PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ezra Ray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henk Balhoofd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Ray
vs
Balhoofd

192 cm
22
181 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
169 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ezra Ray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Henk Balhoofd!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balhoofd slips a jab and a cross from Ray.
Ray looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Balhoofd throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ray's waist but Ray gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Balhoofd off to one side.
Horrible takedown by Balhoofd or perhaps it was just good defense by Ray which made him look bad.
A combination from Ray does no damage.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balhoofd.
Ezra Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henk Balhoofd.
Ray will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ray goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Ray misses with a wild combination.
Balhoofd throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ray's waist but Ray gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Balhoofd off to one side.
Ray throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Balhoofd.
Ray lands a head kick that stumbles Balhoofd and the fighters go to the mat.

Balhoofd is rocked!

It looks like Henk Balhoofd has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ray wants to get up but he can't break Balhoofd's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Balhoofd is still in real trouble! Can Ray finish him?
Balhoofd seems to have recovered his senses.

Ray gets to his feet - Balhoofd follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Balhoofd looks gassed!
Balhoofd closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ray circles away.
Ray misses with a two punch combination.
Ray lands a nice looking body shot.
Ray lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Ezra Ray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balhoofd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ray is fending him off so far but Balhoofd persists. Nope, Ray circles away and we're back to standing.
Ray lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Balhoofd at a distance.
Balhoofd moves out of range of the body kick.
Ray misses with a low kick.
Ray tries a head kick but it misses.
Balhoofd moves out of range as Ray strikes.

Balhoofd closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Ray wants to get back to his feet.
Balhoofd seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ray does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ray is trying to stand up here but Balhoofd is controlling him well.
Ray is refusing to be controlled, as Balhoofd sits in half guard.
Balhoofd moves into full mount! Ray won't be happy about that!
Ray is squirming around, avoiding Balhoofd's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Balhoofd has control of Ray's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Ray regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Ray is squirming around, avoiding Balhoofd's attempts to control the action.

Balhoofd jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Ray manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Ray is pushing Balhoofd's head away, looking to escape. Balhoofd manages to hold on to the position though.
Balhoofd is looking to take a break and control but Ray is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Balhoofd is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Ray knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ray is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Balhoofd asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Balhoofd tries for a kimura but Ray is defending well.

Balhoofd working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Balhoofd tries for a kimura but Ray is defending well.

Balhoofd thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Balhoofd tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Balhoofd thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ray is trying to buck Balhoofd off.
Balhoofd advances to full mount.

Balhoofd is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Ray is surviving well by controlling Balhoofd's body position as best he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Balhoofd wants to control the pace but Ray is squirming around nicely.

Balhoofd is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Ray is surviving well by controlling Balhoofd's body position as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezra Ray dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Henk Balhoofd's cut.
That's time! Ray's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ray pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ray digs a good body shot into Balhoofd's ribs.
Balhoofd blocks a leg kick.
Ray throws and low kick but Balhoofd moves out of range easily.
Ray throws a sloppy head kick and Balhoofd moves out of range easily.
Balhoofd drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Balhoofd avoids the head kick by Ray.
Ray throws the kick towards the body but Balhoofd avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balhoofd fails to land the takedown.
Ray plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ray moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Ray scores with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A choreographed right hand from Ray misses the target.
Ezra Ray is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ray misses with an attempted mid kick.
Ray scores with the left hand. Balhoofd knows he should have avoided that one.
No luck for Balhoofd with that takedown attempt.
Balhoofd tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ray swivels and escapes.
Ezra Ray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henk Balhoofd.
Ray connects with a good right hand that stumbles Balhoofd. Balhoofd circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Balhoofd avoids a kick to the body.
Ray throws a head kick but Balhoofd moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Ray.
Ray thuds his right hand into Balhoofd's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Ray is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Horrible takedown by Balhoofd or perhaps it was just good defense by Ray which made him look bad.
Balhoofd is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ray.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balhoofd misses with a takedown attempt - Ray sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ezra Ray is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Balhoofd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ray is fending him off so far but Balhoofd persists. Nope, Ray circles away and we're back to standing.
Balhoofd fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Ray. No joy for Balhoofd on that attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Ray as Balhoofd shoots in.
Ezra Ray is winning the standup battle so far.
Balhoofd avoids the head kick by Ray.
Ray scores with a jab to the body.
Ray tries to land a front kick but Balhoofd steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Balhoofd fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ray paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Balhoofd shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ray as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ray stuffs the takedown attempt from Balhoofd. Balhoofd gets slowly back to his feet.

Ray gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Balhoofd trying to control the position from guard on top but Ray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ray wants to get back to his feet but Balhoofd is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ray will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Balhoofd passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Ray pushes Balhoofd away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Balhoofd gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A head kick from Ray lands but Balhoofd takes it in his stride.
Ray is looking to chop away at Balhoofd's legs.

Balhoofd shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Balhoofd with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Ray really wants to buck Balhoofd off and get back to his feet.

Balhoofd is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Ray can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Ray is trying to stand.
Balhoofd tries to control but Ray wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ray is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezra Ray dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Henk Balhoofd's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ray throws a quick inside leg kick.
Ray with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Balhoofd blocks a head kick by Ray.
A head kick misses from Ray.
Ray chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ray lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Balhoofd at a distance.
Ray throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ray scores with a nice body kick.
Ray fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ray tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ray thows a left - swing and a miss!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Balhoofd avoids the head kick by Ray.
Ray lands with an uppercut that bounces Balhoofd off the cage and back into rage.
Balhoofd closes the distance and clinches up with Ray, looking for a takedown. Balhoofd pushes Ray against the cage but Ray circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ray throws a right hand that Balhoofd ducks under and follows up with a left that Balhoofd also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ray misses with a head kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ray.
Ray misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balhoofd shoots for a double leg takedown but Ray sprawls well. He's pushed Balhoofd's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ray lands with a kick to the temple. Balhoofd shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Ray connects with a vicious head kick that knocks Balhoofd to the floor! Ray dives in looking for the finish!

Ray postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Balhoofd to stand up.
Ray jabs at Balhoofd's body.
Ray drops a shoulder and throws an uppercut that cracks Balhoofd right on the button. Balhoofd goes down! Ray follows him to the mat and finishes the job with more strikes! Ray gets the win via TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ezra Ray!