PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Calabi Yau (ranked 982 p4p, 117 weight class) and Brandon Baldwin (ranked 1597 p4p, 193 weight class). Calabi Yau has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Yau
vs
Baldwin

184 cm
28
174 lbs
14 - 9 - 0

185 cm
25
178 lbs
18 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 14 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Calabi Yau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Brandon Baldwin!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baldwin connects with a leg kick. Yau looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Yau blocks a head kick by Baldwin.
Baldwin lands a nice leg kick that just misses Yau's sensitive parts.
Baldwin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Yau holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Baldwin is trying to break free.

Baldwin breaks from the clinch.

Baldwin lands a big head kick that sends Yau tumbling to the mat! Baldwin takes a step backwards and waves Yau back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Calabi Yau has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Baldwin lands a big head kick that sends Yau tumbling to the mat! Baldwin takes a step backwards and waves Yau back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Yau is rocked!
Baldwin throws a chopping leg kick but Yau manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Oh Yau is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Baldwin misses with a head kick.
Yau seems to have got his legs back now.

Oooooh!!! Baldwin has knocked Yau down with a huge combo! Baldwin steps away and waves a wobbly Yau back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses.
Brandon Baldwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baldwin throws a low kick but Yau moves out of range easily.
Yau dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Baldwin. That did some damage!
Baldwin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Yau.
An inside leg kick from Baldwin misses.
Yau jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Yau fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin throws a wild body kick that Yau sees coming a mile off.
Baldwin looks to land a body kick but Yau moved away.
Baldwin feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Yau's calf.
Yau does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Yau has closed the distance and engaged Baldwin in a clinch.
Yau lands a right hand that snaps the head of Baldwin backwards.
Baldwin wants to get back to striking at distance but Yau won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Baldwin's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Baldwin manages to break the clinch.
Yau scores with a jab to the head.
Yau is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Baldwin.
Baldwin thows a leg kick but Yau checks it
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Yau scores with a hook to the body. Baldwin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Yau slips a jab and a cross from Baldwin.

Yau rushes Baldwin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yau tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baldwin's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Baldwin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yau misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Baldwin.
Baldwin throws a head kick that misses
and Yau counters with a stiff right hand.
Baldwin is looking to land body kicks.
Baldwin buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Yau chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baldwin can pounce on him.
Yau punishes Baldwin's body with a nice straight punch.
Baldwin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A jab from Yau finds it's way through Baldwin's defenses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Baldwin.
Yau lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A solid leg kick lands there for Baldwin.
Baldwin ducks under a wild hook from Yau.
Baldwin is looking to land body kicks.
Yau doesn't manage to clinch there - Baldwin circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin connects with a solid leg kick.
Yau scores with a hook to the body. Baldwin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Baldwin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yau fails to land with a series of punches.
Baldwin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Baldwin misses with a body kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Baldwin. That's going to slow Yau down.
Baldwin is looking to slow Yau down with leg kicks.
Yau is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Baldwin throws a leg kick
and Yau counters with a stiff right hand.
Yau avoids the head kick by Baldwin.
Yau is looking to counter punch.
Yau avoids the head kick by Baldwin.
Yau is looking to counter punch.
Yau on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Baldwin tries to land a leg kick but Yau saw it coming and moves away.

Yau closes the distance and clinches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baldwin has had enough of the clinch but Yau keeps him there for the moment.
Baldwin is trying to force a seperation but Yau has the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yau has Baldwin pressed against the cage, preventing Baldwin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Baldwin is trying to break free.
Yau digs a right hand into Baldwin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Baldwin's gas tank.

Baldwin breaks from the clinch.
Baldwin lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Baldwin throws a leg kick that misses.
Yau fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Baldwin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Yau fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Baldwin, pushing him back against the cage.
Yau tries a knee to the head but Baldwin blocks it.
Baldwin is trying to break free.
I was talking to Yau's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Yau scores a nice knee to the body.
Yau is leaning against Baldwin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Yau throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baldwin blocks it with crossed arms.
Baldwin has had enough of the clinch but Yau keeps him there for the moment.
Baldwin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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

Brandon Baldwin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Calabi Yau's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yau lands with a straight right. Baldwin didn't see that one coming.
Yau has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Baldwin.
Yau has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Baldwin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Baldwin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Baldwin throws a right and a left that Yau avoids nicely.
Baldwin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Yau is looking to counter punch.
A combination from Baldwin does no damage.
Baldwin keeps the fight on the outside.
An inside leg kick from Baldwin misses.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Brandon Baldwin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yau misses with an uppercut. Baldwin saw that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yau with a nice cross.
Yau throws a body shot but no joy.
Baldwin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Yau will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Baldwin throws a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yau swings for the body but Baldwin moves out of range.
Baldwin avoids the body shot from Yau.
Baldwin slips a straight right by Yau.
Baldwin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Yau seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Yau on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Yau throws a shot to the body.
Yau misses with a wild body shot.

