PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bust Faces (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Faces
vs
Baker

174 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

175 cm
19
168 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bust Faces!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe Baker!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker pushes Faces away with a front kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Baker.
Baker connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Baker connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Baker throws a quick inside leg kick.
Baker throws a nice inside leg kick.
Baker chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Faces shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Baker napping and manages to drive through into side control!
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!
Baker gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Faces is taking a breather. Baker says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Faces missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faces is trying to control. Baker wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Faces missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Faces wants to free his trapped foot but Baker is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Baker wants to get back to full guard.
Faces is nestled in close to Baker, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Faces content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Faces wants to control but Baker is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Faces content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Baker throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Baker connects with a leg kick. Faces looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Baker dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Faces. That did some damage!
Faces ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Baker moves away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Baker. That's going to slow Faces down.

Faces shoots in and gets a takedown into Baker's guard.
Faces looking to pass the guard.
Baker 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faces stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Baker controls Faces momentarily but Faces frees himself.
Faces wants to control from the top but Baker keeps moving.
Faces postures up.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Faces wants to control from the top but Baker keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Faces with a lazy takedown attempt
and Baker counters with a good low kick that Faces was not able to check.
Faces throws a head kick that misses.
Faces throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Baker scores with a kick to the body.
Faces takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baker fakes the leg kick and cracks Faces in the body.
A head kick from Baker lands but Faces takes it in his stride.
Faces throws a predictable looking body shot
and Baker counters with a nice leg kick.

Faces shoots in and bounces Baker off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Baker is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Baker dominated that 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.

Faces misses with a head kick.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Faces tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Baker connects with an inside leg kick.
Baker keeps Faces at a distance using the push kick.
Baker swats away the attempt to clinch by Faces.
Faces takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Faces chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baker can pounce on him.
Baker circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker is looking to slow Faces down with leg kicks.
Baker throws a nice head kick!
Baker lands with a thumping leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Faces shoots in for a takedown but Baker shows good takedown defense.
Baker has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Baker throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Faces's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Baker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Faces.
Baker lands a head kick!
Baker throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Joe Baker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Baker lands a nice leg kick that just misses Faces's sensitive parts.
Baker scores with a head kick. Faces tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Baker.
Baker throws a nice inside leg kick.

Faces drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Faces wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Baker, who protects the arm well.

Faces thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Faces working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Faces scoring with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Faces misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Baker is being controlled here.
Faces throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Faces trying to control the position but Baker is working away.
Baker is letting Faces control him for a moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

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.
Faces is working Baker over with some ground and pound from side control.
Baker is looking to reverse the position.
Bust Faces overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Faces trying to control the action but Baker is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baker tries to escape but Faces is in control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
An inside leg kick from Faces misses.
Baker fakes the leg kick and cracks Faces in the body.
Baker scores with a head kick. Faces tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Faces on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Baker 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!

Baker looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A slapping body kick lands there for Baker.
Faces has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Baker.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Baker. Faces shrugs it off though.
Faces misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Baker dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Faces. That did some damage!
Baker throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Faces's head.
Baker moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker lands a front kick.
Faces has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Baker.

Faces closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Faces lands in his opponent's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baker is trying to keep Faces in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faces trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Faces trying to control but Baker is working from the bottom.
Faces stays in close to Baker's body and controls the position.
Baker wants to sweep here but Faces controlling him for 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.
Baker pulls Faces in to control the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Faces trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Faces sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Baker blocks a head kick by Faces.
Joe Baker is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Faces will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Baker dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Faces. That did some damage!
Baker scores with a leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Baker.
Baker thows a body kick. Faces tries to catch it but that hurt him.
That kick from Baker tenderised Faces's leg. Faces is trying to keep his angry face on.
Faces changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Baker tries to avoid it but Faces manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Baker to the ground. Baker escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Faces misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faces swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Faces fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Baker avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bust Faces. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Baker throws a head kick that half lands.
Baker lands with a kick to the ribs.
Faces stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Baker.
No luck for Faces with that takedown attempt.
Baker throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Baker.
A slapping leg kick lands for Baker.
Baker moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Faces throws the kick towards the body but Baker avoids it.
Baker is looking to slow Faces down with leg kicks.
A nice inside leg kick there by Baker. That's going to slow Faces down.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Crunch! Baker slams his shin into Faces's torso.
Faces throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Baker's waist but Baker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Faces off to one side.
And Baker responds with a good body kick, but Faces manages to step out the way in time.
Faces throws a body kick that misses
and Baker counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Baker throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Faces.
Faces will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Baker lands a high kick!
Bust Faces has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Baker lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Baker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Baker winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Baker!
Joe Baker thanked the fans post fight for their support.