PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between David Backstrom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Alba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Backstrom
vs
Alba

182 cm
18
191 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
22
186 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Amber Swan*$15 Rec Supp*

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, David Backstrom!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Joseph Alba!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Glass and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alba shoots in but Backstrom avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Backstrom swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Backstrom is looking to clinch but Alba is avoiding it.
Alba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Alba 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.

Alba decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Alba closes this distance looking for a takedown but Backstrom circles away.
David Backstrom has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Alba.
Backstrom tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Alba paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alba tries to score a power double leg takedown but Backstrom sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Alba somewhat.
Backstrom throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alba gets a takedown into half guard.
Backstrom tries to roll over but Alba keeps him under control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Backstrom is pressing down on Alba's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Alba loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Alba wants to control from the top but Backstrom keeps moving.
Backstrom looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Backstrom not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Backstrom keeping moving, preventing Alba from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Backstrom slaps away a takedown attempt from Alba, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alba lands a lovely overhand right.
Backstrom moves in looking to clinch but Alba pushes him off.

Backstrom clinches.

Alba breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Backstrom tries to clinch but Alba moves out of range.
Alba has a takedown stuffed.
Backstrom takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Alba looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alba closes the distance and clinches up with Backstrom, looking for a takedown. Alba pushes Backstrom against the ropes but Backstrom circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Backstrom swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Backstrom wants to clinch.
Backstrom is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No luck for Alba with that takedown attempt.
Backstrom gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Alba counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Backstrom landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Backstrom is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Alba pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Alba's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Alba tries to clinch

and Backstrom counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Backstrom is looking to work some ground and pound but Alba has wrist control.

Alba is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Backstrom is aware though and is defending well.
Alba throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Backstrom wanted to stand there but Alba had control of the position.
Alba wants to control but Backstrom passes easily into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Backstrom wants to stand but Alba has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Backstrom dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Alba throws a lazy head kick

and Backstrom counters by moving into the clinch.
Backstrom prevents a takedown attempt there.
Backstrom trying to land knees to the body.
Alba lands an uppercut.
Backstrom is trying to drag Alba to the mat but Alba just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.
Backstrom trying to land knees to the body.

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

Alba clinches.

Backstrom is fighting off a takedown attempt but Alba is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Backstrom to the mat. Backstrom regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Backstrom keeping moving, preventing Alba from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Backstrom is trying to keep Alba in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Alba really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Backstrom. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Alba trying to control but Backstrom is working from the bottom.
Alba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Backstrom swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Backstrom looking for a sweep. Not yet Backstrom, not yet.
Alba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Alba drops back, looking for a kneebar! Backstrom looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Backstrom looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Backstrom!
Backstrom tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's two 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.

Backstrom is trying to get an arm triangle but Alba is defending well.
Alba is looking to regain half guard here but Backstrom keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Alba manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alba wants to get back to his feet.

Backstrom seems to be working for a kimura but Alba defends the submission attempt.
Alba wants to control but Backstrom is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Alba looks like he's trying to stand up.

Backstrom is working for a kimura but Alba is defending it quite comfortably.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Alba is trying to maintain the position but Backstrom is very close to passing his half guard.
Alba tries to roll over but Backstrom keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Alba is pressing down on Backstrom's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Backstrom wants to control from the top but Alba keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Joseph Alba will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Alba has his takedown stuffed
and Backstrom counters with a right hand to the body.
Alba fails with the takedown
and Backstrom counters with a good, hard body kick but Alba shrugs it off.
Backstrom leaves Alba with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
David Backstrom has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Alba.
Backstrom looks to clinch
and Alba counters with a body kick.
Backstrom tries to clinch but Alba moves out of range.

Alba closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alba lands in his opponent's guard.
Alba being controlled here momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alba trying to move into half guard but instead Backstrom has managed to sweep!
Backstrom forces his way into half guard.

Backstrom is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Alba trying to control from the bottom.
Backstrom prevents Alba from improving his position.
Alba lands with a few short shots to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Alba moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Alba wants to stand but Backstrom is controlling the position.
Backstrom wants to get up but he can't break Alba's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Backstrom stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Alba is trying to control the position but Backstrom postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Backstrom is looking to clinch.

Alba pushes Backstrom up against the ropes in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Alba successfully pulls guard.
Alba pulls Backstrom in close to his closed guard and prevents Backstrom from doing any damage or advancing position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Alba can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Backstrom's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Alba is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Backstrom wants to control from the top but Alba keeps moving.
Backstrom postures up.
Alba wants to get back to his feet but Backstrom is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Alba is pulling down on Backstrom's head. It's preventing any offense from Backstrom, at least for the moment.
Backstrom tries to free his leg and advance position but Alba is retaining full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Alba.
Joseph Alba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Backstrom tries to score a power double leg takedown but Alba sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Backstrom somewhat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Alba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Alba 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joseph Alba!