PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Troy Batchelor (ranked 4023 p4p, 5869 weight class) and Matic Ivacic (ranked 489 p4p, 621 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Batchelor
vs
Ivacic

199 cm
25
190
1 - 0 - 0

199 cm
25
190
0 - 0 - 1

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Troy Batchelor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Matic Ivacic!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Ben Watson and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Batchelor clinches up with Ivacic and pushes him back against the cage.

Batchelor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Batchelor clinches.

Batchelor breaks the clinch.
Batchelor throws the kick towards the body but Ivacic avoids it.

Batchelor gets a double leg takedown into Ivacic's guard.
Batchelor is looking to work some ground and pound but Ivacic has wrist control.
Batchelor showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ivacic controls Batchelor momentarily but Batchelor frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batchelor is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Batchelor with a flurry of punches that miss.
Batchelor has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Batchelor trying to control but Ivacic is working from the bottom.

Ivacic has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Batchelor can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Ivacic is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Batchelor throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Batchelor scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Ivacic wants to control but Batchelor is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Batchelor stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ivacic trying to control from the bottom.
Batchelor prevents Ivacic from improving his position.
Batchelor works his way into side control.

Batchelor wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ivacic, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivacic struggling a bit here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ivacic is looking to regain half guard here but Batchelor keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Batchelor staying calm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ivacic prevents Batchelor from moving into mount.

Batchelor tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Batchelor has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Batchelor trying to control the position but Ivacic is working away.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Batchelor stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Batchelor wants it to stay on the feet.
Batchelor swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Batchelor closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ivacic did well to prevent Batchelor getting side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Batchelor is keen to just control but Ivacic is a slippery customer.
Batchelor is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ivacic is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Batchelor dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ivacic shoots for a takedown but Batchelor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Batchelor is looking to counter the offense by Ivacic and move into the clinch.
Ivacic looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Batchelor is fending him off so far but Ivacic persists. Nope, Batchelor circles away and we're back to standing.
Batchelor went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Ivacic has a takedown stuffed.
Troy Batchelor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matic Ivacic.
Ivacic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Batchelor gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Batchelor really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Batchelor escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Batchelor closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Batchelor is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ivacic can't fight it off and eventually Batchelor manages to take the fight to the floor. Ivacic looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ivacic working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivacic is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ivacic has a closed guard, preventing Batchelor from standing up.
Batchelor sitting in guard here, content to control.
Batchelor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Batchelor forces his way into half guard.

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.
Ivacic tries to get to full guard but Batchelor has control of the leg.
Batchelor trying to mount his opponent but Ivacic defends it.
Ivacic wants to get back to full guard but Batchelor has mounted him!
Batchelor with the ground and pound from mount.
Ivacic reaches up to try and control the position but Batchelor seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Ivacic rolls and tries to escape and now Batchelor has his back!

Batchelor is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Good control from Batchelor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Batchelor is looking for the choke from the back position but Ivacic is controlling his hands well.

Batchelor working for a choke but Ivacic is defending well.
Ivacic can't escape the position.
Batchelor just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Ivacic is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ivacic is still trying to improve position.

Batchelor is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Ivacic tries to escape the position.
Batchelor trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Ivacic doesn't escape.
Ivacic staying busy and making it hard for Batchelor to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Batchelor is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Batchelor dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ivacic moves in looking to clinch but Batchelor pushes him off.
Ivacic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Batchelor seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Ivacic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Ivacic has Batchelor up against the cage in a clinch.
Batchelor fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivacic is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Troy Batchelor has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matic Ivacic.

Batchelor manages to break the clinch.

Batchelor shoots in and gets a takedown into Ivacic's guard.
Batchelor wants to stand but Ivacic is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivacic is trying to control the position but Batchelor postures up.

Ivacic had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Batchelor defends it easily.
Ivacic is pulling down on Batchelor's head. It's preventing any offense from Batchelor, at least for the moment.
Batchelor trying to control the position from guard on top but Ivacic is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Troy Batchelor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two 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.
Batchelor trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ivacic's guard.
Batchelor wants to control from the top but Ivacic keeps moving.

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

Batchelor closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Batchelor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ivacic just stands there and leans against the cage.
Batchelor working aggressively here.
Ivacic stops a takedown attempt from Batchelor.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batchelor jumps guard but Ivacic stands there with Batchelor around his waist. Batchelor gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Batchelor goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ivacic prevents it.
Ivacic is trying to pull guard but Batchelor has him pressed against the cage.

Ivacic successfully pulls guard.
Batchelor preventing the sweep.
Batchelor postures up.
Batchelor passes Ivacic's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Batchelor is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivacic is trying to control but can't.
Ivacic scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Batchelor manages to mount him!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Batchelor controlling the position easily from mount.
Matic Ivacic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Troy Batchelor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Batchelor showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Batchelor has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Batchelor!