PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Briscoe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Ball (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Briscoe
vs
Ball

175 cm
21
205 lbs
3 - 10 - 0

195 cm
22
220 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 3 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Tom Briscoe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Ball!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Steven Brown and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ball stuffs the takedown attempt from Briscoe. Briscoe gets slowly back to his feet.
Ball with a lazy takedown attempt

and Briscoe counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Ball's guard now.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ball can do anything to dispel that myth.
Briscoe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Briscoe wants to control from the top but Ball keeps moving.
Ball wants to stand up but Briscoe is controlling him.
Briscoe is looking to work some ground and pound but Ball has wrist control.
Briscoe might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Briscoe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Briscoe is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Briscoe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Briscoe is in close to Ball's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Briscoe drops back looking for a leg! Ball is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ball manages to kick Briscoe off! Briscoe jumps back into Ball's guard.

Briscoe is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ball wants to get back to his feet but Briscoe is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Briscoe wants to pass the guard but Ball is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Briscoe is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ball wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Briscoe drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Briscoe jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Briscoe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Briscoe is pushing down on Ball's leg trying to pass to half guard. Ball is fighting to maintain full guard but Briscoe has managed to sneak the leg through.
Briscoe missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Briscoe is looking for a kimura here.
Briscoe is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briscoe throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Briscoe is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ball trying to hold on to Briscoe's head to control him but Briscoe postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Ball lands with a cross.

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.
Ball swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Briscoe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ball wants to get back to his feet.

Briscoe is trying to work for a kimura but Ball is defending well.
Ball is controlling Briscoe's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Briscoe throwing shots but Ball is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Briscoe dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ball throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Briscoe stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ball shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ball thuds his right hand into Briscoe's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Briscoe takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Ball avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ball is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ball looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Briscoe is fending him off so far but Ball persists. Nope, Briscoe circles away and we're back to standing.
Ball lands a really nice looking cross but Briscoe seems unphased.
Briscoe fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ball lands an overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ball moves into the clinch.
Ball stalling the fight.
Briscoe misses with the head strike.
Ball lands a nice uppercut.
Briscoe tries for a takedown but Ball manages to get underhooks.
Briscoe has Ball pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ball manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Briscoe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ball is leaning against Briscoe and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Briscoe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ball is keeping busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ball takes a shot to the head.
Briscoe swings wildly with an uppercut but Ball uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ball stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ball cracks Briscoe with a nice body shot.
Ball wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Briscoe has him pressed against the cage.
Ball tries to break the clinch but Briscoe is controlling the position.
Ball tries to break free but Briscoe pushes him back against the cage.
Briscoe tries for a takedown but Ball manages to get underhooks.
A bit of stalling here from Ball.
Ball gets through Briscoe's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ball has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Ball lands a nice uppercut.
Ball tries to break free but Briscoe pushes him back against the cage.
Briscoe has a couple of punches blocked by Ball.
A nice right hand lands inside from Ball.
Ball is stalling here.
Briscoe goes for a takedown attempt but Ball pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ball listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ball tries to clinch but Briscoe moves away

and Briscoe counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Briscoe.

Briscoe drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Briscoe jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Ball is pulling down on Briscoe's head to control his posture.
Briscoe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Ball showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Briscoe stuffs the takedown attempt from Ball. Ball gets slowly back to his feet.
Briscoe blocks a jab.
Ball keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball fails with a takedown attempt.
Tom Briscoe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Briscoe fails to land the takedown.
Ball is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Ball stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ball wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Briscoe. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Good exchange - Ball coming out on top.
Briscoe shoots for a takedown but Ball saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ball connects with a nice looking jab.
Ball tries to score a power double leg takedown but Briscoe sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ball somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball slips a jab and a cross from Briscoe.
Briscoe wants to clinch.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Ball listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That's four 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.
Briscoe uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Ball.
Briscoe wants to clinch

and Ball counters by clinching up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Ball comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ball 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Ball!