PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bishop Roy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Ballantine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Roy
vs
Ballantine

190 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

215 cm
22
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bishop Roy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Ballantine!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, John Mangel and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Roy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Roy scores with a hook to the body. Ballantine takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Ballantine leaves Roy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ballantine doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Roy counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Roy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ballantine bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Roy's guard.
Roy wants to stand up but Ballantine is controlling him.
Roy is breathing heavily.
Ballantine is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ballantine passes Roy's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine is controlling the pace.
Ballantine thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Roy's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ballantine with the ground and pound but Roy uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Ballantine trying to control the position from guard on top but Roy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Ballantine stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Roy with a poor takedown

and Ballantine moves into the clinch.
Ballantine using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Roy has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Ballantine breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Roy looks to clinch

and Ballantine counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Ballantine seems to be looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ballantine is looking to advance position but Roy won't allow it.
Ballantine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Roy on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Roy tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ballantine postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Roy to stand up.

Ballantine looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Roy is looking to escape.
Ballantine is keen to just control but Roy is a slippery customer.
Ballantine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Ballantine 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.

Roy tries to clinch

and Ballantine counters with a shoot takedown. Roy fights it but they end up in guard.
Ballantine is pushing down on Roy's leg trying to pass to half guard. Roy is fighting to maintain full guard but Ballantine has managed to sneak the leg through.

Ballantine is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ballantine is trying to control. Roy wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ballantine throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Roy is refusing to be controlled, as Ballantine sits in half guard.
Ballantine has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ballantine throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ballantine tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Roy is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine controlling the pace for now.
Ballantine landing strikes from the mount and Roy is in trouble!
Ballantine can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Roy is looking to escape.

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.
Ballantine takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Roy tries to buck Ballantine off but he can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Ballantine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Roy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ballantine with a poor takedown

and Roy counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ballantine's guard now.
Ballantine manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Roy manages to get himself to full guard.
Roy keeping moving, preventing Ballantine from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Roy wants to stand up but Ballantine is controlling him.
Ballantine trying to control the position from guard on top but Roy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ballantine content to stall in guard here.

That's two 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Jimmy Ballantine just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Roy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Roy wants it to stay on the feet.
Bishop Roy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ballantine has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Roy.

Ballantine shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Roy napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Roy is trying to get back to his feet.
Ballantine trying to control the position but Roy is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine landing a few strikes.
Roy is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ballantine is controlling him well.
Roy trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Roy gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ballantine trying to control but Roy is having none of it.
Ballantine sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bishop Roy.
I think Ballantine 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Ballantine!