PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe Bale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Creed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Apollo Creed told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Bale
vs
Creed

199 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Bale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Apollo Creed!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Andrew Berry and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Creed checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Creed wants to clinch up but Bale keeps it at a distance.
Creed looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bale. That's going to slow Creed down.
Creed misses with a wild combination.
Bale misses with a series of wild punches.
Creed blocks a leg kick.
Creed takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Creed tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Creed is looking to clinch but Bale is avoiding it.
Bale throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bale throws a nice looking combination but Creed bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bale scores with a shot to the body.
Creed throws a head kick but Bale moves out of range.

Bale moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Creed tries for a takedown but Bale manages to get underhooks.
Creed looks gassed!
Bale using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Creed has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Creed is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bale gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Creed keeps control of Bale as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Bale lands with a right to the head.
Bale fails to pull guard.
A short uppercut from Creed.
Bale trying to land knees to the body.
Creed pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Creed is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bale fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Creed is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Creed misses with a hook from the clinch.

Bale pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Joe Bale seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bale fails to land with a series of punches.
Bale throws a series of punches but Creed avoids them all with ease.
Bale lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Bale gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Creed is trying to stall.
Creed managing to block the knees to the body from Bale.
Bale wants to get back to striking at distance but Creed won't allow it.
The referee calls for Bale to work.
Creed misses with a punch on the inside.
Creed lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Creed looking for a takedown.
Joe Bale has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apollo Creed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bale escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bale throws a low kick but it's checked well by Creed.
Bale throws a right and a left that Creed avoids nicely.
Bale throws a left and a right that both miss

and Creed counters with a shoot takedown. Bale fights it but they end up in guard.
Bale lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Creed!
Bale controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Bale dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bale fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Creed, pushing him back against the cage.
Creed tries for a takedown but Bale manages to get underhooks.
Creed prevents a body shot from Bale.
Bale tries to land knees in the clinch but Creed avoids the damage to the body.
Creed tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Bale just stands there and leans against the cage.
Bale tries to break free but Creed pushes him back against the cage.

Bale escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bale throws a right and a left that Creed avoids nicely.
Creed takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Bale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joe Bale is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bale thows a leg kick but Creed checks it
and Creed counters with a one-two to the body.
Bale misses with a two punch combination.
Creed dodges the punch combination from Bale.
Creed is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Creed will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Joe Bale is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Bale.
Bale scoring well with a low kick there.
Bale swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Bale, right into the meat.
Creed keeps the fight on the outside.
Creed has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bale fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Creed takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bale moves in looking to clinch but Creed pushes him off.
Bale stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bale wants it to stay on the feet.
Joe Bale has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apollo Creed.
Bale misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bale fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bale tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Creed counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bale misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bale throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Creed shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bale sprawls well. Bale wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Creed gets slowly back to his feet.

Bale gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Creed managing to block the knees to the body from Bale.

Bale breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Creed misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bale lands a head kick!
Bale scores with a leg kick.
Bale misses with a double jab.
Bale throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bale walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Creed checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
A combination from Bale does no damage.
Bale throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bale throws a right and a left that both miss.
Creed tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Bale is looking to chop away at Creed's legs.
A head kick by Bale misses
and Creed counters with a series of strikes. Bale will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bale throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Bale closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Creed on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Bale's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Creed blocks a head kick by Bale.
Creed slips a jab and a cross from Bale.
Creed looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Bale gets a clinch.
Bale tries to land knees in the clinch but Creed avoids the damage to the body.
Creed is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Bale jumps into guard, dragging Creed to the mat.
Bale lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Bale controlling Creed's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Bale dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Bale misses with a few strikes there.
A clash of legs there as Creed blocks the low kick.
Bale is looking to slow Creed down with leg kicks.
Creed wants to clinch.
Bale tries to clinch there but Creed circles away.
Bale loads up on a big right hand but Creed slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Creed dodges the punch combination from Bale.
Creed takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice sprawl there from Creed as Bale shoots in.
Bale misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bale moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Creed shoots in but no luck this time.
Bale throws and low kick but Creed moves out of range easily.
Bale misses with a head kick.
Bale tries to clinch there but Creed circles away.
Creed's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Bale tries to clinch but Creed is having none of it.
Creed takes one on the button.
A bone on bone clash there as Creed blocks the leg kick.
Bale lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bale.
Creed has a takedown stuffed.
Bale misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bale cracks Creed with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Bale throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Creed takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Joe Bale is winning the standup battle so far.
Bale lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Creed circles away quickly and effectively.
Bale fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Creed is out of range.
Creed will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Bale lands a body shot.
Bale tries to bum rush Creed with a series of wild strikes but Creed uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Bale misses with a low kick.
Bale wants to clinch but Creed slips to the side

so Creed counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Creed tries to free his leg and advance position but Bale is retaining full guard.
Bale is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Creed is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bale looking for a sweep. Not yet Bale, not yet.
Joe Bale is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bale controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Bale manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Bale controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Bale showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bale, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Bale!