PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roc Wallace (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thum Balaba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Wallace
vs
Balaba

181 cm
18
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
23
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roc Wallace!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thum Balaba!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Chad Campbell and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wallace takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Balaba has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Wallace after a bit of a struggle.
Balaba is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Wallace to keep the fight standing.
Wallace tries to pull guard but Balaba won't allow it.

Balaba ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Balaba no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Wallace could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Wallace wants to stand but Balaba has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Wallace avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Wallace throwing strikes but missing.
Wallace throwing strikes but missing.
Wallace pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balaba is keeping the position for now.
Wallace controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balaba is looking for a triangle but Wallace pushes his legs off easily.

Balaba throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wallace trying to control the position from guard on top but Balaba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wallace is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Roc Wallace wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Wallace circles away from the clinch attempt

and Wallace counters with a nice double leg into side control. Balaba won't be happy with that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Wallace advances to mount.
Wallace trying to control but Balaba is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Balaba is in all sorts of trouble here.
Wallace lands a big shot there that rocks Balaba but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Wallace is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Balaba to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Balaba shrugs it off.
Wallace connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wallace with good strikes from the mount here!
Wallace dominating with strikes here.
Balaba manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Balaba actively working from the bottom here.
Balaba is trying to stand.
Balaba looks winded!
Wallace passes the guard and advances to mount!
Wallace landing strikes from the mount.
Balaba is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Wallace trying to control but Balaba is having none of it.
Wallace dominating with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balaba gets back to half guard.

Wallace is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Balaba doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Wallace.
Balaba pushes Wallace off looking to stand but Wallace dives back in and keeps control.
Wallace moves into full mount! Balaba won't be happy about that!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balaba is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Wallace won't let Balaba get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roc Wallace dominated that round.
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.

Balaba looks to clinch

and Wallace counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
With the fighters up against the cage, Wallace throws an elbow but misses.
Balaba swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Balaba lands a knee to the head.
Balaba tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Balaba successfully pulls guard.
Wallace throws a big elbow that misses.
Wallace controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Wallace might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Balaba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Balaba keeping moving, preventing Wallace from controlling successfully.
Balaba is breathing heavily.
Wallace pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balaba is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balaba working for a triangle but Wallace defends it easily.
Wallace wants to stand but Balaba is controlling his posture from full guard.
Wallace stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Balaba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Wallace would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Balaba looking for subs off his back but Wallace has passed one foot through into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balaba has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Wallace escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Wallace!
Balaba gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Wallace trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wallace with good strikes from the mount here!
Balaba is wriggling around trying to escape.
A nice elbow there by Wallace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balaba tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balaba takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Roc Wallace overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wallace is looking to stand but Wallace has his arms wrapped tightly around him, looking to prevent the damage.

Wallace is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Balaba has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Poor strikes thrown by Wallace there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Balaba tries to reverse the position but Wallace maintains control.
Wallace looking to control but Balaba is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Balaba is in all sorts of trouble here.
Balaba is squirming around, avoiding Wallace's attempts to control the action.
Balaba wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balaba keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Balaba is in a horrible position here. Wallace smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Wallace postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Balaba looks a forlorn figure.
Balaba is wriggling around trying to escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balaba is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Balaba looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wallace connects with a big shot to the side of Balaba's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roc Wallace dominated that second round.
That's time! Wallace's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Wallace gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Balaba with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Balaba is trying to pull guard but Wallace has him pressed against the cage.
Wallace is trying to break free.
Balaba tries to pull guard but Wallace forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Balaba tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balaba tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Wallace smiles and moves away.
Roc Wallace has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thum Balaba.
Balaba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wallace swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Balaba doesn't manage to clinch there - Wallace circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balaba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balaba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wallace circles away from the clinch attempt
and Wallace counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balaba tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Wallace shoots in and bounces Balaba off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Wallace stands and steps away. Balaba gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Balaba gets tackled into the cage by Wallace. Wallace maintains the clinch.
Wallace blocks an elbow strike.
Balaba is trying to pull guard but Wallace has him pressed against the cage.

Wallace pulls Balaba into guard.
Wallace seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Wallace working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Balaba advances position into side control!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
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Balaba working away.
Balaba wants to stand but Wallace is controlling his arm.

Balaba is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Wallace is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Balaba is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Wallace has escaped the position, nice work there.
Wallace is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wallace can't do much from the bottom here.
Wallace tries to improve position but can't.

Balaba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Balaba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Wallace wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

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

Balaba tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Balaba has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balaba swings around for an armbar but Wallace sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Balaba's guard.

Balaba is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Wallace defends well.

Balaba looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wallace loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wallace sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Balaba's guard.
Thum Balaba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Roc Wallace is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Wallace is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Balaba!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Roc Wallace.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Wallace, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roc Wallace!