PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Efren Solis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ong Bak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ong Bak has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Efren Solis's chin.

Solis
vs
Bak

192 cm
21
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Efren Solis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ong Bak!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Paul Gruel and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bak misses with a takedown attempt - Solis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Solis works over Bak's head and body with a nice combination.
A right-left combo lands from Solis.
A head kick misses from Bak.
Solis lands a lovely overhand right.
Bak with a poor takedown
and Solis finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Bak looks winded!
Solis throws a series of strikes that have Bak backpedaling.
Bak shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Solis as he avoids it easily.
Efren Solis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ong Bak.
Bak goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Solis throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Nice sprawl there from Solis as Bak shoots in.
Solis throws a sloppy head kick and Bak moves out of range easily.

Solis shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bak's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solis makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Solis sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Solis postures up and lands a big shot to Bak's brow.
Solis connects with a couple of short punches.
Solis controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Solis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Solis wants to control from the top but Bak keeps moving.
Solis controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Solis keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Bak's head.
Solis trying to control the position from guard on top but Bak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Efren Solis wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Solis tries to clinch up but Bak circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solis tries to clinch up.
Solis displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bak.
Solis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bak has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Solis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Solis scores with a spinning back kick!
Solis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bak paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bak throws a head kick but Solis moves out of range.
Solis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solis thows a body kick. Bak tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Good leg kick by Solis there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Bak walks into a left hand.
Nice cross by Solis.
Solis lands a nice looking kick to the body. Bak takes a step back to recover.
Solis throws a front kick that sends Bak stumbling back into the cage.
Solis wants to clinch.
Solis works over Bak's head and body with a nice combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bak gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Solis throws a big elbow that misses.
Solis is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Solis seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Bak throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Solis is stalling in the full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Solis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Solis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efren Solis 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.

Solis lands with a kick to the ribs.
Bak has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Solis.
Solis shoots for a takedown but Bak saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bak shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Solis defends it nicely.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bak is defended easily by Solis.
Bak misses with a body shot

and Solis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Solis wants a takedown.
Bak is breathing heavily.
Solis goes for a takedown attempt but Bak pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Efren Solis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bak tries to keep at a distance but Solis has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Solis is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bak pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bak is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Solis throws an elbow that misses.

Solis is trying to trip Bak. He has hold of a leg but Bak is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Solis persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bak doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Bak doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Solis stands up out of Bak's guard for a moment - Bak manages to land a nice upkick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solis showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Solis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bak wants to sweep here but Solis controlling him for the moment.
Solis wants to control from the top but Bak keeps moving.
Solis stays in close to Bak's body and controls the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Efren Solis.
Bak misses with a lunging right hand
and Solis counters with a nice low kick that buckles Bak's knee momentarily.
Bak shoots in looking for a takedown. Solis tries to sprawl out of it but Bak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Solis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Solis feints and as Bak raises his hands in defense, Solis changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Efren Solis overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bak will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Solis sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bak throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Bak has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Solis content to stall in guard here.
Bak wants to sweep but no luck.
Solis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bak keeping moving, preventing Solis from controlling successfully.
Solis will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bak trying to strike off his back.
Bak throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Solis trying to control the position from guard on top but Bak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Efren Solis just wasn't active enough.
Bak drops his hands momentarily and Solis takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A left and a right from Solis both land. Nice combination.

Solis clinches with his opponent.
Solis wants a takedown.
Solis tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bak's elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Solis can't get the takedown.
Bak prevents the takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Efren Solis 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!

Solis pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Solis connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Bak momentarily.
Bak swats away the attempt to clinch by Solis.
Solis fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bak shoots in looking for a takedown. Solis tries to sprawl out of it but Bak keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Solis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Bak closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Solis to the mat! Solis manages to get full guard.
Solis bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bak's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bak trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Solis trying to control the position from guard on top but Bak is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Solis's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Solis engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Solis wants to control from the top but Bak keeps moving.
Bak is striking off his back. Solis thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Solis blocks the strikes from Bak.
Bak missing with punches from the bottom.
Bak tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Bak tries to roll over but Solis keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Solis winds up and cracks Bak with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Solis stalling.
Solis seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bak does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Solis takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Solis is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Bak is just riding it out for now. Solis eventually gives up the hold.
Solis blocks the strikes from Bak.
Bak is looking to improve his position.
Bak punching from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Solis controlling the action here.
Bak misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Bak flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Solis blocks the strikes from Bak.
Solis is looking to take a break and control but Bak is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bak misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Solis looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bak with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Solis postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Bak to stand up.
Efren Solis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Solis's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Solis duly obliges.

Solis gets caught napping as Bak dives in and scores a takedown. Solis manages to retain guard.
Solis trying to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bak throwing strikes but missing.
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!
Bak prevents Solis from getting back to his feet.
Bak is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Solis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bak keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Solis's head.
Bak lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ong Bak has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Efren Solis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bak working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ong Bak.
Well Solis has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Efren Solis!