PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Karl Bach (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bart Sparta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bach comes to the cage accompanied by care bears countdown. The key to victory for Karl Bach has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bach
vs
Sparta

175 cm
27
210 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

198 cm
25
220 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

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 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Karl Bach!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bart Sparta!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bach looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Sparta!

Bach stands up from mount. Strange move.
Bach throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sparta's waist but Sparta gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bach off to one side.
Sparta gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bach counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bach.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sparta working a defensive guard but Bach passes into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sparta can do anything to dispel that myth.

Bach stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Bach tries for a takedown but Sparta sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sparta misses with a takedown attempt

and Bach counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sparta looks gassed!
Sparta has a closed guard, preventing Bach from standing up.
Bach might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sparta can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bach controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sparta is working an open guard so Bach takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Bart Sparta seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bach shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sparta as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Bach. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sparta gets a clinch.

Sparta has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Bach regains guard immediately.

Bach has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sparta can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sparta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sparta must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sparta postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bach controlling Sparta's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparta throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sparta accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sparta trying to control but Bach is working from the bottom.
Sparta in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bach is controlling Sparta's posture.
Bach working a defensive guard here.
Sparta tries to free his leg and advance position but Bach is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bach wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Karl Bach wasn't doing enough on the ground.
No luck for Bach with that takedown attempt.
Sparta looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A swing and a miss from Sparta.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bach.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bach.

Sparta fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bach, pushing him back against the cage.
Sparta can't get the takedown.

Bach successfully pulls guard.
Bach trying to keep a closed guard but Sparta is proving a slippery customer.
Sparta is looking to work some ground and pound but Bach has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sparta makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sparta trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Bach had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sparta defends it easily.
Sparta wanted to stand there but Bach had control of the position.
Bach has control of Sparta's left arm, preventing Sparta from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bach controls Sparta momentarily but Sparta frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Bach dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bach changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sparta tries to avoid it but Bach manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sparta to the ground. Sparta escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A swing and a miss from Sparta.
Sparta shoots and misses

and Bach counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bach looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Sparta wants to get back to full guard but Bach has passed into side control.
Bach is staying tight to Sparta's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bach decides to stand back up. Bach steps back and let's Sparta get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparta with a poor takedown

and Bach counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Bach stands up from half guard.
Bach shoots in looking for a takedown. Sparta tries to sprawl out of it but Bach keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sparta manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Sparta scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bach has his hands clasped together around Sparta's back. He's all about the action.
Sparta not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Bach avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sparta.

Sparta is looking for a kimura but Bach is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sparta to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bach is doing well to control the position and prevent Sparta from advancing to side control.
Sparta is thwarting Bach's attempts to control the position.
Bach blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sparta.
Sparta not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Sparta is working for a submission of some sort.
Sparta thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Bach to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bach is pulling down on Sparta's head. It's preventing any offense from Sparta, at least for the moment.

Bach is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bach is trying to control the position but Sparta postures up.

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.
Bach is pulling down on Sparta's head to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Karl Bach wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bach shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sparta defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Bach. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bach stuffs the takedown attempt from Sparta. Sparta gets slowly back to his feet.
Sparta misses with a takedown attempt

and Bach counters with a single leg into guard. Sparta didn't expect that.
Sparta wants to stand but Bach is controlling the position.

Bach stands up and waves to Sparta to follow him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bach shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karl Bach 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. 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.

Sparta throws a poor cross that misses

and Bach counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Bach is stalling in the full guard.

Bach stands and steps away. Sparta gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Sparta stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sparta wants it to stay on the feet.
Sparta throws a hook but Bach avoids it easily.
Sparta is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bach.

Bach shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sparta controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Sparta has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Bach decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Sparta leaves Bach with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

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.
Bach shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sparta pinned against the cage. Sparta gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Karl Bach. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bach shoots in but Sparta avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Sparta drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sparta tries to score with some ground and pound. Bach controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
An elbow from Sparta crashes against the mat.
You can see the frustration on Bach's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sparta working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
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.
Sparta misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Sparta working the ground and pound.
Sparta looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Bach is avoiding damage well.
Sparta fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Bach can't do much from the bottom here.
Sparta throwing strikes but Bach manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Bach just content to control the position.

Bach stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bach shoots in looking for a takedown. Sparta tries to sprawl out of it but Bach keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sparta manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sparta throws the left hand but Bach avoids the punch easily.
Sparta misses with a looping left.
Sparta misses with a takedown attempt

so Bach counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sparta wants to control the position but Bach says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sparta is trying to stand up here but Bach is controlling him well.

Bach decides to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Karl Bach showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bach, 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Karl Bach!