PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Efren Baird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Aldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Baird
vs
Aldo

176 cm
24
141 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

175 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Efren Baird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jose Aldo!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aldo lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Baird circles away quickly and effectively.
Aldo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Baird.
Aldo tries to clinch up

and Baird counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Aldo can't find room to land a body shot as Baird controls the action.
Aldo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Baird breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Baird steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Aldo. That one must have hurt.
Aldo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Aldo throws a sloppy head kick and Baird moves out of range easily.
A head kick misses from Aldo.

Baird moves into the clinch.
Baird keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Aldo's efforts to push away.
Aldo tries to break free but Baird pushes him back against the cage.
Baird prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo throws an elbow that misses.

Baird jumps guard and drags Aldo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Aldo trying to control but Baird is working from the bottom.
Baird has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Aldo wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jose Aldo hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Baird closes the distance and clinches.
Aldo looking to throw knees to the head but Baird is blocking nicely.

Baird breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice takedown defense from Baird. No joy for Aldo on that attempt.
Baird slips a jab and a cross from Aldo.
Baird takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Aldo throws a head kick but Baird moves out of range.

Baird clinches up against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Aldo working aggressively here.
Aldo tries a body shot but Baird blocks it.
Baird tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Efren Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Baird breaks from the clinch.
Aldo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Aldo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Aldo looks winded!
Baird darts in looking for a takedown but Aldo gets double underhooks and turns Baird into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo is trying to break the clinch but Baird is controlling him.
Aldo wants to stall.
Aldo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Baird is working Aldo over against the cage.

Baird pulls Aldo into guard.
Aldo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Aldo trying to move into half guard but instead Baird has managed to sweep!
Baird is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Aldo is looking to stand up but Baird isn't so interested in that idea.

Baird gets to his feet. Aldo looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Aldo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jose Aldo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aldo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Baird pushes Aldo up against the cage in a clinch.
Aldo has a couple of punches blocked by Baird.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Baird holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Baird tries to pull guard but Aldo forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Baird connects with a knee to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baird gets underhooks to prevent Aldo's takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo has Baird pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Baird manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Aldo wants to break the clinch but can't.
Baird managing to block the knees to the body from Aldo.

Baird pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jose Aldo will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Aldo tries to bum rush Baird with a series of wild strikes but Baird uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Aldo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Baird tries to avoid it but Aldo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Baird to the ground. Baird escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Baird pushes Aldo up against the cage in a clinch.
Baird on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Aldo swings wildly with an uppercut but Baird uses good head movement to avoid it.

Baird escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baird misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baird changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Aldo. No joy for Baird on that attempt.
Aldo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Aldo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Aldo's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Aldo duly obliges.
Aldo is breathing heavily.

Baird closes the distance and pushes Aldo back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Baird breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Baird shoots in looking for a takedown but Aldo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Baird's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Efren Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aldo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Aldo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Baird manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Aldo moves in looking to clinch but Baird pushes him off.
Aldo wants to clinch

and Baird moves into the clinch.

Baird drags the fight down to the ground.
Baird keeping moving, preventing Aldo from controlling successfully.
Aldo preventing the sweep.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Aldo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Baird looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo wants to control from the top but Baird keeps moving.
Aldo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Baird controlling Aldo's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aldo throws a hook to the side of Baird's head but Baird sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Aldo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baird paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baird looks for a takedown but Aldo sprawls well.
Aldo lands a jab to Baird's midsection.
Aldo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Baird doesn't seem bothered though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Aldo darts in looking for a takedown but Baird gets double underhooks and turns Aldo into the cage.
Baird wants to take the fight to the mat but Aldo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Aldo misses with a punch to the body.
Aldo misses with a punch to the body.
Aldo throws a punch but it's blocked by Baird.

Baird escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aldo swings for the body but Baird moves out of range.
Baird tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Baird slips a jab and a cross from Aldo.
Efren Baird is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Baird blocks a leg kick.
Aldo tries to clinch but Baird moves out of range.
Aldo shoots in and drives through. Baird sprawls well.
Baird looks for a takedown but Aldo sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Aldo misses with a combination

and Baird counters by moving into the clinch.
Aldo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Baird prevents a body shot from Aldo.

Baird successfully pulls guard.
Aldo sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Baird looking for a sweep. Not yet Baird, not yet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Aldo is fighting to break Baird's control of his arms but Baird is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jose Aldo will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Baird's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Aldo tries to clinch up

and Baird counters by moving into the clinch.
Aldo throws a punch but it's blocked by Baird.
Aldo misses with a hook to the ribs.
Baird tries for a takedown. No joy.
Aldo being controlled against the cage.
Aldo lands an elbow just above Baird 's eye.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Aldo just misses with a elbow thrown towards Baird's brow.

Aldo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Aldo is looking to clinch.
Aldo rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Baird moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Aldo scores with a nice head shot.

Baird shoots in and gets a takedown into Aldo's guard.
Aldo is looking to stand back up but Baird counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Aldo.
Aldo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Baird decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Aldo is looking to clinch.
Baird slips a jab and a cross from Aldo.
Aldo darts in looking for a takedown but Baird gets double underhooks and turns Aldo into the cage.
Baird is stalling here.
Baird stops a takedown attempt from Aldo.
Baird dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Aldo prevents the takedown attempt.
Aldo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Aldo stalling in the clinch but Baird improves position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baird wants to take the fight to the mat but Aldo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Efren Baird. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Aldo misses with a hook to the ribs.
Aldo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Baird blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Aldo wants to get back to striking at distance but Baird won't allow it.
Baird keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Aldo's efforts to push away.
Aldo looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baird jumps guard and drags Aldo to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Baird is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baird bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Aldo's guard.
Aldo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Baird postures up in Aldo's guard and throws a big left but Aldo blocks it.
Aldo trying to strike off his back.

Baird gets to his feet. Aldo looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Baird tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Aldo swivels and escapes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aldo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Baird looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Aldo has his foot on Baird's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Baird works his way back into a safe position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Aldo wants to improve his position but instead Baird has moved into half guard.
Baird passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Aldo!

Baird looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baird throws some wild stikes that Aldo manages to avoid easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Efren Baird showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Aldo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jose Aldo!