PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Reid Wagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bao Bai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Wagner
vs
Bai

193 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

185 cm
24
198 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Reid Wagner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bao Bai!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shirou Masuda and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bai 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.
Bai looking to sit in guard and control but Wagner gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Bai had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Wagner defends it easily.
Wagner prevents Bai from getting back to his feet.
Bai manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Wagner manages to get himself to full guard.

Bai is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Wagner is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Wagner has escaped and now he's on top!

Wagner missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bai is trying to control the position but Wagner postures up.
Wagner throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bai works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Bai is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Wagner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wagner distracts Bai with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Wagner throws a strike but Bai rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Wagner keeping full guard, as Bai tries to pass.

Bai stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wagner is looking to clinch but Bai is avoiding it.
Wagner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bai swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Wagner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bai defends it nicely.
Wagner is looking to clinch but Bai is avoiding it.

Bai shoots in and gets a takedown into Wagner's guard.
Bai trying to control but Wagner is working from the bottom.
Wagner utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bai passes Wagner's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Wagner is trying to get back to full guard.
Bai is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Bai decides to stand and escape the position.
Bai throws a head kick that misses.
Wagner quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Wagner tries to close the distance and clinch but Bai swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bai digs a good hook to Wagner's body.

Bai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Wagner slowing the pace effectively.
Bai lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Wagner looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Wagner trying to control the position but instead, Bai has worked for underhooks and has pushed Wagner into the cage.

Bai jumps guard and drags Wagner to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bai wants to stand up but Wagner is controlling him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bai is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bai tries to pass the half guard into mount. Wagner knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bao Bai dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bai 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.
Bai is looking to stand up but Wagner won't let him.
Bai sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wagner controls Bai momentarily but Bai frees himself.

Bai stands up from Wagner's guard - Bai perhaps looking for a knockout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bai takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bai keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Wagner's efforts to push away.

Bai pulls guard effortlessly.
Bai is trying to hold Wagner in close to prevent damage but Wagner has managed to pass into half guard.
Wagner drops an elbow to the side of Bai's head.

Bai is defending against the submission attempts here by Wagner.
Bai is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bai trying to control here.

Wagner is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Bai doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Wagner.
Bai manages to get to full guard.
Wagner trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner is looking to work some ground and pound but Bai has wrist control.
Wagner postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Bai has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Wagner stopping the sweep attempt from Bai.
Bai is still trying to improve position.

Bai is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Bai looking for a guillotine here but Wagner defends easily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Wagner shoots for a double leg takedown but Bai sprawls well. He's pushed Wagner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Wagner wants to clinch.

Bai looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Wagner!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Wagner bucks up and tries to throw Bai off but instead Bai has got his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bao Bai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Bai throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Wagner tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Bai is in Wagner's guard.
Bai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wagner working a defensive guard here.
Wagner can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bai controls the pace.
Wagner not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bai postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bai stopping the sweep attempt from Wagner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bai slips nicely into half guard.
Bai wants to pass the guard but Wagner is defending well.
Bai takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

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

Bai is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Bai shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Wagner is trying to defend but Bai finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bai not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
It looks like Bai is going to stand back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bai not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wagner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bai.
Bai wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wagner keeps working.
Bai looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Bai shoots in and gets a takedown into Wagner's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bai wants to control from the top but Wagner keeps moving.
Bai's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bai trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bai controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bai with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bao Bai comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bai has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bao Bai!
A victorious Bao Bai thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.