PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finn Balor (ranked 3651 p4p, 296 weight class) and Sergio Bujol (ranked 3075 p4p, 268 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Balor might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Monster. Sergio Bujol has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Balor
vs
Bujol

172 cm
45
152 lbs
37 - 20 - 1

180 cm
36
159 lbs
25 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
KO power

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 37 - 20 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Finn Balor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sergio Bujol!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Chris Edwards and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bujol swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Balor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bujol.

Balor darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Balor wants to control but Bujol is keeping him busy.
Bujol is trying to stand back up but Balor is controlling him
Bujol wants to get back to full guard.
Bujol keeps trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bujol is trying to stand.
Bujol is not content to let Balor control the position.
Bujol pushes Balor off looking to stand but Balor dives back in and keeps control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bujol tries to get to full guard but Balor has control of the leg.
Bujol is trying to escape back to his feet but Balor uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Bujol is trying to improve his position.
Bujol is trying to control Balor's posture but Balor avoids it.
Balor is chipping away with strikes.
Balor wants to control but Bujol is keeping him busy.
Balor scores with a couple of short elbows.
Bujol is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Bujol's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Bujol tries to bench press Balor off him but Balor keeps the position.
Bujol regains half guard.
Ground and pound from Balor.
Balor trying to control from half guard but Bujol is working away.
Balor not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balor wants to take a breather but Bujol is having none of it.
Balor is thwarting Bujol's attempts to control the position.
Bujol is looking to escape.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Balor connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bujol misses with an uppercut. Balor saw that one coming.
Bujol tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Balor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bujol tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Balor paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bujol has Balor up against the cage in a clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balor misses with a right hand
and Bujol counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bujol throws a right hand that Balor ducks under and follows up with a left that Balor also avoids with ease.
Balor is looking to counter punch.
Balor misses with a right hand
and Bujol counters with an inside leg kick.
Balor on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Balor keeps the fight on the outside.
Balor walks into a stiff left hand from Bujol.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balor slips a jab and a cross from Bujol.
Balor needs to keep his hands up - Bujol had a free shot at his head there.
Balor throws an off balance right hand
and Bujol counters with a two punch combo.
Balor scores with a nice strike.
Bujol with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Bujol wants to clinch but Balor slips to the side
and Balor counters with a straight right hand.
Bujol works Balor's body with a nice hook.

Bujol closes the distance and clinches.
Bujol can't find room to land a body shot as Balor controls the action.

Bujol breaks the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergio Bujol dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Balor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bujol has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bujol throws a body punch but Balor moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bujol looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balor is looking to counter punch.

Bujol clinches up against the cage.
Balor has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bujol avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bujol.
Balor swings wildly with an uppercut but Bujol uses good head movement to avoid it.
Stalling in the clinch from Balor.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Balor.
Balor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Balor.

Bujol escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Bujol drives through and clinches with Balor against the cage.
Bujol leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Bujol - that landed with a thud.
Bujol blocks a body shot from Balor.
Bujol lands a right hand.

Bujol manages to break the clinch.
Bujol throws a right hand that misses
and Balor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Balor takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Bujol tries to close the distance and clinch up but Balor swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sergio Bujol is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balor avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sergio Bujol seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bujol connects with a body shot that sends Balor's belly button to the back.

