PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jo Ballinger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felix Storm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ballinger's entrance music is Cheese Scones. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ballinger
vs
Storm

168 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
24
157 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jo Ballinger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Felix Storm!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballinger will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Storm gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Storm uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A punch combination from Ballinger misses.
Storm looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Ballinger steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Storm.
Storm misses with a looping left.
Storm misses with a body shot.
Ballinger throws a right and a left that Storm avoids nicely.
Storm blocks a head kick by Ballinger.
Ballinger cracks Storm with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Ballinger lands a nice shot that snaps Storm's head back.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ballinger.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ballinger scores with a hook.
Ballinger connects with a crisp jab.
Storm avoids the head kick by Ballinger.
Ballinger connects with a body shot that sends Storm's belly button to the back.
A jab from Ballinger misses.
Storm moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Storm. Ballinger does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballinger uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Storm.
Storm throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Storm lands a left and a right that send Ballinger crashing to the mat, dazed. Storm thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Ballinger is rocked!

It looks like Jo Ballinger has been cut.
Nice straight punches there by Ballinger. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ballinger.
A punch combination from Storm misses.
Ballinger misses with a head kick.
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!
A nice combination there by Ballinger.
Storm has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Storm there as he acknowledges the shot.
Storm looks to land a left hand but Ballinger moved out of range nicely.
Storm throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ballinger looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Ballinger fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ballinger defending well as Storm loads up on a big left hand.
Ballinger uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Storm.
A looping hook to the body misses from Storm. Ballinger does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ballinger lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Ballinger throws a body shot but no joy.
Storm throws a big shot that misses.
Storm wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Ballinger scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ballinger moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Storm scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ballinger doesn't seem bothered though.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Ballinger looks to land a right hand but Storm moved out of range.
Ballinger scores with a jab to the body.
Storm throws a one two combo.
Ballinger uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Storm misses with a double jab.
Ballinger throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Storm misses with a few strikes there.
Ballinger throws a hook to the side of Storm's head but Storm sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Storm scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ballinger throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ballinger thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ballinger throws a hook but Storm avoids it easily.
Storm looks to throw the jab but Ballinger is out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Ballinger misses the target.
Ballinger swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Storm misses with a hook. Ballinger ducked under it nicely.
Felix Storm seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Storm misses with an uppercut.
Storm thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ballinger dodges the punch combination from Storm.
Ballinger is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Storm looks to throw the jab but Ballinger is out of range.
Storm takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ballinger, as that shot connected.
Ballinger misses with a looping left.
Storm ducks under a wild hook from Ballinger.
Storm tries to bum rush Ballinger with a series of wild strikes but Ballinger uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ballinger is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Ballinger slips a straight right by Storm.
Storm takes a jab right on the kisser.
Ballinger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ballinger drops Storm with a left and a right! Oh, Storm is hurt - Ballinger dives into side control looking to finish!

Storm is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Storm is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Storm is still in real trouble! Can Ballinger finish him?

Ballinger tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Ballinger has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Storm is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Ballinger is controlling him well.
Storm seems to have recovered his senses.

Ballinger is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Storm knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Storm is pushing Ballinger's head away, looking to escape. Ballinger manages to hold on to the position though.
Storm really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Ballinger. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ballinger tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Storm is trying to buck Ballinger off.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ballinger is working to tighten his grip on Storm's neck. He's isolated an arm and is working for an arm triangle. Storm has recognised the danger and is trying to turn with the submission but Ballinger is really squeezing tight and eventually Storm passes out! Ballinger breaks the hold and jumps onto the cage to celebrate! Submission of the night, I'd say!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:49 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Jo Ballinger!
A victorious Jo Ballinger thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.