PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Blake Baxter (ranked 4415 p4p, 2981 weight class) and Jay Jha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Baxter
vs
Jha

173 cm
16
145
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
25
130
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Blake Baxter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jay Jha!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baxter misses with a lunging right hand

and Jha counters with a crisp one two that drops Baxter! Jha thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Baxter to his feet! Baxter is in big trouble!

Baxter is rocked!

Jha takes the fight into the clinch.
Oh Baxter is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

Jha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jha moves away from the strike by Baxter.
Jha follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Baxter seems to have got his legs back now.

Jha forces Baxter back against the cage and clinches.
Jha lands a nice uppercut.
Baxter looking to stall.

Jha manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Jha managing to control the position.
Baxter trying to control but Jha is working from the bottom.

Jha kicks Baxter off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter missing with a left hand there. Jha was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Blake Baxter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baxter misses with a hook.
Jha feints the counter takedown.
Baxter blocks a head kick by Jha.
Blake Baxter is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Jha manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Baxter on his heels. He'll look to pass Baxter's guard now, I'm sure.
Baxter trying to keep a closed guard but Jha is proving a slippery customer.
Baxter managing to control the position.
Jha trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Baxter is trying to control the position but Jha postures up.
Jha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Baxter swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Baxter is pulling down on Jha's head to control his posture.
Baxter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jha won't allow Baxter to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jha postures up in Baxter's guard and throws a big left but Baxter blocks it.
Jha wants to stand but Baxter is controlling his posture from full guard.
Jha won't allow Baxter to sweep him here.
Baxter is working hard here to advance position.
Baxter is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Jha works over Baxter with some ground and pound from guard.
Baxter wants to sweep here but Jha controlling him for the moment.
Jha must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Jha throws a big elbow that misses.
Jha wants to control from the top but Baxter keeps moving.
Baxter is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Baxter pulls Jha in close to prevent any damage.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jha looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Jha is thwarting Baxter's attempts to control the position.
Baxter wants to improve his position but Jha is controlling well.
Jha thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Baxter's head.
Jha looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Jha is trying to control. Baxter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Baxter wants to control but Jha is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Jha working the head and body with strikes.
Baxter keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Baxter wants to improve his position but Jha is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter is pressing down on Jha's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Jha stays in close to Baxter's body and controls the position.
Baxter is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jha engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Jha wants to control from the top but Baxter keeps moving.
Jha controlling from the top position.
Baxter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

No joy there for Jha, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A telegraphed right hand from Baxter misses the target.
Baxter missing with a left hand there. Jha was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Baxter swings widly with a right hand
and Jha counters with a left and a right that stings Baxter.
Baxter throws a shot from downtown. Jha moves away and avoids it.
A countering left hand to the body from Jha misses.

Jha darts in and clinches Baxter up against the cage.

Jha ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Jha no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jha is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jha keeping full guard, as Baxter tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baxter trying to control but Jha is working from the bottom.
Jha wants to get back to his feet but Baxter is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Baxter controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baxter wants to stand but Jha has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Baxter wants to control from the top but Jha keeps moving.
Jha can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Baxter controls the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Baxter misses with a hook. Jha ducked under it nicely.
Baxter blocks a head kick by Jha.
Baxter missing with a left hand there. Jha was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Baxter attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters circling - Baxter throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Baxter throws a hook but Jha blocks it.
As Baxter backs off Jha throws a huge counter combo but Baxter manages to avoid it all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Baxter misses.
Jha slips under a jab.
Jha throws a counter combo.
Baxter is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Baxter loads up on a big right hand but Jha slips the punch.

Jha rushes Baxter and presses him up against the cage.
Jha blocks an uppercut.
Jha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Baxter avoids it.

Jha has picked Baxter up - he's going for a ride! Jha dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Jha prevents Baxter from improving his position.
Jha seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Baxter does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Baxter is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Jha working Baxter over with strikes.
Baxter is looking for a sweep. Jha is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Baxter trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Jha manages to pass to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jha takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Jha is continuing to stall.
Baxter tries to hold on but Jha postures up.
Baxter is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Jha is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Jha lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Jha prevents Baxter from getting the reversal.
Jha trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Jha controlling the pace for now.
Baxter working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baxter tries to hold on but Jha postures up.

Jha has control of Baxter's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Baxter regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Baxter wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Jha.
Baxter blocking the ground and pound.
Baxter wants to control but Jha is having none of it.
Baxter keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
BOOM! Jha connects with a massive shot to the dome!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Jha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Jha drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Jha thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Baxter is being controlled here.
Jha tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jha misses with the ground and pound.
Jha is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Baxter will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The adventures of Jha the control monster continue. Boring.
Baxter struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jha landing strikes.
Baxter is looking for a sweep.
Jha is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Baxter's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jha working the ground and pound but Baxter is defending the strikes.
Baxter is trying to escape the position but Jha is controlling the position.
Jha misses with the ground and pound.

Jha is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Baxter knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Jha has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Baxter is trying to control Jha's posture but Jha avoids it.

Jha has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Baxter throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Jha counters with a one-two to the body.
Jay Jha seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Baxter throws a lazy uppercut
and Jha counters with a straight right hand.

Jha closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Jha lands in his opponent's guard.
Baxter is trying to control the position but Jha postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baxter avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Baxter tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jha trying to control but Baxter is working from the bottom.
Jha postures up.
Baxter is really struggling to control Jha but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Baxter has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Jha 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.
Jha wanted to stand there but Baxter had control of the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Baxter throws a predictable looking body shot
and Jha counters with a stiff right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Baxter looks to throw the jab but Jha is out of range.

Baxter gets caught napping as Jha dives in and scores a takedown. Baxter manages to retain guard.
Jay Jha has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jha trying to control but Baxter is working from the bottom.
Baxter has a closed guard, preventing Jha from standing up.
Jha is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Blake Baxter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Baxter looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jha is one step ahead there.
Baxter looking to control.
Baxter manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jha manages to get himself to full guard.

Jha controls Baxter momentarily but Baxter frees himself.
Baxter trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Baxter avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jha being controlled here, momentarily.
Jha keeping full guard, as Baxter tries to pass.
Baxter won't allow Jha to sweep him here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baxter is looking to stand up but Jha won't let him.
Baxter throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jha works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jay Jha is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Baxter postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Jha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jha 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jay Jha!