PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gabriiel Balsama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Trevor Culver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Balsama
vs
Culver

185 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

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 Las Vegas, Gabriiel Balsama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Trevor Culver!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Daniel Franklin and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Culver shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Culver was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Culver controlling his opponent.
Balsama bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Culver controlling Balsama's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Gabriiel Balsama just wasn't active enough.
Balsama moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Culver fails with the takedown
and Balsama counters with a nice low kick that buckles Culver's knee momentarily.
Balsama tries to clinch but Culver is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balsama tries a head kick but it misses.
A left and a right from Balsama both land. Nice combination.

Culver darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Culver wants to take a breather but Balsama is having none of it.
Culver slows the pace down in half guard.
Balsama wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Culver with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Trevor Culver wasn't active enough on the ground.
Culver shoots and misses
and Balsama counters with an outside leg kick.

Culver throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Balsama was covering up waiting for the punch and Culver finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Balsama bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Culver's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balsama is stalling in the full guard.
Balsama trying to control but Culver is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Gabriiel Balsama has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
A left and a right from Culver both land. Nice combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trevor Culver 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.

Culver shoots in for a takedown but Balsama shows good takedown defense.
Culver misses with a lunging right hand
and Balsama counters with a left to the body.
Balsama misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balsama stuns Culver with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Culver takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Balsama looks to score with a jab to the body but Culver is just out of range.
Balsama wants to clinch but Culver slips to the side

and Culver counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Culver seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Culver trying to control the action but Balsama is working from the bottom.
Culver trying to control from Balsama's half guard. Balsama has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Balsama being controlled here, momentarily.
Culver stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balsama swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Balsama keeping moving, preventing Culver from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Trevor Culver wasn't active enough on the ground.
Balsama keeps Culver at a distance using the push kick.
Balsama throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Culver stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Balsama tries to close the distance and clinch up but Culver swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balsama walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Culver checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Culver takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Culver shoots in for a double leg but Balsama sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Balsama wants to clinch.
Culver tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Balsama thows a left - swing and a miss!
Balsama shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Culver counters with a nice double leg into side control. Balsama won't be happy with that.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Balsama is not content to let Culver control the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Culver tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trevor Culver showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Culver closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Culver lands in his opponent's guard.
Balsama looking to control.
Culver wants to control from the top but Balsama keeps moving.
Trevor Culver has got the better of the ground game so far.
Culver throws a strike but Balsama rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Culver can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balsama wants to control from the top but Culver keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gabriiel Balsama wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Balsama tries to clinch up.
Balsama misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two 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.
Balsama shoots for a double leg takedown but Culver sprawls well. He's pushed Balsama's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Balsama doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Culver counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Culveris looking to pass into half guard but Balsama pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Balsama is in guard.
Culver is pulling down on Balsama's head. It's preventing any offense from Balsama, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balsama trying to control but Culver is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Gabriiel Balsama wasn't doing enough on the ground.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balsama looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

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.
Culver fails with a takedown attempt.

Balsama gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gabriiel Balsama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Balsama tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriiel Balsama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balsama trying to land knees to the body.
Trevor Culver is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Balsama misses with some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Trevor Culver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Culver winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Trevor Culver!