PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thad Backer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Baller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Backer comes to the cage accompanied by Hell Yeah. The crowd seem to be enjoying Baller's choice of entrance music: Helicopter, made of meat!. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Backer
vs
Baller

191 cm
23
260 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

225 cm
35
275 lbs
22 - 24 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thad Backer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Paul Baller!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baller shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Backer tries to clinch up but Baller circles away and keeps his distance.
Backer fails in his attempt to clinch.
Backer throws a head kick that misses.
Backer wants to clinch
and Baller cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Backer gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Baller doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Backer counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Backer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Backer tries a knee to the head but Baller blocks it.
Baller managing to block the knees to the body from Backer.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Backer.

It looks like Paul Baller has been cut.
Backer misses with a knee to the head.
Backer softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but Baller blocks with his arms.
A short right from Backer.
Backer lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Backer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Baller is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
Backer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Backer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Baller is defending well for now.
Backer tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Backer goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Backer trying to land knees to the body.
Backer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Backer misses with a punch on the inside.
Baller blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Baller.
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
Backer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Good body shot from Backer.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Backer obliges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Backer misses with a knee to the head.
Backer throws an elbow that misses.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Backer looking to throw knees to the head but Baller is blocking nicely.
Backer with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Baller's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Backer misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Baller.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Backer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Baller takes a knee right on the jaw!
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
Backer is breathing heavily.
With the fighters up against the cage, Backer throws an elbow but misses.
A nice left hand lands by Backer.
Baller blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Backer throws an elbow but it misses.
Backer creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Baller tries to stall but Backer uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Backer tries to land knees in the clinch but Baller avoids the damage to the body.
Backer keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baller's efforts to push away.
Knees to the body from Backer.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baller tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Backer just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thad Backer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Baller.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Backer missing with knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Backer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Backer tries to land knees in the clinch but Baller avoids the damage to the body.
Backer pushes off an throws an elbow but Baller leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Backer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Baller's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Baller misses with an uppercut.
Baller misses with a takedown

and Backer holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Baller on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Baller on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Backer scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Backer pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Baller on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Baller wants to break the clinch but can't.
Backer lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Backer landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Baller is breathing heavily.
Backer with a knee to the head.
Backer landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Backer.
Nice body punch from Backer - that landed with a thud.
Backer lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Backer lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Baller tries to pull guard but Backer holds him up against the cage and eventually Baller drops back down to his feet.
Backer lands a body shot in the clinch.
Backer lands a body shot.
Backer connects with a nasty looking knee right to Baller's face.

That has opened up Paul Baller's cut even more.
Backer lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baller avoiding damage as Backer throws knees to the body.
Backer unloads a knee to the mid-section. Baller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Backer landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Backer tries a knee to the head but Baller blocks it.
Backer landing knees to the head.
Backer crunches a lovely knee into Baller's ribcage.
Backer is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baller can do to turn this around?
Backer with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Backer landing knees to the head.
Nice elbow from Backer.
Backer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Backer with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but Baller blocks with his arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Backer connects with a nasty looking knee right to Baller's face.
Thad Backer has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Backer lands a knee to the head.
Backer lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Baller blocks a body shot from Backer.
Baller avoiding damage as Backer throws knees to the body.
Backer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Backer unloads a knee to the mid-section. Baller lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A right hand to the body from Backer.
Baller can't break the clinch.
Backer lands a left hand that snaps the head of Baller backwards.
Backer lands a nice uppercut.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Backer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Backer landing knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Backer lands an elbow just above Baller 's eye.
Backer misses with a knee strike.
Backer landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Backer lands an elbow just above Baller 's eye.
Backer tries to work over Baller's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Backer lands an elbow that stopped Baller in his tracks for a moment.

The cut above Paul Baller's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
Backer prevents Baller from breaking the clinch.
Backer lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Backer lands an elbow just above Baller 's eye.
Backer throws a knee to the head but misses.
Backer throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ballers head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thad Backer dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paul Baller's cut.
That's time! Backer's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Backer moves into the clinch successfully.
Backer tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Baller avoids it.
Baller tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Backer is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Baller is defending well for now.
Backer lands an elbow that stopped Baller in his tracks for a moment.
Backer misses with a knee to the head.
Backer throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baller blocks it with crossed arms.
Backer tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Baller avoids it.
Backer lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Baller takes a shot to the head.
Backer landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Baller takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Baller jumps guard but Backer turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Backer tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Baller blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Baller tries to pull guard but Backer forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Thad Backer has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Baller.
Backer trying to land knees to the body.
Backer lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Backer misses with a punch on the inside.
Backer missing with knees to the body.
Backer lands a knee to the body.
Backer misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Baller.
Baller blocks an elbow strike.
Backer pushes off an throws an elbow but Baller leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Baller takes an elbow to the forehead.
Paul Baller has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baller managing to block the knees to the body from Backer.
Baller takes a knee right on the jaw!
Backer lands with a light punch inside.
Backer lands a nice knee to the body.

Baller successfully pulls guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Backer wants to stand but Baller is controlling his posture from full guard.
Backer won't allow Baller to sweep him here.
Backer is looking to stand up but Baller won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Backer postures up.

Backer has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Baller to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Backer is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Baller pulls down on the head and he's put Backer to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Paul Baller!
An out of breath Paul Baller thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.