PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cory Minor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Minor has chosen Undead as his entrance music. Cory Minor has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mike Baker's chin.

Baker
vs
Minor

187 cm
25
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Baker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cory Minor!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Baker drives through with a takedown into guard.
Baker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Minor is keeping the position for now.

Baker stands up from Minor's guard - Baker perhaps looking for a knockout.
Baker ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Minor moves away.

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

Baker jumps guard.
Minor trying to stand up but can't free himself from Baker's guard.
Minor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Minor wants to stand and escape but instead Baker has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Baker has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Minor is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker postures up in Minor's guard and throws a big left but Minor blocks it.
Minor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Baker 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.
Minor keeping moving, preventing Baker from controlling successfully.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Minor checks a leg kick.
Minor tries to bum rush Baker with a series of wild strikes but Baker uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Minor throws a series of punches but Baker moves out of range.
Minor is looking to clinch.
Baker with a hook.
Minor lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Minor looks gassed!
Minor tries to clinch up.
Baker throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Minor's waist but Minor gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Baker off to one side.
Minor misses with a series of wild punches.
Minor moves in looking to clinch but Baker pushes him off.
Minor shoots in for a takedown but Baker shows good takedown defense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Minor sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Baker pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Baker lands a two punch combo.
Baker throws a combination that misses

and Minor counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Minor.
Baker lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Minor!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Minor wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Minor is squirming around, avoiding Baker's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by Baker.
Baker raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baker looking to control and managing it successfully.
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 Mike Baker will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Minor takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Minor slaps away a takedown attempt from Baker, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Baker tries for a takedown but Minor sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Minor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Baker counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Baker shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Minor as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Baker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Minor will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker tries to clinch but Minor moves out of range.
Minor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Minor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Minor scores with a nice strike.
Minor stuffs the takedown attempt from Baker. Baker gets slowly back to his feet.
Baker tries to close the distance and clinch up but Minor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Minor avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
No joy there for Minor, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Baker closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Minor did well to prevent Baker getting side control.
Minor is trying to stand back up but Baker is controlling him
Baker lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker wants to take a breather but Minor is having none of it.

Baker postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Minor to stand up.
Minor tries to clinch up.

Baker drives through and clinches with Minor against the cage.

Baker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Baker pushes Minor up against the cage in a clinch.
Minor has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Baker's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Minor displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Baker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker fails to land the takedown.
Baker misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Baker shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Minor pinned against the cage. Minor gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Minor misses with a wild combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Baker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Baker moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Baker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Baker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Baker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Baker scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Baker looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Minor is fending him off so far but Baker persists. Nope, Minor circles away and we're back to standing.

Minor gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Minor is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Baker gets to his feet. Minor looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Baker dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Baker misses with a series of wild punches.
Baker fails to land the takedown.
Baker is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Minor.
Minor lands a jab-cross combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
No luck for Baker with that takedown attempt.
Baker takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Minor throws a left and a right that both miss

and Baker counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Baker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Minor is keeping the position for now.
Mike Baker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Minor wants to stand up but Baker is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker throws a big right hand that misses.
Baker is looking to work some ground and pound but Minor has wrist control.
Baker working some strikes from top position.
Minor keeping moving, preventing Baker from controlling successfully.
Minor avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cory Minor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Minor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Baker. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two 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.
Baker is stalling in the full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
The fight stays on the outside here - Minor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baker throws a series of punches but Minor moves out of range.
Baker thows a body shot but no joy.
Baker scores with a spinning back kick!
Baker closes the distance but Minor moves to the side

and Minor counters with a nice double leg into side control. Baker won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker wants to control but Minor postures up.
Minor fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Baker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Minor wants to stand but Baker is controlling his arm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Minor scores with a couple of short elbows.
Baker can't do much from the bottom here.
Minor wants to stand but Baker is controlling his arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Baker with a lazy takedown attempt

and Minor decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Baker's guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Baker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baker throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Minor working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Baker has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Baker'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.
Minor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baker swivels though and keeps the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cory Minor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Baker has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mike Baker!