PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jerede Baya (ranked 5085 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Blanco (ranked 4926 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Baya
vs
Blanco

179 cm
25
156 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

176 cm
25
156 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jerede Baya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Alexander Blanco!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Santiago Holmes and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blanco stuffs the takedown.
Baya misses with a two punch combination.
Baya sets himself, and Blanco steps forward looking for the clinch! Baya avoids it this time.
Blanco shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Baya closes the distance and clinches.
Baya has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Blanco after a bit of a struggle.

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

Blanco rushes Baya and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Blanco displaying some good clinch control by pressing Baya up against the cage.
Baya lands a hook that snaps the head of Blanco backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Baya tries to work over Blanco's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blanco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Blanco prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerede Baya. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baya throws an elbow but it misses.
Blanco drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Baya gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Blanco tries to circle away but Baya has him pinned against the cage.

Blanco has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Baya uses from the top position.
Baya stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blanco swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Baya won't allow Blanco to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blanco throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Blanco keeping full guard, as Baya tries to pass.
Blanco has control of Baya's left arm, preventing Baya from doing any damage.
Blanco is trying to control the position but Baya postures up.
Blanco has Baya pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Blanco tries to score a power double leg takedown but Baya sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Blanco somewhat.
Blanco throws a low kick but it's checked well by Baya.
Baya went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Blanco throws a half hearted mid kick.
Baya drops down looking for a counter takedown but Blanco sprawls and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blanco moves into the clinch.
Baya is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Baya goes for a takedown in the clinch but Blanco prevents it.
Baya can't get the takedown.

Baya's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Baya moves out of range of the body kick from Blanco.
Baya drops down looking for a counter takedown but Blanco sprawls and moves away.
Nice body punch from Blanco.

Blanco has taken the fight to the clinch.
Baya has Blanco pressed against the cage, preventing Blanco from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Baya throws a head punch that misses.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanco tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Baya shoots in for a takedown but Blanco shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Blanco throws a half hearted mid kick.
Blanco with a lazy takedown attempt
and Baya counters with a two punch combo.
Blanco tries to score a power double leg takedown but Baya sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Blanco somewhat.
Baya tries to clinch up.
Blanco throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
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!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Blanco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Blanco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Baya smiles and moves away.
Baya scoring well with a low kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alexander Blanco will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

The fight stays on the outside here - Blanco looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Blanco pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Blanco swinging wildly here.
Baya seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Baya tries to clinch but Blanco is having none of it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Baya.
Blanco scores with a three punch combo!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blanco misses with a takedown attempt - Baya sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Blanco tries to close the distance and clinch but Baya swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Baya attempts a counter takedown but Blanco avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baya keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Blanco tries for a takedown but Baya sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jerede Baya has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Blanco.
Nice sprawl there from Blanco as Baya shoots in.
Baya fails with a takedown attempt.
Blanco is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Blanco throws a head kick that misses.
Nice takedown defense from Blanco. No joy for Baya on that attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Baya fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Blanco avoids it really well and circles away.
Blanco has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baya clinches.

Baya's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Blanco shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Baya as he avoids it easily.
An attempted straight right counter from Baya misses the target.
Blanco tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Baya defends well and Blanco ends up having to push Baya into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Blanco throws a head kick that misses.

Blanco takes the fight into the clinch.

Baya breaks from the clinch.
Blanco shoots in for a takedown but Baya shows good takedown defense.

Baya gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco jumps guard but Baya turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Baya fails to pull guard.
Blanco stalling in the clinch.

Baya successfully pulls guard.

Baya working for a triangle but Blanco defends it easily.
Blanco trying to control the position from guard on top but Baya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Baya looking for a sweep. Not yet Baya, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blanco thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Baya is trying to control the position but Blanco postures up.
Blanco won't allow Baya to sweep him here.
Baya keeping moving, preventing Blanco from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Baya with a poor takedown

and Blanco holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baya prevents the takedown attempt.
Baya has Blanco pressed against the cage, preventing Blanco from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Stalling in the clinch from Blanco.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alexander Blanco will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Baya tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blanco paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baya circles away from the clinch attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Blanco wants to break the clinch but can't.
Blanco gets through Baya's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Baya fails to pull guard.
Alexander Blanco seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Blanco leaning his opponent against the cage.
Blanco fails to pull the fight into his guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baya lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Baya pulls guard effortlessly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanco trying to control but Baya is working from the bottom.
Baya is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Blanco stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baya swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Blanco working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Baya working a defensive guard but Blanco manages to pass into side control anyway.
You can see the frustration on Baya's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Blanco throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Blanco in side control, throwing shots but Baya defends.
Blanco wants to stand but Baya has his arm trapped.
Baya looking for a sweep but Blanco has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blanco can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Baya is looking to escape.
Blanco controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Baya blocking the ground and pound.
Poor strikes thrown by Blanco there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Baya wants to control but Blanco is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blanco controlling the position easily from mount.

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.
Baya's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Blanco controlling the pace for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Baya manages to control the position for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Blanco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Blanco 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Blanco!