PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Garegin Balayan (ranked 899 p4p, 142 weight class) and Paulo Gracie (ranked 2864 p4p, 397 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Balayan
vs
Gracie

180 cm
23
176 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

178 cm
23
175 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Fanatic Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Garegin Balayan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paulo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, George Francis and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie lands a jab to the head.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Balayan is out of range.
Balayan missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Balayan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Balayan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Balayan slips the punch.
Balayan has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gym Beam in the buildup to the fight.
Garegin Balayan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Balayan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie throws a jab when Balayan was well out of range.
Balayan shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Balayan counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Balayan throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Balayan misses with a looping left.
Balayan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Balayan lands with a kick to the temple. Gracie shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Gracie misses with an uppercut. Balayan saw that one coming.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Gracie is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Balayan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Both fighters circling a little - Balayan finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Balayan.
Balayan throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Balayan!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Balayan is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Balayan has one of Gracie's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws an elbow but Balayan slips to the side and avoids it well.
Gracie wants to control but Balayan is keeping him busy.
Balayan is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balayan wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.

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

That's four 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.
Balayan controls the position for a moment.
Balayan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Balayan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Balayan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Balayan's legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Balayan has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paulo Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A slow jab from Balayan misses its intended target.
Gracie cracks Balayan with an open hand slap.
Balayan looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Balayan ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balayan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Balayan misses with a hook.
Gracie is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan lands with a straight right. Gracie didn't see that one coming.
A clash of legs there as Gracie blocks the low kick.
Gracie with the counter takedown but Balayan avoids it easily.
Balayan throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gracie checks a low kick from Balayan.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Balayan pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan dips to his left and cracks Gracie with an uppercut!
Balayan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Balayan.
Balayan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balayan comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Balayan on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Balayan.
Balayan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gracie has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Balayan moved out of range.
Gracie works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Balayan.
Balayan sets himself, and Gracie steps forward looking for the clinch! Balayan avoids it this time.
Balayan misses with a kick to the body.
Gracie looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Gracie feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Balayans jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gracie might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan looks to land a body kick but Gracie moved away.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Balayan pushes him away.
Balayan throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Balayan's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Balayan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Balayan.
Balayan throws a wild body kick that Gracie sees coming a mile off.
Balayan just misses with a punch to the body.
Balayan throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Balayan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie feints the counter takedown.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Balayan.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Garegin Balayan is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a leg kick that misses.
Balayan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Balayan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balayan takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Balayan misses with a straight right.
Balayan sets himself, and Gracie steps forward looking for the clinch! Balayan avoids it this time.
Balayan ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Balayan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.
Balayan misses with the head strike.
Balayan scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balayan misses with a punch on the inside.
Gracie holding his opponent close, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie sizes up Balayan with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Balayan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Balayan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie throws a poor cross that misses
letting Balayan counter with a right hand.
Balayan misses with a wild combination.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Balayan shakes him off and moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan throws a body shot but no joy.
Balayan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Balayan misses with a straight right.
Gracie changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Balayan misses.
Gracie is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Nice defenses there by Balayan.
Balayan takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Balayan throws a front kick aimed at Gracie's knee but Gracie avoids it well.
Balayan throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Balayan.
Gracie steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Balayan.
Balayan throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Gracie ducks right into an uppercut from Balayan.
Gracie throws a poor cross that misses
and Balayan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie moves out of range of the leg kick from Balayan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Gracie misses the jab.
Gracie misses with a hook
and Balayan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie throws an overhand right that lands on Balayan's shoulder, as Balayan tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Balayan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Balayan shakes him off and moves away.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan scores with a jab to the jaw.
Balayan scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Balayan moved out of range nicely.
Gracie misses with a leg kick
and Balayan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Balayan throws a low kick, looking for Gracie's leg but Gracie calmly moves out of range.
Gracie moves out of range of the body kick.
Balayan misses with a head kick.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Balayan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Gracie with the counter takedown but Balayan avoids it easily.
Gracie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Balayan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
Balayan misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Balayan shakes him off and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balayan moves away from the strike by Gracie.
Balayan swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gracie misses with a low kick.
Balayan ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Balayan throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Balayan defends it well.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Balayan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Gracie jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Balayan misses with a body shot

and Gracie counters by clinching up.
Gracie missing with knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan gets through Gracie's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Garegin Balayan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Balayan 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Garegin Balayan!