PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jo Jo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gerard Bazinet (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jo comes to the cage accompanied by Set You Free. 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.

Jo
vs
Bazinet

170 cm
24
155 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

186 cm
25
157 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jo Jo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Gerard Bazinet!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Jo tightens his grip and picks Bazinet up, before dumping him to the ground. Bazinet manages to land in guard.
Jo wants to control from the top but Bazinet keeps moving.
Bazinet seems keen to control Jo's posture.
Bazinet keeping moving, preventing Jo from controlling successfully.
Bazinet preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Jo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Jo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bazinet is proving hard to escape from.
Bazinet keeping moving, preventing Jo from controlling successfully.
Jo is really struggling to control Bazinet but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jo Jo.
Jo closes the distance and clinches up with Bazinet, looking for a takedown. Jo pushes Bazinet against the cage but Bazinet circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jo rushes Bazinet and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jo works on Bazinet's body with a couple of short punches.

Bazinet has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jo uses from the top position.
Bazinet keeping moving, preventing Jo from controlling successfully.
Jo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Jo wants to control from the top but Bazinet keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Jo trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bazinet's guard.
Jo 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jo Jo just wasn't active enough.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jo.
Bazinet throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bazinet misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Jo.

Jo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bazinet is looking to reverse the position.
Bazinet taking a bit of punishment here - Jo scoring with strikes.
Bazinet wants to control but Jo postures up.

Jo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Bazinet, who protects the arm well.
Jo staying calm.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Bazinet is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Jo trying to control the action but Bazinet is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Jo tries for a kimura but Bazinet is defending well.
Jo is looking to take a break and control but Bazinet is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We've been hearing good reports from Jo's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Bazinet is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Jo lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Bazinet down.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jo throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Bazinet is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jo stands up and beckons Bazinet to his feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Bazinet enables Jo to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Bazinet manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Bazinet is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bazinet looks winded!
Bazinet has momentary wrist control but Jo slips an elbow through the middle.
Bazinet keeping moving, preventing Jo from controlling successfully.
Jo is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Jo advances to half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Jo is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Jo wants to work for an arm triangle but Bazinet is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jo Jo 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.

Bazinet displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jo.
Jo avoids a punch combination nicely.

Jo closes the distance and clinches.

Jo turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Jo manages to end up in side control.
Bazinet is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Jo advances to mount.
Bazinet is bucking up trying to escape but Jo cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Jo breaks from Bazinet's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Jo with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Jo landing shots from mount.
Bazinet taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jo looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Bazinet regains half guard.
Jo Jo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jo moves into full mount! Bazinet won't be happy about that!
Jo looking to finish Bazinet with some ground and pound. This is bad for Bazinet!

Jo is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Bazinet is surviving well by controlling Jo's body position as best he can.
Bazinet has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Jo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Jo is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jo is defended easily by Bazinet.
Jo doesn't manage to clinch there - Bazinet circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Jo or perhaps it was just good defense by Bazinet which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jo Jo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bazinet sprawls well. Bazinet wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jo gets slowly back to his feet.
Jo slips under a jab.
Bazinet swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
No luck for Jo with that takedown attempt.
Jo fails to land the takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jo has closed the distance and engaged Bazinet in a clinch.

Jo gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jo is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Bazinet tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Jo lands a nice short elbow.
Jo working over Bazinet with some ground and pound. Bazinet looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Jo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bazinet can do to turn this around?

Jo looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Jo wants to stand up but Bazinet has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Well, if Jo is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jo thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bazinet has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Jo is working away from the top position though.

Jo is working for a kimura but Bazinet is defending it quite comfortably.
Jo landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Bazinet is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bazinet is defending against the submission attempts here by Jo.
Jo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jo Jo dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Bazinet avoids it really well and circles away.
Jo misses with a takedown attempt - Bazinet sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jo dives in and grabs Bazinet's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bazinet pushes down on Jo's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jo Jo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jo is looking to clinch.
Bazinet lands a nice shot that snaps Jo's head back.
Jo tries to clinch up.
Bazinet pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bazinet misses with a double jab.
Bazinet fails to land with a series of punches.
Bazinet misses with a few strikes there.

Jo closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Bazinet's guard.
Bazinet takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bazinet is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jo throws a big elbow that misses.

Bazinet is working an open guard so Jo takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Jo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bazinet but Bazinet pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bazinet looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Bazinet throws a series of punches but Jo moves out of range.

Jo takes the fight into the clinch.

Bazinet is fighting off a takedown attempt but Jo is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Bazinet to the mat. Bazinet regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Jo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Jo pushes down on Bazinet's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Jo is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Bazinet sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bazinet is trying to get back to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Jo is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bazinet is just riding it out for now. Jo eventually gives up the hold.
Jo throwing shots but Bazinet is blocking nicely.
Bazinet throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Bazinet wants to improve his position but Jo is controlling well.

Jo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bazinet doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Jo.

Jo is trying to work for a kimura but Bazinet is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bazinet wants to get back to full guard.
Jo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Bazinet trying to control here.
Jo slips a nice elbow through Bazinet's hands, connecting with Bazinet's forehead.
Jo lands with a punch from half guard.

Bazinet looking for submissions off his back.

Jo is trying to work for a kimura but Bazinet is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jo in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Bazinet tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Jo!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Jo Jo!
Jo Jo thanked the fans post fight for their support.