PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Liam Vegas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Baron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Vegas
vs
Baron

172 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Liam Vegas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Baron!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, John Roberts and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vegas lands a glancing blow to the side of Baron's head.
Vegas connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Vegas doesn't manage to clinch there - Baron circles away.
Baron walks into a straight right hand from Vegas.
Baron throws a body kick that misses.
Vegas scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Baron forces Vegas back against the cage and clinches.

Baron works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Vegas is looking to stand up but Baron isn't so interested in that idea.
Vegas keeping full guard, as Baron tries to pass.
Baron is looking to work some ground and pound but Vegas has wrist control.

Vegas has his feet on Baron's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Vegas moves into the clinch.
Vegas has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Baron gets control of Vegas's arms and successfully pulls guard. Baron will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Baron wants to sweep here but Vegas controlling him for the moment.
Baron is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegas is trying to stand.

Vegas pushes Baron off and gets back to his feet.
Vegas keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Vegas fails to land with a series of punches.

Vegas clinches up against the cage.
Vegas wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vegas is looking to break free of the clinch but Baron has double underhooks.

Baron jumps into guard, dragging Vegas to the mat.
Vegas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Baron on the ground.
Baron wants to sweep here but Vegas controlling him for the moment.
Vegas postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Baron is trying to keep Vegas in close.

Baron working for a triangle but Vegas defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vegas won't allow Baron to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vegas throws a big right hand that misses.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Vegas's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Vegas is in close to Baron's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Vegas preventing the sweep.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Baron wants to stand up but Vegas is controlling him.
Baron looks gassed!
Vegas scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Baron is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Vegas makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baron changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Vegas tries to avoid it but Baron manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Vegas to the ground. Vegas escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Vegas displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Baron.
Baron swats away the attempt to clinch by Vegas.
Vegas connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Baron's hands.
Vegas circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vegas lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Baron gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Vegas to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Vegas thows a big elbow that misses.
Baron trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Vegas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Vegas throws a strike but Baron rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Baron is pushing down on Vegas's leg trying to pass to half guard. Vegas is fighting to maintain full guard but Baron has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vegas is trying to stand up here but Baron is controlling him well.
Baron missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Baron moves nicely into side control.
Baron trying to control the position but Vegas is working away.
Vegas tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Vegas wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baron tries to get the hooks in deep but Vegas pushed the leg off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Liam Vegas will probably get the nod.
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.

Baron is looking to clinch but Vegas is avoiding it.
Vegas lands a jab.
Baron doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Vegas counters with a nice double leg into side control. Baron won't be happy with that.
Vegas looks up at the clock and then as Baron takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Vegas smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Vegas scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Baron to see if he's OK.
Vegas working the head and body with strikes.
Baron is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Vegas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Vegas working over Baron with some ground and pound. Baron looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vegas prevents Baron from improving his position.
Baron blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vegas.
Baron trying to hold on to Vegas's head to control him but Vegas postures up.

Baron actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vegas looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baron is trying to maintain the position but Vegas is very close to passing his half guard.
Vegas working the head and body with strikes.
Baron trying to control from the bottom.
Baron is trying to get back to full guard.
Liam Vegas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vegas drops an elbow to the side of Baron's head.
Vegas working over Baron with some ground and pound. Baron looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Vegas slips a nice elbow through Baron's hands, connecting with Baron's forehead.
Vegas lands strikes from half guard.
Baron is looking to control Vegas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Baron avoid being mounted?
Vegas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baron taking some punishment here, with Vegas in his half guard.
Baron wants to improve his position but Vegas is controlling well.
Ground and pound from Vegas.
Baron is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Vegas scores with a couple of nice shots.
Vegas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Baron is concentrating on defense, preventing Vegas from advancing position.
Baron is looking for a sweep. Vegas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Baron wants to control but Vegas is keeping busy.

Baron looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Vegas scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Baron actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vegas working Baron over with strikes.
Baron is looking to control Vegas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Baron avoid being mounted?
Baron is trying to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Vegas cracks Baron with a right hand to the side of the head.
Baron wants to clinch.
Mike Baron is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A combination from Baron does no damage.

Vegas gets the takedown into side control.
Baron struggling a bit here.
Vegas working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vegas working away.
Vegas creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Baron is looking for a sweep.
Vegas connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Baron some visible discomfort.
Vegas lands a decent elbow from side control.
Baron is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Baron on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Baron wants to control but Vegas postures up.
Vegas working the ground and pound from side control.
Baron takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liam Vegas dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Baron gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Vegas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Vegas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vegas clinches but Baron breaks the clinch
and Baron counters with a body kick.
Liam Vegas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Vegas changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Baron looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Vegas working the head and body with strikes.
Baron tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Vegas wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Vegas working the body and head with strikes.
Vegas cracks Baron with a big right hand but Baron just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Baron is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Vegas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Baron is pressing down on Vegas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vegas trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vegas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baron is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baron looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vegas with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Vegas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Baron working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vegas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vegas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Vegas postures up in Baron's guard and throws a big left but Baron blocks it.
Baron not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Baron wants to sweep but no luck.
Vegas is in close to Baron's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Vegas postures up in Baron's guard and throws a big left but Baron blocks it.
Baron is trying to keep Vegas in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baron escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vegas gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Vegas postures up.
Baron throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Baron looking for a guillotine here but Vegas defends easily.
Baron is looking to stand up but Vegas isn't so interested in that idea.
Baron tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Baron trying to strike off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vegas decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Vegas shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Baron manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Vegas lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Baron is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Vegas postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Vegas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vegas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Vegas chips away with some ground and pound.
Vegas postures up in Baron's guard and throws a big left but Baron blocks it.
Baron wants to sweep here but Vegas controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baron throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Vegas throwing strikes from guard but Baron blocks nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Baron shoots and misses

so Vegas counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Baron is controlling Vegas's posture.
Vegas lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Vegas missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Vegas is looking to advance position but Baron has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Baron won't let Vegas get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Baron scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baron with a couple of short strikes.
Mike Baron has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Liam Vegas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baron cracks Vegas with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
Liam Vegas showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Vegas has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Liam Vegas!