Bujol moves into the clinch.
Balor misses with a punch on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bujol creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Balor's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jab from Balor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bujol throws a solid leg kick but Balor takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bujol.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bujol throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Finn Balor has been cut.
Bujol tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Balor throwing a counter right hand but Bujol manages to avoid it.
Balor misses with a right hand
and Bujol counters with a nice uppercut.
Balor walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sergio Bujol seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bujol swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Bujol moves out of range of the body kick.
Balor tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Bujol looks to land a combination but Balor avoids it well.
Bujol has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A low kick from Balor is predictable there
and Bujol counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bujol misses with a head kick.
Bujol misses with a leg kick.
Balor swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Balor swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Bujol is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Bujol takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Balor looks to land a right hand but Bujol moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bujol misses with a wild combination.
Bujol's jab looks to have found its range, popping Balor under the eye.
A punch combination from Bujol misses.
Balor swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Balor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Bujol clinches up with Balor and pushes him back against the cage.
Balor is looking for a takedown.
Bujol tries to work over Balor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A nice left hand lands by Bujol.
Balor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A bit of stalling here from Bujol.
Bujol dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Balor tries to throw a body punch but Bujol avoids it by throwing Balor back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Balor.
Balor misses with the head strike.
Bujol being controlled against the cage.
Bujol wants to break free but Balor has control.
Balor can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Finn Balor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balor takes a shot to the head.
Bujol lands a body punch.
Balor has a couple of punches blocked by Bujol.
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!
Balor is looking to control Bujol's arms but Bujol gets an underhook and turns him. Now Balor has his back to the cage.
A short right from Bujol on the inside.

Bujol breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Balor takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Bujol tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Balor manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Bujol drives through and clinches with Balor against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergio Bujol showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Finn Balor's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Bujol uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Balor.
Bujol looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Balor doesn't manage to clinch there - Bujol circles away.
Balor throws a half hearted mid kick.
Bujol takes a swing at Balor's ribcage but misses.
Balor misses with a low kick as Bujol jumps back.

Bujol rushes Balor and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Balor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Bujol pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A short right from Balor on the inside.
Bujol working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Balor wants a takedown but no success here.

Bujol escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balor throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A right-left combo lands from Bujol.
A big left from Balor misses.
Bujol uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Balor.
Balor takes a jab right on the kisser.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bujol dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bujol fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Sergio Bujol is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bujol throws the kick towards the body but Balor avoids it.
That kick from Balor tenderised Bujol's leg. Bujol is trying to keep his angry face on.
Bujol lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bujol.
Bujol is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Balor.
Balor misses with a takedown attempt
and Bujol counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Finn Balor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bujol throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bujol misses with a body shot
and Balor cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bujol throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Balor fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Bujol closes the distance and clinches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Balor.
Balor wants a takedown but no success here.
Bujol lands a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balor prevents a body shot from Bujol.

Bujol breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bujol throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Balor finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Bujol has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Balor.
Bujol lands a nice shot that snaps Balor's head back.
Balor throws a leg kick which misses Bujol's front leg but catches the back leg as Bujol tries to avoid it.
Balor cracks a nice hook into Bujol's ribs.

Balor tries to keep at a distance but Bujol has taken the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Bujol.
Bujol is pushing Balor up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Bujol pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Balor lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bujol slips under a jab from Balor.
Bujol stuffs the takedown.
Bujol looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Finn Balor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bujol delivers a nice body kick.
A shot to the liver by Bujol. Beautiful body shot.
Balor needs to keep his hands up - Bujol had a free shot at his head there.
Balor swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bujol counters with a lovely straight right hand!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Bujol blocks the elbow strike.
Balor tries to throw a body punch but Bujol avoids it by throwing Balor back against the cage.
Bujol lands with a right to the head.
Balor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A right hand to the body from Bujol.
Balor throws a head punch that misses.
Bujol stalling in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balor throws a punch but it's blocked by Bujol.

Balor breaks the clinch.
Balor throws a hook to the side of Bujol's head but Bujol sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bujol lands with a hook. Balor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Bujol blocks a head kick by Balor.
Sergio Bujol is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bujol lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Bujol fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Balor.
Bujol keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Balor.
Good standup being displayed there by Balor as he connects with a hook.
Nice sprawl there from Bujol as Balor shoots in.
Bujol darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Balor looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Balor gets tackled into the cage by Bujol. Bujol maintains the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Balor.
Balor wants to break free but Bujol has control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergio Bujol comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bujol 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sergio Bujol!
After winning the bout, Sergio Bujol thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.