PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rufus Jimenez (ranked 5327 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Balboa (ranked 24974 p4p, 542 weight class). Rick Balboa is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Jimenez
vs
Balboa

208 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
20
250 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rufus Jimenez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Balboa!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jimenez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Balboa.
Balboa is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Jimenez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Balboa has managed to clinch.

Balboa breaks the clinch.

Balboa has Jimenez up against the cage in a clinch.

Balboa manages to break the clinch.

Balboa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Balboa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Jimenez regains full guard. Nicely done.

Jimenez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Balboa defends it easily.

Jimenez working for a triangle but Balboa defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jimenez trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balboa tries to free his leg and advance position but Jimenez is retaining full guard.

Jimenez is looking for a triangle but Balboa pushes his legs off easily.

Jimenez is working an open guard so Balboa takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Balboa closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Jimenez's guard.
Balboa tries to free his leg and advance position but Jimenez is retaining full guard.
Balboa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jimenez wants to get back to his feet but Balboa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Jimenez is breathing heavily.
Jimenez keeping moving, preventing Balboa from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jimenez working for submissions but it's allowed Balboa to get to half guard.
Balboa stalling.
Jimenez is trying to control but can't.
Balboa wants to control but Jimenez is keeping him busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Balboa looking to score a takedown here. Jimenez is defending well but Balboa drives through and ends up in Jimenez's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balboa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Balboa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Jimenez looking for a guillotine here but Balboa defends easily.
Balboa stays in close to Jimenez's body and controls the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balboa with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Balboa dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Balboa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Jimenez tries to circle away but Balboa has him pinned against the cage.
Balboa avoids the elbow strike from Jimenez, against the cage.

Balboa has Jimenez pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Balboa pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Jimenez tumbling to the mat - Balboa dives into Jimenez's guard.

Jimenez has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Balboa has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Balboa has Jimenez pushed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Balboa manages to break the clinch.

Balboa fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Jimenez sprawls well initially but Balboa persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balboa trying to control from half guard but Jimenez is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balboa is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Jimenez sees it coming and defends easily.
Rick Balboa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Balboa is looking to stall here but Jimenez recovers full guard.
Balboa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Jimenez is working an open guard so Balboa takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Balboa looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Jimenez!

Balboa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jimenez struggling a bit here.
Balboa laying and praying for a moment but Jimenez takes advantage and regains half guard.
Jimenez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Balboa scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Balboa is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Jimenez is just riding it out for now. Balboa eventually gives up the hold.
Jimenez scores with a few weak punches.
Jimenez trying to control but Balboa postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Jimenez is looking to escape.
Balboa is trying to control the action in half guard but Jimenez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Jimenez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Jimenez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Jimenez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Balboa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jimenez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balboa controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Balboa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Balboa clinches up against the cage.
Balboa blocks the elbow strike.
Jimenez misses with a body punch.
Balboa missing with knees to the body.
Jimenez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Balboa breaks from the clinch.

Balboa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Jimenez pushes Balboa off and gets back to his feet.
Balboa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Balboa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa trying to control the action but Jimenez is working from the bottom.
Jimenez controls the position for a moment.
Jimenez prevents Balboa from improving position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jimenez is trying to control Balboa's posture but Balboa avoids it.
Balboa wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jimenez keeps working.
The referee asks Balboa politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Balboa prefers to stall for the moment though.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Jimenez is trying to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Balboa throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jimenez 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.

Balboa closes the distance and pushes Jimenez back into the cage.
Rick Balboa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa tries to land knees in the clinch but Jimenez avoids the damage to the body.
Jimenez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Jimenez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Balboa has him pressed against the cage.

Jimenez is fighting off a takedown attempt but Balboa is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Jimenez to the mat. Jimenez regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Jimenez wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Balboa manages to pass to side control.

Jimenez preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Balboa working over Jimenez with some ground and pound. Jimenez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Balboa moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Jimenez.

Balboa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balboa prevents Jimenez from escaping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rick Balboa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Balboa has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Balboa!