PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steven Montgomery (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rokus Balboas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Montgomery has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Montgomery
vs
Balboas

190 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Steven Montgomery!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rokus Balboas!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Steve Erwin and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balboas fails with the takedown.

Balboas closes the distance and pushes Montgomery back into the cage.
Balboas scores with a hook to the body.
Balboas lands a hook to the side of the head.
Montgomery is breathing heavily.

Balboas ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Balboas no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Montgomery wants to get up but he can't break Balboas's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Balboas trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Balboas wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Balboas is looking to stand up but Montgomery isn't so interested in that idea.
Balboas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rokus Balboas was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Balboas shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Montgomery working to try and regain half guard.
A nice elbow there by Balboas.
Balboas content just to control the position here.
Montgomery is bucking up trying to escape but Balboas cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Montgomery tries to hold on but Balboas postures up.
Balboas tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Balboas connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balboas lands a nice shot to the head.
Balboas controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboas pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Balboas controlling from the full mount.
It looks like Balboas might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Balboas really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Montgomery. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Balboas lands a nice shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboas controlling his opponent.
Balboas fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The referee warns Montgomery that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Balboas controlling from mount.
Balboas putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Balboas jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Montgomery manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rokus Balboas dominated that 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.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balboas.

Balboas shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Balboas lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Balboas is taking a breather. Montgomery says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Montgomery works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboas keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Montgomery's head.
Balboas engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rokus Balboas was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Balboas gets a takedown into half guard.
Balboas lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboas perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Rokus Balboas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Montgomery trying to control here.
Balboas stalling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rokus Balboas.

Balboas closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Montgomery wants to control but Balboas postures up.
Balboas remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Balboas decides to stand back up.

Balboas closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Balboas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Montgomery is looking to take this one to the mat.
Balboas has Montgomery pushed against the cage.
Balboas is leaning against Montgomery and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balboas pulls Montgomery into guard.
Balboas has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Montgomery trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Montgomery wants to control from the top but Balboas keeps moving.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Steven Montgomery.

Balboas is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Montgomery's half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rokus Balboas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Balboas closes the distance and clinches up with Montgomery, looking for a takedown. Balboas pushes Montgomery against the cage but Montgomery circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Balboas drives through and clinches with Montgomery against the cage.
Balboas content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Montgomery jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Balboas walks away with a smile on his face. Montgomery gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A head kick misses from Montgomery.

Balboas darts in and clinches Montgomery up against the cage.
Balboas lands a nice knee to the body.
Balboas scores with a hook to the body.

Montgomery is fighting off a takedown attempt but Balboas is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Montgomery to the mat. Montgomery regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Balboas throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Montgomery can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Balboas controls the pace.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rokus Balboas has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Balboas throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Montgomery tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Balboas is in Montgomery's guard.

Balboas gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Balboas shoots in but no luck this time.
An inside leg kick from Montgomery misses.

Balboas gets a double leg takedown into Montgomery's guard.
Montgomery is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Balboas sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Let's hope that Balboas 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Montgomery bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Balboas's guard.
Balboas bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Montgomery's guard.
Montgomery is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Balboas throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Montgomery works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Montgomery looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboas slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Balboas manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Montgomery on his heels. He'll look to pass Montgomery's guard now, I'm sure.
Balboas working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Montgomery working a defensive guard here.
Balboas is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Balboas trying to control but Montgomery is working from the bottom.
Montgomery controls Balboas momentarily but Balboas frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Steven Montgomery just wasn't active enough.

Balboas gets a clinch.
Balboas displaying some good clinch control by pressing Montgomery up against the cage.
Balboas lands a knee to the body.
Balboas is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Steven Montgomery has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rokus Balboas.
Balboas digs a right hand into Montgomery's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Montgomery's gas tank.
Balboas throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balboas scores with a nice hook to the head.

Balboas tightens his grip and picks Montgomery up, before dumping him to the ground. Montgomery manages to land in guard.
Steven Montgomery has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rokus Balboas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Montgomery not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rokus Balboas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Balboas 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rokus Balboas!