PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Matador (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jax Ballo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 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.

Matador
vs
Ballo

189 cm
20
148 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
23
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Fernando Matador!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jax Ballo!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matador misses with a kick to the body.

Ballo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Matador sprawls well initially but Ballo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ballo prevents Matador from improving his position.
Matador blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ballo.
Matador is trying to stand up here but Ballo is controlling him well.
Ballo is trying to control the action in half guard but Matador is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ballo controlling the action here.

Ballo seems to be working for a kimura but Matador defends the submission attempt.
Ballo wants to take a breather but Matador is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matador tries to roll over but Ballo keeps him under control.
Matador is working hard here to advance position.
Ballo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matador keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jax Ballo was stalling too much, according to the referee.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ballo lands a right hand.

Ballo manages to pull guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ballo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ballo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Matador controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ballo looking for a guillotine here but Matador defends easily.
Matador trying to control the position from guard on top but Ballo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ballo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Ballo keeping moving, preventing Matador from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Matador got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ballo has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Matador has managed to get both his arms back between Ballo's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ballo has an active guard here but Matador has managed to pass into half guard.
Ballo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Matador wants to work for an arm triangle but Ballo is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ballo trying to control here.
Ballo keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ballo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Matador really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Matador thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ballo's head.

Matador is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Ballo still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Ballo has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Ballo has control of an arm but Matador manages to advance to Ballo's back!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matador not allowing Ballo to control his hands.

Matador has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Ballo has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jax Ballo dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Matador lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
No joy there for Matador, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ballo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matador swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ballo shoots for a takedown but Matador saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matador listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Ballo is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Matador.
Matador pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Matador wants to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Matador.
Matador is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ballo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matador shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ballo defends it nicely.

Ballo closes the distance and pushes Matador back into the cage.

Ballo tightens his grip and picks Matador up, before dumping him to the ground. Matador manages to land in guard.
Ballo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ballo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Matador's guard.
Ballo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matador keeps working.
Ballo scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Ballo is looking for a kimura but Matador is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ballo to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballo wants to take a breather but Matador is having none of it.
Ballo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Still in half guard, Ballo seems content to control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ballo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matador is refusing to be controlled, as Ballo sits in half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Ballo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ballo trying to control from Matador's half guard. Matador has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballo wants to pass the guard but Matador is keeping the position.
Ballo passes Matador's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ballo prevents Matador from improving his position.
Ground and pound from Ballo.
Ballo moves nicely into side control.
Matador trying to remain calm as Ballo controls from the top position.

Ballo decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ballo closes the distance and pushes Matador back into the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ballo obliges.

Ballo pulls Matador into guard.

Ballo looking for a guillotine here but Matador defends easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ballo wants to sweep but no luck.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ballo looking to control.
Ballo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Matador's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jax Ballo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Ballo or perhaps it was just good defense by Matador which made him look bad.
Ballo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Matador is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ballo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Matador is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Ballo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Matador napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Ballo decides to stand back up. Ballo steps back and let's Matador get back to his feet.
Danga de danga de dang - Matador scores with a four punch combination!
Matador tries to clinch but Ballo is having none of it.

Ballo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ballo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matador tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Matador being controlled here, momentarily.
Ballo stops Matador from standing up.
Matador will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Ballo passes Matador's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ballo wants to stand up but Matador has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Matador trying to control from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matador tries to get to full guard but Ballo has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballo tries to pass the half guard into mount. Matador knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Ballo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Ballo decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
A head kick misses from Ballo.
Ballo shoots for a takedown but Matador saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fernando Matador has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jax Ballo.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ballo.

Matador gets tackled into the cage by Ballo. Ballo maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matador is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Ballo gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Ballo breaks from the clinch.
Matador fails in his attempt to clinch.
Matador has a takedown stuffed.
Nice takedown defense from Matador. No joy for Ballo on that attempt.
Ballo tries to clinch but Matador moves out of range.
Matador shoots in for a takedown but Ballo shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ballo shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Matador defends it nicely.

Ballo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ballo lands a nice short elbow.
Ground and pound from Ballo.
Matador wants to get back to full guard.
Ballo trying to control the action but Matador is working from the bottom.
Matador is trying to control but Ballo manages to pass to mount!
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ballo landing strikes, looking to finish!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jax Ballo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ballo 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight for Jax Ballo!
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight for Jax Ballo!
Judge John Mangel scores the fight for Jax Ballo!

Jax Ballo wins by unanimous decision!