PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Baxter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Rhea (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ryan Baxter had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Baxter
vs
Rhea

191 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

184 cm
26
176 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan Baxter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ross Rhea!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baxter tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rhea defends well and Baxter ends up having to push Rhea into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Baxter is working for takedown but Rhea is calmly controlling the position for now.
Baxter drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rhea gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Baxter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rhea pulls Baxter into guard.
Rhea keeping moving, preventing Baxter from controlling successfully.
Baxter wanted to stand there but Rhea had control of the position.
Rhea is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rhea is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Baxter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rhea swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Rhea working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Baxter doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Baxter manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Baxter throwing strikes but missing.

Baxter got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rhea has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Baxter has managed to get both his arms back between Rhea's legs - danger averted.
Rhea looking to control but Baxter passes into half guard.
Rhea blocking the ground and pound attempt from Baxter.
Baxter thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rhea has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Baxter is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhea avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Baxter.
Rhea is refusing to be controlled, as Baxter sits in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baxter is controlling the pace.
Baxter is keen to just control but Rhea is a slippery customer.
Rhea manages to get to full guard.
Rhea trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baxter wants to control from the top but Rhea keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ryan Baxter wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Rhea dives in and scores a takedown into Baxter's guard.

Baxter had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rhea defends it easily.
Baxter working a defensive guard here.
Baxter is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Baxter is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Baxter really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rhea defending well though.
Rhea regains full guard. Nicely done.
Baxter wants to control from the top but Rhea keeps moving.
Baxter postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Rhea preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rhea is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Baxter trying to control but Rhea is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baxter stays in close to Rhea's body and controls the position.
Baxter chips away with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Baxter dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rhea shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are battling for position here. Baxter manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Baxter working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Rhea doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Rhea manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Baxter has his foot on Rhea's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rhea works his way back into a safe position though.
Baxter keeping moving, preventing Rhea from controlling successfully.
Baxter is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Rhea pushing down on Baxter's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter is pressing down on Rhea's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Rhea trying to control the position from guard on top but Baxter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rhea stopping the sweep attempt from Baxter.
Rhea pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baxter is keeping the position for now.
Rhea trying to control but Baxter is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ross Rhea.

Baxter closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Rhea tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Baxter wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baxter wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rhea keeps working.
Rhea is trying to improve his position.
Rhea can't do much from the bottom here.
Baxter trying to control the position but Rhea is working away.
Rhea takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Baxter cracks Rhea with an elbow. That is naaassty.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Baxter trying to control the action but Rhea is working from the bottom.
Baxter in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Baxter working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Baxter working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Baxter looking to control but instead Rhea has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Baxter stops Rhea from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter prevents Rhea from improving his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Rhea is trying to maintain the position but Baxter is very close to passing his half guard.

Baxter looking for a submission but Rhea manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Baxter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Baxter advances to half guard.
Baxter is trying to control. Rhea wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Baxter dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rhea feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rhea forces his way into half guard.
Baxter wants to get back to full guard.
Rhea seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baxter does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baxter tries to get to full guard but Rhea has control of the leg.
Ryan Baxter overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rhea wants to stand but Baxter has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Baxter makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Baxter.
Baxter wants to sweep but no luck.
Rhea controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhea tries to free his leg and advance position but Baxter is retaining full guard.
Rhea would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Baxter wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ross Rhea was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Rhea has managed to clinch.

Rhea pulls guard.
Rhea looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rhea takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rhea working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Baxter.
Baxter working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Baxter has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Baxter looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baxter is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Baxter working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Baxter's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Baxter throwing strikes from guard but Rhea blocks nicely.
Rhea looking to hit a scissor sweep but Baxter is one step ahead there.
Baxter throws an elbow that misses. Rhea uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Baxter's guard. Nice move by Rhea!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Baxter escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Rhea gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhea wants to stand but Baxter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

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

Rhea manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Baxter on his heels. He'll look to pass Baxter's guard now, I'm sure.

Baxter is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rhea wants to get up but he can't break Baxter's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Rhea wants to control from the top but Baxter keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter controls Rhea momentarily but Rhea frees himself.
Baxter has control of Rhea's left arm, preventing Rhea from doing any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ross Rhea.

Rhea closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Baxter's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baxter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rhea wants to stand but Baxter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ross Rhea has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryan Baxter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Baxter has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Rhea comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Baxter has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Baxter!
A very excited looking Ryan Baxter rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.