PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ezequiel Calderon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Boyd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Calderon's entrance music is "One Rhythm (Da Yard Riddim Mix)" by Debi Nova. A fine choice. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Alex Boyd was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Calderon
vs
Boyd

185 cm
30
225 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

187 cm
25
246 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

V-Mask Clothing (10%)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ezequiel Calderon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alex Boyd!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boyd misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Boyd closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Boyd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Boyd not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Boyd with the ground and pound but Calderon uses the opportunity to regain guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Calderon is trying to control the position but Boyd postures up.
Boyd keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Calderon's head.
Boyd scoring with some ground and pound.
Boyd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Boyd scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boyd is looking to work some ground and pound but Calderon has wrist control.
Boyd with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Boyd working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Calderon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Boyd.
Calderon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Boyd.

Calderon manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Calderon decides to pull guard.
Boyd working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boyd postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Calderon wants to stand and escape but Boyd is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Calderon is breathing heavily.
Boyd loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Calderon is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Boyd missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boyd is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Calderon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Calderon wants to stand but Boyd is controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Boyd accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Boyd chips away with some ground and pound.
Calderon trying to keep a closed guard but Boyd is proving a slippery customer.
Boyd distracts Calderon with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Boyd is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Boyd landing some decent shots from guard.
Boyd throwing strikes but missing.
Boyd lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calderon working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Boyd.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boyd shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Calderon defends it nicely.
Horrible takedown attempt by Boyd or perhaps it was just good defense by Calderon, which made it look bad.
Ezequiel Calderon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Boyd.
Boyd takes a head kick and keeps coming.

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.
Boyd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Calderon is fending him off so far but Boyd persists. Nope, Calderon circles away and we're back to standing.
Boyd slaps away a takedown attempt from Calderon, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Boyd looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Boyd blocks a head kick by Calderon.
Nice sprawl there from Calderon as Boyd shoots in.
Calderon appears to be looking for a big counter.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

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

A close round but Alex Boyd will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Calderon clinches up against the cage.
Boyd goes for a takedown in the clinch but Calderon prevents it.
Boyd goes for a takedown in the clinch but Calderon prevents it.
Calderon gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Boyd.
Ezequiel Calderon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Boyd.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boyd changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Calderon fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Calderon has taken the fight to the clinch.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Boyd drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Calderon gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Calderon lands an elbow inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Knees in the clinch landing for Calderon.
Boyd drops down looking for an ankle pick but Calderon pulls his leg out and moves away.
Calderon lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Calderon rushes Boyd and presses him up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyd drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Calderon stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Calderon missing with knees to the body.
Boyd wants to take the fight to the mat but Calderon manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Boyd tries to score a body lock takedown but Calderon shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Calderon unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Calderon trying to land knees to the body.
Boyd managing to block the knees to the body from Calderon.
Calderon stops a takedown attempt from Boyd.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Calderon just leaning against Boyd, taking a breather.
Boyd is looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezequiel Calderon dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Calderon lands with a slapping head kick.
Calderon is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Boyd can do to turn this around?

Calderon takes the fight into the clinch.
Calderon tries to land knees in the clinch but Boyd avoids the damage to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boyd avoiding damage as Calderon throws knees to the body.
Calderon could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Calderon is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Boyd is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boyd is looking for a takedown.
Calderon looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Calderon tries to land a knee to the head but Boyd blocks with his arms.
Calderon throws an elbow but it misses.
Boyd tries for a takedown. No joy.
Calderon throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Boyd blocks it with crossed arms.
Calderon misses with an elbow over the top.
Boyd tries to score a body lock takedown but Calderon shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ezequiel Calderon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Boyd.

That's two 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.
Calderon is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Calderon tries to land knees in the clinch but Boyd avoids the damage to the body.
Boyd avoiding damage as Calderon throws knees to the body.
Calderon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Boyd avoids it.

Calderon breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Calderon gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Boyd to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Calderon wants to stand and escape but Boyd is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boyd is working Calderon over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Calderon has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Boyd is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Boyd is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Boyd takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Calderon is fighting off a takedown attempt but Boyd is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Calderon to the mat. Calderon regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Boyd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Boyd has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Boyd postures up in Calderon's guard and throws a big left but Calderon blocks it.
Calderon manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Boyd manages to get himself to full guard.

Calderon trying to control but Boyd is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Boyd has his hands on Calderon's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calderon wants to pass the guard but Boyd is keeping the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Boyd can do anything to dispel that myth.
Boyd is looking to stand up but Calderon isn't so interested in that idea.
Boyd keeping full guard, as Calderon tries to pass.
Calderon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Boyd is adopting a defensive guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Calderon trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Calderon missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ezequiel Calderon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Calderon 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezequiel Calderon!
A determined Ezequiel Calderon didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!