PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Triston Baal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Shankar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shankar comes into a darkened arena with his song building. "Them Belly Full" by Bob Marley kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Baal
vs
Shankar

190 cm
27
270 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

192 cm
23
267 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Triston Baal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andre Shankar!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Baal misses the target.

Shankar fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Baal sprawls well initially but Shankar persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Baal is looking for a sweep. Shankar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Baal wants to control but Shankar is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Shankar is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Shankar trying to control from half guard but Baal is working away.

Shankar is trying to work for a kimura but Baal is defending well.
Baal is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shankar is trying to control the action in half guard but Baal is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Shankar throwing shots but Baal is blocking nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baal misses with a body shot.
Baal throws the left hand but Shankar avoids the punch easily.
Shankar walks into a straight right hand from Baal.
Shankar fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Shankar moves out of range as Baal strikes.
Baal throws a hook to the side of Shankar's head but Shankar sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Shankar blocks a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baal misses with a takedown

and Shankar counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Baal!
Baal is desperately trying to improve his position but Shankar has a good base and remains in mount.
Shankar takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Baal wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Shankar tries to get the hooks in deep but Baal pushed the leg off.
Baal tries to break free.
Shankar is punishing Baal with strikes - can he finish him?!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Baal is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Shankar really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Baal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shankar lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Baal.
Shankar trying to control.
Shankar not allowing Baal to control his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Shankar is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Baal has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Baal trying to control but not successfully.

Shankar looking to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Baal is controlling Shankar 's left arm and he spins nicely into guard.
Baal throws a strike but Shankar rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Shankar dominated that round.
That's time! Baal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shankar staying out of range there.
Shankar with a poor takedown
and Baal counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Baal throws a jab when Shankar was well out of range.
Shankar blocks a jab.
Shankar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Baal is fending him off so far but Shankar persists. Nope, Baal circles away and we're back to standing.
Baal looks to throw the jab but Shankar is out of range.
Shankar misses with a takedown
and Baal counters with a nice uppercut.
Triston Baal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Shankar.
Shankar tries for a takedown but Baal circles away easily
and Baal counters with a one-two to the body.
Andre Shankar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shankar defending well as Baal loads up on a big left hand.
Baal is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Baal throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Shankar shoots and misses
and Baal counters with a straight right hand.

Shankar shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Shankar was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Baal is trying desperately to improve position.
Shankar trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Baal is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shankar goes for an armbar but Baal turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Baal.
Baal sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shankar's guard.
Shankar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Baal.
Shankar is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Baal scores with a couple of nice shots.
Baal seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shankar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baal takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baal missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Baal not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Baal with the ground and pound but Shankar uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Shankar keeping moving, preventing Baal from controlling successfully.
Baal throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shankar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Baal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Baal trying to control the position from guard on top but Shankar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baal in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Shankar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Baal.
Shankar avoids a punch combination nicely.
Shankar misses with a takedown attempt

and Baal counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Shankar kicks Baal off and gets back to his feet.
Shankar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Baal as he jumps to the side.
Baal swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Shankar counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Shankar lands a couple of elbows.
Shankar slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Triston Baal dominated that second round.
That's time! Baal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Shankar feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Shankar is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Baal wants to sweep here but Shankar controlling him for the moment.
Shankar trying to control the position from guard on top but Baal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baal manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Shankar manages to get himself to full guard.
Shankar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baal missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Baal passes into half guard.
Shankar wants to get back to his feet.
Baal looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Baal lands with a punch from half guard.
Baal wants to control but Shankar is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Baal stops Shankar from getting back to his feet.
Baal seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Shankar does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baal is looking to stall here but Shankar recovers full guard.
Baal prevents Shankar from getting back to his feet.
Baal wants to control from the top but Shankar keeps moving.
Shankar is looking to stand up but Baal isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shankar swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Baal takes a swing at Shankar's ribcage but misses.
Baal with a nice cross.
Baal throws an overhand right that lands on Shankar's shoulder, as Shankar tries to avoid the shot.
Baal with a nice cross.
Baal stuffs the takedown.
Baal throws a hook but Shankar blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shankar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Baal.
Shankar misses with a takedown
and Baal connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Shankar gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Baal counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Triston Baal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Shankar.
Shankar takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shankar moves away from the strike by Baal.
Shankar ducks under a wild hook from Baal.
Baal loads up on a big right hand but Shankar slips the punch.
Shankar uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Baal.
Baal looks to land a right hand but Shankar moved out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Triston Baal showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Baal 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Triston Baal!