PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kent Baird (ranked 9274 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jordan Evans (ranked 8705 p4p, 0 weight class). Jordan Evans has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Baird
vs
Evans

166 cm
20
278 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

182 cm
20
225 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kent Baird!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jordan Evans!
The judges for this bout are , Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Baird shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Evans trying to keep a closed guard but Baird is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baird controls from within his opponent's guard.
Baird cracks Evans with a solid left hand.
Evans wants to stand up but Baird is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Baird stands up from Evans's guard - Baird perhaps looking for a knockout.

Baird closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Evans quickly recovers to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Baird looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Evans makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Evans.
Baird postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Evans is trying to keep Baird in close.
Baird is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baird content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Baird scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Baird could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Baird decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Evans, up you get!

Evans manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Baird on his heels. He'll look to pass Baird's guard now, I'm sure.

Baird scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Evans fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Evans shoots and misses
and Baird counters with a right hand to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Evans clinches.
Evans has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Baird avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Evans wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Evans drops down looking for an ankle pick but Baird pulls his leg out and moves away.
Kent Baird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Evans.
Evans looks winded!

Baird drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Baird stands up from Evans's guard - Baird perhaps looking for a knockout.
Baird shoots in for a takedown but Evans shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Evans closes this distance looking for a takedown but Baird circles away.

Baird fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Evans to the ground. Baird is now in Evans's guard.
Evans is wriggling around but Baird manages to pass to half guard.

Well, if Baird is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Baird decides to stand up.

Baird gets a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kent Baird dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Evans rushes Baird and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Evans's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Evans is looking to slow Baird down with leg kicks.
Evans shoots in but no luck this time.
Evans misses with a takedown

and Baird counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Baird.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Evans looking to slow down the pace here.
Evans working hard to break the clinch.
Evans trying to land knees to the body.
Evans can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Baird has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Evans is trying to keep an underhook but Baird manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Evans looking for submissions off his back.

Baird is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Evans is just riding it out for now. Baird eventually gives up the hold.
Baird with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baird landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Baird controlling the action here.
Baird landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Baird stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Baird moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Evans avoids it.
Baird drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Evans lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Baird pushes Evans off and gets back to his feet.
Baird misses with a head kick.
Evans drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Baird defends it well.

Baird closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Evans quickly recovers to half guard.
Baird 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.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Baird decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baird manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Evans on his heels. He'll look to pass Evans's guard now, I'm sure.
Evans is breathing heavily.

Baird gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Baird misses with a double jab.
Evans drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Baird defends it well.
Baird leaves Evans with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kent Baird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Evans.

Evans gets caught napping as Baird dives in and scores a takedown. Evans manages to retain guard.
Evans wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Baird manages to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kent Baird dominated that second round.
That's time! Baird's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Evans shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Baird's guard.

Baird is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Evans presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Evans misses with some punches.
Baird is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Evans can do to turn this around?
Evans holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Evans using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Baird has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Baird has had enough of the clinch but Evans keeps him there for the moment.
Evans landing knees to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baird can't find room to land a body shot as Evans controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird stops a takedown attempt from Evans.
Evans is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Baird pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Evans takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Evans throws a knee to the head but misses.

Baird gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Baird stands up from half guard.
Evans lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Evans takes the fight into the clinch.
Evans managing to block the knees to the body from Baird.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baird breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jordan Evans seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baird leaves Evans with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Kent Baird has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jordan Evans.
Evans misses with a takedown attempt - Baird sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Evans.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Evans misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Evans tries for a takedown but Baird sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Baird has taken the fight to the clinch.
Evans keeps control of Baird as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Baird has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Baird is trying to pull guard but Evans turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Evans tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Baird just stands there and leans against the cage.
Evans tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Baird just stands there and leans against the cage.
A body shot lands from Baird.
Evans blocks an elbow strike.

Baird pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Evans fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Baird closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Evans's guard.
Jordan Evans has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Baird controls from within his opponent's guard.
Baird has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kent Baird.
Well Baird 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kent Baird!