PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Baldwin (ranked 24410 p4p, 5375 weight class) and Howie Finkelman (ranked 492 p4p, 398 weight class). Baldwin comes to the cage accompanied by London Calling. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Baldwin
vs
Finkelman

175 cm
26
145
0 - 3 - 0

174 cm
18
152
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Baldwin!
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, Howie Finkelman!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Chad Campbell and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Baldwin is defended easily by Finkelman.
Finkelman lands a jab.
Finkelman avoids a punch combination nicely.
Howie Finkelman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Baldwin changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Finkelman looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Finkelman is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Baldwin is controlling him well.
Baldwin is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Finkelman's shoulder. That is not cool.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finkelman struggling a bit here.
Baldwin controls the position from side control.
Finkelman is trying to buck Baldwin off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Baldwin tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Baldwin has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Baldwin has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Baldwin is looking to clinch but Finkelman is avoiding it.
Nice uppercut lands for Finkelman. That snapped Baldwin's head back.

Baldwin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Baldwin lands in his opponent's guard.
Baldwin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin tries to stand but Finkelman is controlling from the bottom.
Baldwin is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Baldwin sitting in guard here, content to control.
Baldwin throws a strike but Finkelman rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Baldwin throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Baldwin has a closed guard, preventing Finkelman from standing up.
Baldwin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Finkelman is controlling him.
Finkelman wanted to stand there but Baldwin had control of the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Finkelman wants to stand and escape but instead Baldwin has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Baldwin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Finkelman is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Baldwin gets to his feet - Finkelman follows without any prompting.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baldwin tries to clinch up but Finkelman circles away and keeps his distance.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Baldwin.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Baldwin dominated that round.
That's time! Baldwin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Baldwin drops his hands momentarily and Finkelman takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Finkelman lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Finkelman cracks Baldwin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Matt Baldwin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Finkelman scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Finkelman smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nice uppercut lands for Finkelman. That snapped Baldwin's head back.

Baldwin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Finkelman sprawls well initially but Baldwin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baldwin controlling the action here.
Baldwin's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Finkelman wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Baldwin is looking for a kimura here.
Matt Baldwin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Finkelman is trying to stand back up but Baldwin is controlling him

Baldwin is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Finkelman doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Baldwin.
Baldwin works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin controlling his opponent.
Baldwin lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Baldwin breaks from Finkelman's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Finkelman in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Baldwin controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Baldwin has control of Finkelman's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Finkelman regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Baldwin looking to control and managing it successfully.
Further stalling from Baldwin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin looking for a guillotine from mount but Finkelman is having none of it.
Finkelman is in a horrible position here. Baldwin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Baldwin controlling from the full mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Baldwin dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Baldwin looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Baldwin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Finkelman can do to turn this around?
Finkelman lands with a cross.
Baldwin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Baldwin takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Finkelman changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Finkelman lands a nice looking body shot.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Finkelman.
Baldwin misses with a hook
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Finkelman.
Finkelman tries to clinch there but Baldwin circles away.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Finkelman!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baldwin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Finkelman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Finkelman fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Baldwin.
Finkelman wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finkelman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Finkelman avoids a punch combination nicely.
Finkelman lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.

Finkelman fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baldwin, pushing him back against the cage.

Finkelman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Finkelman lands a nice shot to the body.
Baldwin moves in looking to clinch but Finkelman pushes him off.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Baldwin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Baldwin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Finkelman tries to clinch but Baldwin is having none of it.
Finkelman stuffs the takedown attempt from Baldwin. Baldwin gets slowly back to his feet.
Baldwin shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Finkelman sprawls well. Finkelman wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Baldwin gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Finkelman fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Baldwin sprawls well initially but Finkelman persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Baldwin manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Finkelman keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Finkelman escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Finkelman throws a nice outside leg kick.
Finkelman paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Baldwin takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Finkelman fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Finkelman cracks Baldwin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Baldwin takes a jab right on the kisser.
Finkelman lands a nice looking body shot.
Finkelman takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Finkelman connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Finkelman scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Baldwin sneaks out the side door and pushes Finkelman away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Finkelman fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Nice uppercut there from Finkelman.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baldwin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Finkelman connects with a body shot.

Finkelman darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Finkelman tries to stand and escape but Baldwin is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Baldwin is trying to stand back up but Finkelman is controlling him
Finkelman wants to take a breather but Baldwin is having none of it.
Baldwin wants to get back to full guard.
Finkelman seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd cheers as Finkelman lands an impressive looking overhand right. Baldwin doesn't seem phased though.
A big right from Baldwin misses.
Howie Finkelman seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Finkelman jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Finkelman lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Howie Finkelman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Baldwin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Finkelman lands a really nice looking cross but Baldwin seems unphased.
Finkelman cracks Baldwin with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Baldwin falls to his knees and Finkelman doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Howie Finkelman!
A very excited looking Howie Finkelman made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.