PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thaddeus Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Bakk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Matt Bakk enters the cage!

Bell
vs
Bakk

218 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thaddeus Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Bakk!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bell keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
As Bakk looks to move away, Bell throws a big counter combo but Bakk just gets out of the way.
Bell throws a head kick that Bakk semi-blocks.
Bakk swats away the attempt to clinch by Bell.
Bakk tries to clinch but Bell moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bell gets tackled into the cage by Bakk. Bakk maintains the clinch.
Bakk drops down looking for an ankle pick but Bell pulls his leg out and moves away.
Bell displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bakk.
Thaddeus Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Bakk.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bakk shoots for a double leg takedown but Bell sprawls well. He's pushed Bakk's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Bakk shoots in looking for a takedown but Bell manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bakk's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bakk fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bell has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bakk tries a head kick but it misses.
Bell throws a counter high kick but Bakk was just alert enough to avoid it.
Bakk shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bell sprawls well. Bell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bakk gets slowly back to his feet.
Bakk shoots in looking for a takedown. Bell tries to sprawl out of it but Bakk keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell is looking to clinch but Bakk is avoiding it.
Bell shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bakk as he avoids it easily.
Bakk tries to close the distance and clinch but Bell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bakk shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bell pinned against the cage. Bell gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bell throws a quick counter head kick but Bakk was just out of range.

Bakk moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell scores with a nice hook to the head.
Bell landing knees to the body.
Bakk stalls.
Bakk lands an elbow inside.

Bakk manages to break the clinch.
Bell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bakk throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bell gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bakk wants to take the fight to the mat but Bell manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Bell - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Bakk has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Bakk working hard to break the clinch.

Bakk is trying to trip Bell. He has hold of a leg but Bell is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Bakk persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Bell is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bell pushes Bakk off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thaddeus Bell dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Bell circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bakk shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bell but Bell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bakk tries to clinch but Bell moves out of range.
Bakk throws a hook but Bell blocks it.
Bakk wants to clinch up but Bell keeps it at a distance.
Bell throws a big counter combination but Bakk scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Bell stuffs the takedown attempt from Bakk. Bakk gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bakk rushes Bell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell stalling the fight.
Bakk with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Bakk jumps guard and drags Bell to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Bell with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bakk working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bell.
Bakk working a defensive guard here.
Bell not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bell with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell stays in close to Bakk's body and controls the position.
Bakk wants to stand up but Bell is controlling him.
Bell looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Bakk shoots in but no luck this time.
Bell feinted with a counter takedown.
Thaddeus Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Bakk.
Bakk wants to clinch up but Bell keeps it at a distance.
Bakk tries to clinch but Bell is having none of it.
Bakk shoots in and drives through. Bell sprawls well.
Bakk is breathing heavily.
Bell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bakk.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bakk swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bell holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Bakk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bell fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bakk, pushing him back against the cage.

Bakk has Bell pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Bakk pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Bell tumbling to the mat - Bakk dives into Bell's guard.
Bakk trying to control but Bell is working from the bottom.
Bell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bakk is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell is adopting a defensive guard.

Bell uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Bakk shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bell sprawls well. Bell wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bakk gets slowly back to his feet.
Bell is looking to counter with head kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thaddeus Bell dominated that second round.
That's time! Bell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bakk misses with a two punch combination.
Bell looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Bell takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Nice sprawl there from Bell as Bakk shoots in.
Bakk just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromBell.
Bakk throws a head kick that misses
and Bell counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Matt Bakk is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bakk throws a leg kick that misses.
Bakk with a poor takedown
enabling Bell to counter with a crisp jab.
Bakk doesn't manage to clinch there - Bell circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bell has taken the fight to the clinch.
Bakk takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bell is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bakk pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Bakk jumps guard but Bell stands there with Bakk around his waist. Bakk gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Thaddeus Bell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Bakk.
Bakk is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bell pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Bell's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Bakk manages to break the clinch.

That's two 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.

Bell closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Bakk bucks up and tries to throw Bell off but instead Bell has got his back!
Bell throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Bakk!
Bell biding his time, looking for the opening.
Bell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bakk can do to turn this around?
Oooh a big shot gets through from Bell. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Bell 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.
Bakk tries to escape but Bell has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bakk avoids the strikes from Bell.
Bell will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bakk covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Bakk trying to control the hands but Bell won't let him.
Bell loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Bakk hold on?
Bakk covers up after that shot from Bell.
Bell biding his time, controlling Bakk.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Bell controlling from the back.
Bakk wants to escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bell keeps control of the position easily here as Bakk tries to buck him off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thaddeus Bell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Bell has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thaddeus Bell!