PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joao Andrade (ranked 1251 p4p, 180 weight class) and Dennis Baba (ranked 1153 p4p, 173 weight class). Joao Andrade is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Andrade
vs
Baba

192 cm
20
205 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

195 cm
26
215 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joao Andrade!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dennis Baba!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Russell Pearce and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Andrade avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baba misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Baba takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Baba drives through and clinches with Andrade against the cage.
Baba misses with a punch to the body.
Andrade tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baba tries to throw a body punch but Andrade avoids it by throwing Baba back against the cage.
Andrade blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Baba throws a punch but it's blocked by Andrade.
I was talking to Andrade's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Baba struggles to land a body shot inside as Andrade controls his hands.
A right hand to the body from Andrade.
Andrade lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Andrade tries to work over Baba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Baba misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baba blocks a body shot from Andrade.
Andrade scores with a shot to the side of Baba's head.
Baba tries a body shot but Andrade blocks it.
Baba tries to throw a body punch but Andrade avoids it by throwing Baba back against the cage.
Baba misses with a hook from the clinch.
Andrade lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baba backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Andrade.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Andrade's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Andrade throws a jab when Baba was well out of range.
Andrade smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Baba wants to clinch.
Baba throws a lazy uppercut
and Andrade counters with a slapping leg kick.
Baba tries to clinch there but Andrade circles away.
Andrade moves out of range as Baba strikes.
Andrade connects with a crisp jab.
Andrade chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Andrade walks into a left hand.

It looks like Joao Andrade has been cut.
Baba has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Baba tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andrade uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Baba.
Andrade walks into a straight right hand from Baba.
Andrade lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Baba moves into the clinch.
Andrade blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Andrade goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Andrade.

Andrade manages to break the clinch.

Baba closes the distance and pushes Andrade back into the cage.
Andrade lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baba or not.
Baba lands an uppercut.
Andrade tries a body shot but Baba blocks it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Andrade.
Baba tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baba swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Andrade blocks a body shot from Baba.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andrade tries to work over Baba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Baba misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Andrade tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A body shot lands from Andrade.
Andrade lands with a left to the head.
Andrade tries to throw a body punch but Baba avoids it by throwing Andrade back against the cage.
Andrade struggles to land a body shot inside as Baba controls his hands.
Baba tries to throw a body punch but Andrade avoids it by throwing Baba back against the cage.
Andrade wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Baba takes a shot to the head.

Andrade pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Baba tries to clinch but Andrade moves out of range.
Baba tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Andrade cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Andrade throws a quick inside leg kick.

Baba has managed to clinch.
Andrade misses with a body punch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baba closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Andrade on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baba misses with a punch on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Baba.
Andrade prevents a body shot from Baba.

Andrade escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baba tries to clinch up
enabling Andrade to counter with a crisp jab.
Baba tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Andrade counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Baba thinking.
Baba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Baba closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Andrade dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joao Andrade's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Baba throws a lazy right hand but Andrade sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
That kick from Andrade tenderised Baba's leg. Baba is trying to keep his angry face on.
Baba just misses with a punch to the body.
A big right from Baba misses.
Andrade swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Baba scores with a jab.
Baba thows a left - swing and a miss!
Joao Andrade is winning the standup battle so far.
Baba tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Andrade counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Baba doesn't manage to clinch there - Andrade circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baba pushes Andrade up against the cage in a clinch.

Andrade breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baba wants to clinch but Andrade slips to the side
and Andrade makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Andrade avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Andrade gets tackled into the cage by Baba. Baba maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baba misses with a short punch on the inside.
Baba misses with some punches.
Baba's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Baba misses with some punches.
Andrade swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Andrade lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baba or not.
Andrade pushes Baba back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Baba swings wildly with an uppercut but Andrade uses good head movement to avoid it.
Andrade lands a body punch.
Baba is breathing heavily.
A nice right hand lands inside from Andrade.
Baba misses with a short punch on the inside.
Baba digs a right hand into Andrade's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Andrade's gas tank.
Andrade lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baba or not.
A nice right hand lands inside from Andrade.
A left hand lands to the body for Andrade.

Andrade breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baba looks to land a right hand but Andrade moved out of range.
Andrade thinks about countering with a body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Andrade.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baba is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Andrade's corner calls for a 1-2. Andrade obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Baba is rocked!
Baba swings widly with a right hand
and Andrade counters with a huge left! Baba is in big trouble! He's backing up but Andrade isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Baba from any more damage. A dominating finish by Andrade!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Joao Andrade!
Joao Andrade decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.