PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mr Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sparring Partner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ward comes to the cage accompanied by Everything in its right place- Radio Head. On his way into the cage it seems that Mr Ward has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Mr Ward seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Ward
vs
Partner

150 cm
28
144 lbs
15 - 10 - 0

169 cm
27
145 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 15 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mr Ward!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sparring Partner!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ward misses with a lunging right hand
and Partner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ward misses with a left hand
and Ward takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ward misses with a left hand
and Partner counters with a nice uppercut.
Ward misses with a left hand
letting Partner counter with a right hand.
Partner tests Ward's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ward rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Partner counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ward!
Ward is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Ward holds on for dear life, controlling Partner's posture momentarily.
Ward is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Partner wants to control the pace but Ward is squirming around nicely.
Ward is wriggling around trying to escape.

Partner with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Partner tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ward tries to hold on but Partner pushes him away.
Ward is working to get back to half guard.
Ward tries to hold on but Partner pushes him away.
Partner landing strikes from the mount.
Partner trying to control but Ward is having none of it.
Ward is trying to reverse the position but instead Partner has taken his back - oops!
Partner tries to get the hooks in deep but Ward pushed the leg off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward trying to control the position but Partner manages to sink in the hooks.
Ward rolls, trying to escape but Partner keeps control of the position.
Partner is looking to control Ward but Ward is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Ward tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Partner manages to capitalize on a mistake by Ward to take his back!
Partner tries to get the hooks in deep but Ward pushed the leg off.
Ward is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Partner.
Ward avoids the strikes from Partner.
I really don't envy Ward right now.
Partner trying to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward trying to control but not successfully.
Partner doesn't have the hooks in and Ward manages to turn into his guard.
Partner wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Partner lands a body shot.
Partner scores with a jab to the jaw.
Mr Ward seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ward swings widly with a right hand

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ward's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ward is looking to reverse the position.
Ward might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Partner has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Ward wants to hold on but Partner pushes him away.

Partner is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ward can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Ward is looking to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sparring Partner dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Partner dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ward throws a poor cross that misses
and Partner counters with a right hand to the body.
Ward misses with a right hand
and Partner counters with a nice body shot.
Ward rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ward takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ward throws a lazy uppercut

and Partner counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Ward!
Ward is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ward tries to lock up and control but Partner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ward doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Partner lands a nice shot to the head.
Ward tries to hold on but Partner postures up.
Ward is squirming around, avoiding Partner's attempts to control the action.
Ward prevents Partner from taking his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward tries to lock up and control but Partner gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Ward taking shots to the head.
Partner pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Partner looking to control but Ward is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ward tries to hold on but Partner postures up.
Ward regains half guard.
Partner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ward defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward is looking to improve his position.
Partner is trying to control the action in half guard but Ward is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ward wants to control but Partner is keeping busy.
Ward slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ward not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Partner looking to pass the guard.
Partner postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Partner trying to control but Ward is working from the bottom.
Ward is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Partner preventing the sweep.
Partner sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ward's guard.
Ward is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Partner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Partner's back!

Ward looking for the choke but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ward doesn't have the hooks in and Partner manages to turn into his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward wants to sweep here but Partner controlling him for the moment.
Partner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.
Partner forces his way into half guard.
Partner wants to take a breather but Ward is having none of it.
Ward is looking to improve his position.
Partner slips a nice elbow through Ward's hands, connecting with Ward's forehead.
Partner controlling the action here.
Ward is concentrating on defense, preventing Partner from advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sparring Partner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ward throws a poor cross that misses

and Partner decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Ward's guard.
Partner trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ward trying to keep a closed guard but Partner is proving a slippery customer.
Partner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ward swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ward controls Partner momentarily but Partner frees himself.
Sparring Partner has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mr Ward wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Partner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Partner drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ward wants to sweep here but Partner controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward controls Partner momentarily but Partner frees himself.
Partner showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Partner postures up and lands a big shot to Ward's brow.
Partner preventing the sweep.
Ward wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mr Ward has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.
Partner is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Partner sizes up Ward with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Ward misses with a lunging right hand

and Partner counters with a single leg into guard. Ward didn't expect that.
Ward utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ward trying to keep a closed guard but Partner is proving a slippery customer.
Partner trying to control the position from guard on top but Ward is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ward is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Partner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ward is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Partner won't allow Ward to sweep him here.
Ward trying to keep a closed guard but Partner is proving a slippery customer.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Mr Ward wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ward misses with a hook
letting Partner counter with a right hand.
Ward throws a right hand that misses
and Partner counters with a straight right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ward misses with a hook
and Partner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ward misses with an uppercut
and Partner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ward misses with a right hand
and Partner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Ward throws an off balance right hand
and Partner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Ward throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Partner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ward trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Partner manages to pass to mount!
Partner sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Ward defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Partner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Partner fails to move to back control.
Partner controlling from mount.
Ward wants to hold on but Partner pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sparring Partner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Partner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sparring Partner!