PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Balisi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Urijah Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Balisi
vs
Faber

160 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
23
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Christopher Balisi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Urijah Faber!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Robert Twigg and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balisi gets caught flat footed, as Faber shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Balisi utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Faber stands up over Balisi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Faber lands a couple of digs.
Balisi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Faber wants to get back to his feet.
Balisi misses with a head shot. Faber uses the momentum to regain guard.
Balisi postures up in Faber's guard and throws a big left but Faber blocks it.
Faber thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Faber avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Faber utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Faber can do anything to dispel that myth.
Faber wants to stand but Balisi is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balisi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Balisi wants to take a breather but Faber is having none of it.
Faber is looking to escape.
Balisi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Faber defending well though.

Balisi is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Faber sees it coming and defends easily.
Faber throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Balisi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Balisi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Faber tries to kick Balisi off but Balisi keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Faber is trying to control but can't.
Faber wants to get back to his feet.

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.
Balisi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Faber on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Faber really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Balisi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Balisi seems to be looking for submissions.
Faber wants to improve his position but Balisi is controlling well.
Balisi is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Faber keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Faber keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balisi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Faber's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber trying to control but Balisi postures up.
Balisi is trying to control the action in half guard but Faber is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Balisi stops Faber from getting back to his feet.
Faber trying to control but Balisi postures up.
Faber controlling the position well.
Faber looks gassed!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Urijah Faber was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Faber fails with a takedown attempt.

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.
Faber fails with a takedown attempt.
Faber shoots in but Balisi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Christopher Balisi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Urijah Faber.
Balisi has his takedown stuffed

and Faber counters with a shoot takedown. Balisi fights it but they end up in guard.
Faber trying to control the position from guard on top but Balisi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Balisi trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Balisi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Faber dominated that 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.

Faber shoots in for a double leg but Balisi sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Faber shoots and misses

and Balisi counters with a series of strikes that sends Faber to the canvas! Balisi follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Faber is rocked!
Faber utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Balisi wants to control from the top but Faber keeps moving.
Balisi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Balisi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Faber is breathing heavily.
Balisi trying to control but Faber is working from the bottom.
Balisi is pushing down on Faber's leg trying to pass to half guard. Faber is fighting to maintain full guard but Balisi has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balisi is looking for a kimura here.
Balisi lands with a punch from half guard.
Balisi is just content to waste time from the top position. Faber takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Balisi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Faber is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faber is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Balisi lands a couple of elbows.
Faber utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Balisi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Faber wants to stand but Balisi is controlling the position.
Balisi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Balisi trying to control but Faber is working from the bottom.

Balisi drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Balisi jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balisi prevents Faber from getting back to his feet.
Faber is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Balisi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balisi throwing strikes from guard but Faber blocks nicely.
Faber working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Balisi.
Balisi postures up.
Faber tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balisi is in close to Faber's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Balisi throws a big right hand that misses.
Faber is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Balisi is controlling him.
Balisi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Balisi won't allow Faber to get back to his feet.
Balisi postures up.
Faber keeping moving, preventing Balisi from controlling successfully.
Faber wants to stand up but Balisi is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Balisi dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Balisi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Balisi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Faber counters with a single leg into guard. Balisi didn't expect that.
Faber wants to pass the guard but Balisi is keeping the position.
Balisi wants to stand up but Faber is controlling him.
Faber lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Faber trying to control the position from guard on top but Balisi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Faber landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber is in close to Balisi's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Faber trying to control the position from guard on top but Balisi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Faber scoring with punches to the head and body.

Balisi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Faber won't allow Balisi to get back to his feet.
Faber content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber postures up and lands a big shot to Balisi's brow.
Faber stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balisi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Faber lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Faber won't allow Balisi to get back to his feet.
Urijah Faber has got the better of the ground game so far.
Faber works over Balisi with some ground and pound from guard.
Faber is stalling in the full guard.
Faber must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Faber passes Balisi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Faber lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber working the head and body with strikes.
Balisi is trying to stand.
Balisi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Faber lands with a punch from half guard.
Faber lands with a punch from half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Faber connects with a nice short shot to Balisi's temple.
Faber working over Balisi with some ground and pound. Balisi looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Faber winds up and cracks Balisi with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Faber landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Balisi tries to kick Faber off but Faber keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balisi is in trouble now - Faber has advanced to mount!
Faber in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Faber lands a nice shot to the head.
Balisi throwing hammer fists to the chest of Faber. What's that going to do exactly?
Faber scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Balisi?
Faber connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Faber lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Faber pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Faber raining down hammerfists from mount.
Faber scores with a couple of good head shots there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Urijah Faber comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Faber has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Urijah Faber!