Yau gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Baldwin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Yau looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Yau blocks a head kick by Baldwin.
Baldwin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Yau feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Baldwins jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Yau works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Brandon Baldwin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baldwin throws the kick towards the body but Yau avoids it.
Yau feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yau fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Yau on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Yau throws a leg kick but Baldwin sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Baldwin throws a left and a right that both miss
and Yau counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Baldwin throws a chopping leg kick but Yau manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Yau moves in looking to clinch but Baldwin pushes him off.
Yau's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Yau scores with a jab to the jaw.
Baldwin throws a solid leg kick but Yau takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Baldwin.
Baldwin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Yau will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Yau looks to score with a jab to the body but Baldwin is just out of range.
Baldwin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yau wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
The fighters circling - Baldwin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baldwin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Yau holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Baldwin has had enough of the clinch but Yau keeps him there for the moment.
Baldwin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Yau throws a punch but it's blocked by Baldwin.
Yau lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Baldwin or not.
Baldwin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Baldwin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Baldwin is trying to break the clinch but Yau has him pressed against the cage.
Yau putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Baldwin in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Baldwin is breathing heavily.
Yau misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yau lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Baldwin wants to break free but Yau has control.
Yau throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Baldwins head.
A short right from Yau on the inside.
Baldwin wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Baldwin managing to block the knees to the body from Yau.
Baldwin tries to circle away but Yau has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yau tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baldwin's elbow.
Baldwin is looking to break free of the clinch but Yau has double underhooks.
Yau throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Baldwin blocks it with crossed arms.
A frustrated look appears on Baldwin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yau with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Baldwin breaks the clinch.
Yau checks a low kick from Baldwin.
Yau tries to counter by clinching up but Baldwin breaks away and moves out of range.
Baldwin throws a sloppy head kick and Yau moves out of range easily.
Baldwin misses with a low kick.
Yau misses the shot to the body.
Yau lands with a thumping leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Yau lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Baldwin misses with a body kick.
Baldwin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice cross by Yau.

Baldwin is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Calabi Yau dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Calabi Yau's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Baldwin gets tackled into the cage by Yau. Yau maintains the clinch.
Baldwin tries to break the clinch but Yau is controlling the position.

Baldwin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Baldwin throws a sloppy head kick and Yau moves out of range easily.
Yau showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Baldwin.
Yau tried to counter with a leg kick but Baldwin avoided it.
Baldwin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Yau misses with an uppercut.
Baldwin lands with a kick to the temple. Yau shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Baldwin throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baldwin lands a high kick!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Baldwin.
A jab from Yau does it's job there.
Baldwin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Yau.
Baldwin lands a leg kick that knocks Yau off balance momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yau takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Baldwin throws a lazy head kick

and Yau counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Baldwin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yau keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baldwin's efforts to push away.
Baldwin is trying to push Yau away but Yau has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yau keeps control of Baldwin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Yau lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baldwin is still on wobbly legs! Can Yau finish him?
Baldwin is trying to force a seperation but Yau has the dominant position.
Baldwin seems to have recovered his senses.
Yau with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Baldwin wants to break free but Yau has control.
Yau scores a nice knee to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Baldwin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yau lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Baldwin backwards.
Baldwin is looking to break free of the clinch but Yau has double underhooks.
Yau scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Brandon Baldwin has been cut.
Yau landing knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yau tries to land a knee to the head but Baldwin blocks with his arms.
Baldwin wants to break free but Yau has control.
A frustrated look appears on Baldwin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Yau lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Yau is working Baldwin over against the cage.
Yau doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yau creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Baldwin with a big uppercut! Baldwin tries to clinch up but Yau pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Baldwin to the mat! Baldwin covers up and Yau unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Calabi Yau!
A very excited looking Calabi Yau made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.