PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Balls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Pack (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Pack is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Balls
vs
Pack

199 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

210 cm
25
259 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Balls!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Pack!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pack throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Balls counters with a nice body shot.

Balls has Pack up against the cage in a clinch.
Balls keeps control of Pack as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Balls works on Pack's body with a couple of short punches.
Balls stalls.

Balls lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Balls lands a nice short elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pack is trying to stand up here but Balls is controlling him well.

Balls stands up and beckons Pack to join him on the feet.

Pack drops Balls with a left and a right! Oh, Balls is hurt - Pack dives into side control looking to finish!

Balls is rocked!

It looks like Matt Balls has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balls is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Pack has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Balls tries to improve position but can't.
Balls might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Balls looking for a sweep but Pack has passed into full mount! Oh no!

Pack is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

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.

Balls rushes Pack and presses him up against the cage.
Balls stalling.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Pack tries to break free but Balls pushes him back against the cage.
Balls lands a good knee to the midsection. Pack won't want to take too many of those.
Pack is trying to break free.
Pack has had enough of the clinch but Balls keeps him there for the moment.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Knees to the body from Balls.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pack wants to get back to striking at distance but Balls won't allow it.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Balls wants a takedown.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Pack working hard to break the clinch.
Pack looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Pack has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Pack is trying to break the clinch but Balls has him pressed against the cage.
Balls lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like John Pack has been cut.
Pack is trying to force a seperation but Balls has the dominant position.

Balls manages to pull guard.
Balls tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four 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.
Balls pulls Pack in close to prevent any damage.

We're going to have a standup here because Matt Balls wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Pack throws a leg kick

and Balls counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pack takes a knee to the side of the body.
Balls stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Pack wants to break free but Balls has control.
Pack tries to break the clinch but Balls is controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A frustrated look appears on Pack's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Pack wants to break the clinch but can't.
Balls is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pack pulls him back up using the underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but John Pack will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pack throws a left and a right that both miss

and Balls counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Pack!
Pack really wants to buck Balls off and get back to his feet.
Balls raining down shots from the mount!
Balls wants to control the pace but Pack is squirming around nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pack wants to get back to his feet.
Balls trying to control but Pack is having none of it.

That's two 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.
Pack is trying to stand.
Balls throws some wild stikes that Pack manages to avoid easily.
Balls thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Pack's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pack is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Balls cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Balls can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pack is looking to escape.
Pack wants to try and get back to his feet.

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.
Balls wants to control the pace but Pack is squirming around nicely.
Pack wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Balls dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Pack takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pack swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Balls counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Balls stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Pack misses with the body kick

and Balls counters by clinching up.
Balls stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Pack is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Balls has Pack pressed against the cage, preventing Pack from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pack working hard to break the clinch.

Balls's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pack throws a lazy uppercut
and Balls counters with a nice body shot.
Balls comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pack misses with a combination

and Balls counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pack won't be happy with that.
Pack takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pack wants to get back to his feet but Balls is dominant here and he's now got Pack's back!
Balls is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Pack up.
Balls punches Pack on the ear.
Balls tries to get the hooks in deep but Pack pushed the leg off.
Pack is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Pack preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Balls.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pack holding both Balls 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balls missing with punches from the back.
Pack looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Balls is punishing Pack with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Balls showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Balls 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Balls!