PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tony Jaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Bacon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Jaa
vs
Bacon

174 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Team S.W.A.T.

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 Sydney, Tony Jaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Chris Bacon!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Damien Edna and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Bacon misses its intended target.
No luck for Bacon with that takedown attempt.
Chris Bacon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slapping body kick lands there for Jaa.
Bacon misses with a double jab.
Jaa stuffs the takedown.
Jaa moves out of range of the strikes.
Jaa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jaa looks to throw the jab but Bacon is out of range.
Bacon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bacon misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bacon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jaa buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Bacon looks gassed!
The fighters circling - Bacon throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Jaa lands a high kick to the side of Bacon's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Jaa dives into guard, looking to finish.

Bacon is rocked!

It looks like Chris Bacon has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jaa sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Bacon is still in real trouble! Can Jaa finish him?
Jaa wants to pass the guard but Bacon is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bacon seems to have recovered his senses.

Jaa drops back looking for a leg! Bacon is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bacon manages to kick Jaa off! Jaa jumps back into Bacon's guard.

Jaa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Bacon is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jaa is controlling him.
Jaa throwing strikes but missing.
Jaa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bacon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jaa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bacon.
Jaa moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Bacon looks to throw the jab but Jaa is out of range.
Bacon waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Jaa.
Bacon throws a leg kick
and Jaa counters with a slapping leg kick.
Bacon thows a leg kick but Jaa checks it
and Jaa counters with a leg kick.

Bacon scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Jaa is looking to regain half guard here but Bacon keeps moving and retains side control.
Jaa manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bacon's best efforts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is trying to maintain the position but Bacon is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bacon tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Jaa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jaa tries to roll over but Bacon keeps him under control.

Jaa is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Bacon pulls his head out easily.
Jaa wants to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Bacon shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Bacon content to control rather than advance.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Jaa looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bacon is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Jaa actively working from the bottom here.
Bacon controlling the action here.

Bacon postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Jaa to stand up.
Bacon throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big left from Bacon misses.
Jaa feints and then cracks Bacon's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Bacon down.
A punch combination from Bacon misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Jaa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Chris Bacon's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Bacon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jaa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bacon throws a hook to the side of Jaa's head but Jaa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bacon comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Bacon has a takedown stuffed.
Bacon keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jaa scores with a kick to the midsection.
Bacon throws a hook to the side of Jaa's head but Jaa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bacon takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Bacon is breathing heavily.
Jaa lands a nice leg kick that just misses Bacon's sensitive parts.
Nice body kick from Jaa.
Jaa shoots in but Bacon avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bacon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jaa moves out of range of the strikes.
Bacon misses with the body kick
and Jaa counters with a thumping low kick.

Jaa gets a clinch.
Jaa looking to throw knees to the head but Bacon is blocking nicely.
Bacon wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Jaa has him pressed against the cage.
Bacon wants to get back to striking at distance but Jaa won't allow it.
Jaa prevents Bacon from breaking the clinch.
Jaa is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Jaa tries to work over Bacon's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Jaa jumps guard and drags Bacon to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bacon tries to stand but Jaa is controlling from the bottom.

Jaa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Jaa looking for a sweep. Not yet Jaa, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jaa has a closed guard, preventing Bacon from standing up.
Jaa trying to control the position.
Bacon tries to stand but Jaa is controlling from the bottom.

Jaa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bacon wants to stand but Jaa has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Bacon controlling from the top position.

Jaa had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bacon is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Jaa Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bacon's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jaa is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Bacon has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Bacon trying to get back to his feet but Jaa is in full control for now.
Jaa avoiding Bacon 's attempts to control his hands.
Jaa trying to control momentarily.

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.

Jaa has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Bacon has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Bacon rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bacon is looking to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bacon fails to land with a series of punches.
Tony Jaa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bacon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jaa tries to close the distance and clinch but Bacon swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bacon throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bacon loads up on a big right hand but Jaa slips the punch.
Bacon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Jaa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chris Bacon's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Bacon throws a series of punches but Jaa avoids them all with ease.
Jaa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jaa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bacon misses with a shot to the body
and Jaa counters with a body kick.
Jaa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bacon.
Bacon looks to land a left hand but Jaa moved out of range nicely.
Bacon throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bacon has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Jaa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bacon misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bacon tries to clinch up but Jaa circles away and keeps his distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jaa lands a head kick!
Jaa checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jaa darts in and clinches Bacon up against the cage.
Jaa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bacon wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bacon tries to break the clinch but Jaa is controlling the position.
Jaa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bacon walks away with a smile on his face. Jaa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Jaa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bacon pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bacon throws a nice looking combination but Jaa bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A nice inside leg kick there by Jaa. That's going to slow Bacon down.
Jaa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Jaa uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bacon.
Jaa tries to clinch there but Bacon circles away.
Jaa keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Bacon.
Bacon swats away the attempt to clinch by Jaa.

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.
Bacon misses with a two punch combination.
Jaa is looking to slow Bacon down with leg kicks.
Jaa takes a jab right on the kisser.
A head kick from Jaa lands but Bacon takes it in his stride.
Jaa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bacon.
Jaa tries to clinch there but Bacon circles away.
Jaa closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bacon misses with a looping right.
Bacon wants to clinch up but Jaa keeps it at a distance.
Tony Jaa is winning the standup battle so far.
Jaa has a takedown stuffed.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bacon.
Chris Bacon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jaa rushes Bacon and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Jaa jumps guard and drags Bacon to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Jaa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bacon can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Jaa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bacon wanted to stand there but Jaa had control of the position.

Jaa escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bacon gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Bacon drops back looking for a leg! Jaa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Jaa manages to kick Bacon off! Bacon jumps back into Jaa's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is trying to keep Bacon in close.
Bacon is stalling in the full guard.
Tony Jaa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bacon trying to stand up but can't free himself from Jaa's guard.
Jaa wants to sweep here but Bacon controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jaa takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Jaa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jaa, 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Jaa!