at bay.
Baller tries to reverse the position but Swaby maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baller wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Swaby.
Swaby tries to control but Baller wriggling away.
Swaby throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Baller because Swaby loaded up on that one.
Baller is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Swaby controlling the position easily from mount.
Baller wants to hold on but Swaby pushes him away.

That's four 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.
Swaby can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baller is looking to escape.
Baller is in all sorts of trouble here.
Swaby trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Poor strikes thrown by Swaby there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Swaby thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Swaby manages to capitalize on a mistake by Baller to take his back!

And that's the end of the fight!
Kyle Swaby showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baller has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Finn Baller!