PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dick Trikkle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Ballard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Trikkle
vs
Ballard

185 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
21
192 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dick Trikkle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Ballard!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Trikkle wants to clinch.

Ballard looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ballard wants to free his trapped foot but Trikkle is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Trikkle is refusing to be controlled, as Ballard sits in half guard.
Trikkle keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ballard prevents Trikkle from standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ballard scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Trikkle is trying to stand up here but Ballard is controlling him well.
Ballard lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ballard thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard is nestled in close to Trikkle, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Ballard prevents Trikkle from standing back up.
Ballard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Trikkle's head.
Ballard drops an elbow to the side of Trikkle's head.
Ballard is looking to advance position but Trikkle won't allow it.
Ballard trying to control from Trikkle's half guard. Trikkle has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Ballard scoring with some ground and pound.
Ballard with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Trikkle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Trikkle wants to stand up but Ballard is controlling him.
Ballard landing some decent shots from guard.
Ballard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ballard accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ballard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Trikkle works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Trikkle is looking to stand up but Ballard isn't so interested in that idea.
Ballard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ballard trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballard looking to sit in guard and control but Trikkle gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ballard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ballard seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Trikkle is looking to stand up but Ballard won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nick Ballard.
Trikkle goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Ballard shoots in and drives through. Trikkle sprawls well.
Ballard swats away the attempt to clinch by Trikkle.
Ballard circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ballard fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ballard throws a nice looking combination but Trikkle bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ballard shoots in looking for a takedown. Trikkle tries to sprawl out of it but Ballard keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Trikkle manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ballard takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Trikkle doesn't manage to clinch there - Ballard circles away.
Trikkle connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Ballard dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ballard lunges at Trikkle with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Trikkle's hand.
Ballard takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Nick Ballard has been cut.
No joy there for Ballard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Trikkle tries to close the distance and clinch but Ballard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ballard bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ballard wants to stand but Trikkle has his arm trapped.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ballard tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Trikkle wants to get back to his feet but Ballard drags him back down.
Trikkle trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Ballard in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard tries to score with some ground and pound. Trikkle controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Trikkle defending against the ground and pound.
Trikkle tries to escape but Ballard is in control.
Ballard with the ground and pound but Trikkle regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Ballard seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Trikkle tries to kick Ballard off but Ballard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ballard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Trikkle is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ballard lands a nice short elbow.
Ballard with the ground and pound but Trikkle uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Ballard makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Trikkle wants to get back to his feet but Ballard is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ballard throws an elbow that misses. Trikkle uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ballard's guard. Nice move by Trikkle!
Ballard is looking to stand up but Trikkle isn't so interested in that idea.
Ballard is pulling down on Trikkle's head. It's preventing any offense from Trikkle, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballard has a closed guard, preventing Trikkle from standing up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ballard can do anything to dispel that myth.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Ballard wants to improve his position but instead Trikkle has moved into half guard.
Ballard has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Trikkle is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Trikkle seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Nick Ballard hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Trikkle throws a nice head kick!
Ballard misses with a series of wild punches.
Trikkle tries to clinch but Ballard moves away

and Ballard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ballard tries to circle away but Trikkle has him pinned against the cage.
Ballard misses with the head strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ballard - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ballard wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Ballard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nick Ballard's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ballard takes a kick to the side of the head.
Ballard looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Ballard fails with a takedown attempt.
Ballard misses with a two punch combination.

Ballard feints and as Trikkle raises his hands in defense, Ballard changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Trikkle wants to stand up but Ballard is controlling him.
Ballard looking to sit in guard and control but Trikkle gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Trikkle trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ballard's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trikkle won't allow Ballard to get back to his feet.
Trikkle is looking to stand up but Ballard won't let him.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Trikkle wants to clinch up but Ballard keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ballard tries for a takedown but Trikkle sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Dick Trikkle has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nick Ballard.
A combination from Ballard does no damage.
Trikkle connects with a high kick.

Ballard throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Trikkle tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Ballard is in Trikkle's guard.
Ballard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Trikkle scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ballard lands with an overhand left.
Ballard takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Ballard drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ballard tries to score with some ground and pound. Trikkle controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Ballard in side control lands a decent elbow.
Trikkle is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Trikkle avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Ballard.
Ballard in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Ballard scores with a couple of short elbows.
Trikkle is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Ballard is trying to ground and pound but Trikkle uses the momentary lack of control by Ballard to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Dick Trikkle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Trikkle wants to get back to his feet.
Ballard trying to mount his opponent but Trikkle defends it.
Ballard not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ballard misses with a head shot. Trikkle uses the momentum to regain guard.

Ballard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Trikkle has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ballard has managed to get both his arms back between Trikkle's legs - danger averted.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nick Ballard.
I've got Ballard winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Ballard!
A less than humble Nick Ballard misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.