PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Fernando Balestra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sun Wukong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Wukong comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Tale of Sun Wukong kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Balestra
vs
Wukong

165 cm
24
146 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

160 cm
16
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

Perkele!
DC Unrivaled

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Fernando Balestra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sun Wukong!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Balestra darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Balestra controlling the action here.

Balestra is working for a submission of some sort.
Wukong wants to control but Balestra is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balestra trying to pass the guard but Wukong defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wukong trying to control from the bottom.
Wukong keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Wukong wants to improve his position but Balestra is controlling well.
Balestra tries to stand and escape but Wukong is controlling the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Well, if Balestra 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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Balestra slaps away a takedown attempt from Wukong, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Wukong scores with a leg kick.
Wukong scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wukong manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Balestra on his heels. He'll look to pass Balestra's guard now, I'm sure.
Balestra looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Balestra wants to improve his position but instead Wukong has moved into half guard.
Balestra keeps control of the position for the meantime.

Wukong is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Balestra has managed to free his arm - good work.
Wukong stalling away here and it's allowed Balestra to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balestra not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Balestra is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Wukong is aware though and is defending well.

Balestra looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wukong trying to control but Balestra is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wukong preventing the sweep.

Balestra working for submissions but it's allowed Wukong to get to half guard.

Wukong is trying to work for a kimura but Balestra is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Wukong is trying to control the action in half guard but Balestra is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Balestra controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wukong is just content to waste time from the top position. Balestra takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balestra is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Fernando Balestra will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Wukong shoots in and gets a takedown into Balestra's guard.
Balestra is trying to control the position but Wukong postures up.
Balestra wants to sweep but no luck.

Balestra is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Balestra throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balestra is trying to keep Wukong in close.
Balestra is really struggling to control Wukong but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Wukong drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Balestra manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Wukong has Balestra in his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balestra is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Balestra pushing down on Wukong's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Balestra is thwarting Wukong's attempts to control the position.
Balestra is trying to control the action in half guard but Wukong is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Wukong trying to control from the bottom.
Fernando Balestra overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Balestra stalling.

That's two 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.
Wukong won't allow Balestra to pass to mount.
Wukong trying to control here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Wukong might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Balestra haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Wukong is looking to slow Balestra down with leg kicks.

Balestra shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Wukong manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Balestra wants to get up but he can't break Wukong's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wukong controls Balestra momentarily but Balestra frees himself.

Balestra stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Balestra displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Wukong.
Wukong fails with a takedown attempt.
Wukong throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Balestra's waist but Balestra gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Wukong off to one side.
Fernando Balestra has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sun Wukong.
Balestra fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wukong changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Wukong connects with a solid leg kick.
Wukong shoots in and drives through. Balestra sprawls well.
Fernando Balestra is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balestra shoots in and bounces Wukong off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Balestra stands up from Wukong's guard - Balestra perhaps looking for a knockout.
Nice takedown defense from Balestra. No joy for Wukong on that attempt.

Balestra looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Wukong!
Wukong wants to control but Balestra postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wukong is looking to reverse the position.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Balestra trying to control the position but Wukong is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fernando Balestra dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Balestra wants to clinch.
Wukong with the counter takedown but Balestra avoids it easily.
Wukong thumps Balestra with a low kick.

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

Balestra has gone for a leg lock! Wukong slips out almost immediately though and dives into Balestra's guard.

Balestra has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Wukong can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balestra trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balestra keeping moving, preventing Wukong from controlling successfully.
Wukong pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Balestra is keeping the position for now.
Wukong looking to sit in guard and control but Balestra gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Wukong not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Balestra avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Balestra 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.
Wukong looking to control.
Wukong has Balestra pulled in close to control his posture.
Wukong wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Balestra is now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Balestra lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Wukong looking for submissions off his back.
Balestra is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Wukong trying to control from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Balestra tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Balestra is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Wukong can do to turn this around?

Balestra closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Balestra lands in his opponent's guard.
Balestra trying to control the position from guard on top but Wukong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wukong looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balestra trying to control the position from guard on top but Wukong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fernando Balestra showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Balestra, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fernando Balestra!