PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Padilla (ranked 6882 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lonzo Ball (ranked 5223 p4p, 0 weight class). Lonzo Ball has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Padilla
vs
Ball

158 cm
25
215 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

198 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Caleb Padilla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lonzo Ball!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ball has Padilla up against the cage in a clinch.
Padilla jumps guard but Ball turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Padilla dodges an elbow strike from Ball.
Ball lands a body shot.

Ball escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lonzo Ball seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Padilla shoots in and drives through. Ball sprawls well.
Ball throws a counter combo.

Ball clinches with his opponent.
Ball tries to throw a body punch but Padilla avoids it by throwing Ball back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Ball has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Padilla. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Padilla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ball just stands there and leans against the cage.

Ball escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Padilla shoots for a double leg takedown but Ball sprawls well. He's pushed Padilla's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ball rushes Padilla and presses him up against the cage.

Ball breaks from the clinch.
Padilla tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ball paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Padilla has closed the distance and engaged Ball in a clinch.
Ball creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Padilla's defenses.

It looks like Caleb Padilla has been cut.
Padilla tries to pull guard but Ball won't allow it.
Padilla tries to score a body lock takedown but Ball shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Padilla wants a takedown but no success here.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Ball just misses with a elbow thrown towards Padilla's brow.
Ball is pressed up against the cage. Padilla has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Ball down to the mat. Ball avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A head kick from Ball lands but Padilla takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ball lands with a thumping leg kick.

Ball closes the distance and clinches.

Ball's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ball fakes the leg kick and cracks Padilla in the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A left and a right from Ball both land. Nice combination.
Ball scores with a push kick.
Ball with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ball throws a head kick that misses.
Padilla really is a fat lump.
Ball throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Ball moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ball manages to break the clinch.

Ball closes the distance and pushes Padilla back into the cage.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ball to keep the fight standing.

Ball breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice sprawl there from Ball as Padilla shoots in.

Padilla gets tackled into the cage by Ball. Ball maintains the clinch.
Ball controlling the action here for a moment.
Ball keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Padilla's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ball to keep the fight standing.
Padilla goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ball prevents it.
Ball trying to land knees to the body.
Ball lands with a left to the head.
Padilla fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Ball escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ball throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Ball gets in close and instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lonzo Ball dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Caleb Padilla's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ball clinches with his opponent.

Padilla drags the fight down to the ground.
Padilla trying to control the position here.
Ball wants to control from the top but Padilla keeps moving.
Ball is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Padilla avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball throws a strike but Padilla rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Ball keeping moving, preventing Padilla from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Padilla lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ball utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Padilla controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Padilla throwing strikes from guard but Ball blocks nicely.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ball is looking to stand up but Padilla isn't so interested in that idea.
Padilla slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ball trying to control the position here.

Padilla gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ball with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Padilla blocks a head kick by Ball.
Caleb Padilla is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Padilla tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ball swivels and escapes.

Ball instigates a clinch.
Padilla takes an elbow to the forehead.
Ball managing to block the knees to the body from Padilla.

Padilla's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ball has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Padilla pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Ball has Padilla up against the cage in a clinch.
Ball landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Padilla is trying to break the clinch but Ball has him pressed against the cage.
Padilla jumps guard but Ball turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ball content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Ball throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Padilla blocks it with crossed arms.
Padilla tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Padilla. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Padilla tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ball to keep the fight standing.

Ball breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Ball closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lonzo Ball seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Padilla jumps guard but Ball turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Ball breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Padilla takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Ball closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Padilla drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ball holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Padilla tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ball just stands there and leans against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ball tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ball tries a head kick but it misses.

Ball moves into range and clinches up with Padilla.

Padilla decides to pull guard.
Ball content to stall in guard here.
Padilla wants to stand but Ball is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ball postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ball wants to control from the top but Padilla keeps moving.
Padilla is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Padilla stops Ball from getting back to his feet.
Padilla trying to control from Ball's half guard. Ball has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Padilla wants to control from the top but Ball keeps moving.
Padilla slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Padilla stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Ball moves into the clinch.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Ball has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Padilla jumps guard but Ball stands there with Padilla around his waist. Padilla gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ball breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ball defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Padilla.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Caleb Padilla. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ball scores with a three punch combo!

Ball rushes Padilla and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Padilla breaks the clinch.
Padilla tries to clinch up.
Ball wants to counter the offense by Padilla and move into the clinch position.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Ball!
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!
Ball scores with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball scores with a one two! Padilla had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Ball gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Ball has him pressed against the cage.

Ball breaks from the clinch.

Ball moves into range and clinches up with Padilla.
Ball's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Ball scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Padilla jumps guard but Ball stands there with Padilla around his waist. Padilla gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ball to keep the fight standing.
Padilla is trying to pull guard but Ball turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Ball breaks from the clinch.

Ball has managed to clinch.

Padilla pulls guard.
Padilla is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Ball is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lonzo Ball comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Ball 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 26:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lonzo Ball!