PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Durham (ranked 7569 p4p, 395 weight class) and Keith Baldwin (ranked 7227 p4p, 388 weight class). Keith Baldwin is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Durham
vs
Baldwin

169 cm
21
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Durham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Keith Baldwin!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Durham uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Baldwin.
Keith Baldwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Baldwin. No joy for Durham on that attempt.
Baldwin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Baldwin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Baldwin let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Baldwin fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Durham looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baldwin throws a jab but it's blocked by Durham.
Durham keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Baldwin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Durham.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baldwin looks to score with a jab to the body but Durham is just out of range.

Durham throws a left that rocks Baldwin and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Durham dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Baldwin regain composure!

Baldwin is rocked!
Durham in side control lands a decent elbow.
Baldwin is still in real trouble! Can Durham finish him?
Durham landing a few strikes.
Baldwin told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
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!
Baldwin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Baldwin seems to have recovered his senses.
Durham cracks Baldwin with a big right hand but Baldwin just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Baldwin regains half guard, as Durham was trying to land strikes.
Durham drops an elbow to the side of Baldwin's head.

Durham is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Baldwin is just riding it out for now. Durham eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Durham looks to land a strike but Baldwin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Baldwin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Baldwin working a defensive guard here.
Durham trying to control but Baldwin is working from the bottom.
Baldwin seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Baldwin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Durham trying to control but Baldwin is working from the bottom.
Durham throws a big elbow that misses.
Baldwin keeping moving, preventing Durham from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Durham misses with a double jab
and Baldwin counters with a lovely shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Durham throws a right and a left that both miss.
Baldwin throws out a counter right but Durham avoids it with no problem.
Durham lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Baldwin circles away quickly and effectively.
Durham steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Baldwin.
It looked like Durham was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Durham throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Baldwin cracks a nice hook into Durham's ribs.
Durham shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Durham. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Baldwin misses with a wild body shot.
A swing and a miss from Baldwin.
Durham is looking to counter the offense by Baldwin and move into the clinch.
Durham throws a series of strikes that have Baldwin backpedaling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Durham dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Baldwin lands a nice hook to Durham's body. Durham takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Mike Durham is winning the standup battle so far.
Durham uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Baldwin.
Baldwin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Durham closes the distance and pushes Baldwin back into the ropes.

Durham turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Durham manages to end up in side control.
Durham throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Durham throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Durham cracks Baldwin with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Baldwin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Durham wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Durham working the ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Durham fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Baldwin takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Durham tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Durham has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Baldwin is trying to improve his position.
Durham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baldwin can do to turn this around?
Baldwin parries the strikes from Durham easily there. Durham is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Baldwin to escape.
Durham working away.
Durham creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Durham lands an elbow.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Baldwin dodges the ground and pound from Durham.
Check out the look on Durham's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin is trying to buck Durham off.
I wouldn't like to be where Baldwin is right now.
Durham lands an elbow.
The ground and pound from Durham seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Durham has knee on belly momentarily but Baldwin bucks him off and regains half guard.
Baldwin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Durham not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Durham not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin wants to get back to his feet.
Durham misses with a head shot. Baldwin uses the momentum to regain guard.
Durham is looking to work some ground and pound but Baldwin has wrist control.
Durham in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Durham in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Durham stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baldwin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Durham stands up over Baldwin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Durham preventing the sweep.
Baldwin working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durham trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Baldwin manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Durham working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Baldwin.

Durham throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Durham throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Baldwin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Baldwin controlling from the top position.
Baldwin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Durham dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Baldwin misses with a body shot.
Baldwin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Durham swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baldwin is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Durham rather than just go for the knockout.
Baldwin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Durham.

Durham clinches.
Baldwin stops a takedown attempt from Durham.
Durham wants a takedown.
Baldwin wants to stall.
Baldwin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durham tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Durham. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Durham has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Baldwin after a bit of a struggle.
Durham looking to throw knees to the head but Baldwin is blocking nicely.
Baldwin struggles to land a body shot inside as Durham controls his hands.
Baldwin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Durham is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Baldwin pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durham tries to pull guard but Baldwin won't allow it.
Baldwin looking to stall.
Baldwin has Durham pressed against the ropes, preventing Durham from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Durham blocking some punches.
Baldwin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Baldwin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Durham is looking for a takedown.
Baldwin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Durham backwards.
Durham prevents a body shot from Baldwin.
Durham lands with a short shot to the head.
Baldwin throws a punch but it's blocked by Durham.
Baldwin misses with a punch on the inside.
Baldwin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Baldwin misses with a body punch.
Durham blocks an uppercut.
Durham is looking for a takedown.
Durham is trying to drag Baldwin to the mat but Baldwin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin working aggressively here.
Baldwin is trying to stall.
Baldwin looking to stall.
Durham is working for takedown but Baldwin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Baldwin misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Baldwin working aggressively here.
A knee to the head by Durham.
Baldwin swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Baldwin is working Durham over against the ropes.

Baldwin is fighting off a takedown attempt but Durham is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Baldwin to the mat. Baldwin regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
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!
Baldwin is adopting a defensive guard.
Baldwin is the more experienced fighter here and he's going to need to draw on some of that experience if he's going to pull this one out the bag.

Baldwin manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durham will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Durham clinches.
Durham changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Baldwin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Durham slips a jab from Baldwin.
Baldwin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Durham's head.
Baldwin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Baldwin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Baldwin wants it to stay on the feet.
Baldwin connects with a right hand. Durham shakes it off.
Baldwin connects with a looping right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baldwin works Durham's body with a nice hook.
Baldwin lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Durham backs up against the ropes.
Mike Durham is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Durham fails to land the takedown.
Durham tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Baldwin swivels and escapes.
Durham on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Baldwin throws a shot to the body.
Durham defending well as Baldwin loads up on a big left hand.
Keith Baldwin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Baldwin tries to clinch up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keith Baldwin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Durham has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight for Mike Durham!
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Keith Baldwin!
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight for Mike Durham!

Mike Durham wins by split decision!