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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Jones (ranked 4357 p4p, 24971 weight class) and Bob Balch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?
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| 170 cm
22
145
0 - 0 - 0 |
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190 cm
18
130
0 - 9 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin |
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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 Los Angeles, Ricky Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bob Balch!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Jack Bonds.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Balch did well to prevent Jones getting side control.
Balch misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Balch flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Jones is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Balch tries to roll over but Jones keeps him under control.
Jones is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Balch defends it well.
Jones is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Jones is nestled in close to Balch, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balch misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Jones keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nice strikes from Jones there.
Balch scores with a few weak punches.
Jones sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Balch throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones uses his free foot to push down on Balch's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Balch.
Jones landing strikes, looking to finish!
Jones with good strikes from the mount here!
Jones looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Balch is looking to get to half guard.
Jones lands a heavy elbow.
Balch tries to improve his position but instead Jones has taken his back!
Balch really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Jones. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Jones connects with a big shot to the side of Balch's head.
Jones trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Balch doesn't escape.
Jones is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Balch defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Balch is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Jones gets his way!
Balch can't escape the position.
Balch is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Jones gets his way!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Good control from Jones.
Balch tries to break free.
Jones keeps control of the position easily here as Balch tries to buck him off.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Jones.
Jones biding his time, controlling Balch.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones is looking for the choke from the back position but Balch is controlling his hands well.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Jones seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Balch for as long as he can get away with.
Balch is trying to break free.
The referee is taking a good look at Balch as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Jones!
Jones scores with strikes from the back.
Jones slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balch tries to roll but Jones sticks to his back.
Jones just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Balch is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Jones has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Jones scores with punches from the back.
Jones controls the action.
Jones continues to stall.
Jones is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Balch knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Balch for a finish.
Jones keeps control of the position as Balch tries to break free.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Ricky Jones dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Jones looking to score a takedown here. Balch is defending well but Jones drives through and ends up in Balch's guard.
Balch doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Jones gets to his feet - Balch follows without any prompting.
Jones tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Jones shoots in but Balch avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Balch instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balch throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jones blocks it with crossed arms.
Balch tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Jones can't get the takedown.
Jones is trying to break the clinch but Balch is controlling him.
Balch prevents Jones from breaking the clinch.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Balch gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balch prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jones breaks the clinch.
Balch tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jones paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Jones tries to clinch but Balch is having none of it.
Jones leaves Balch with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Balch tries to clinch up.
Jones forces Balch back against the cage and clinches.
Jones looking for a takedown.
Jones wants to take the fight to the mat but Balch manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Balch is defending well.
Balch misses with a knee strike.
Jones looking for a takedown.
Jones wants to break free but Balch has control.
Jones tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Balch just stands there and leans against the cage.
Balch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jones stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jones wants it to stay on the feet.
Balch looks to throw a body kick
and Jones counters with a straight right hand.
Balch tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Jones tries to score with a low kick but Balch moves his leg out of the way.
As Jones backs off Balch throws a huge counter combo but Jones manages to avoid it all.
Balch tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.
Jones darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jones looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Balch.
Jones avoids the strikes from the bottom by Balch.
Balch is looking to regain half guard here but Jones keeps moving and retains side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Jones looks up at the clock and then as Balch takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Jones smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The referee asks Jones politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Jones prefers to stall for the moment though.
Balch is looking to reverse the position.
Jones blocks the strikes from Balch.
Jones remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Jones's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balch tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balch is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Jones in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Jones works to advance to full mount. Balch defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Jones looking to control and managing it successfully.
Ricky Jones overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Balch tries to reverse the position but Jones maintains control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balch flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Jones working for a guillotine from mount but Balch is in no mood to give up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Ricky Jones dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!
Nice takedown defense from Balch. No joy for Jones on that attempt.
Jones pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Balch back to the cage. Jones follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Jones closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Jones lands in his opponent's guard.
Jones looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Jones works a leg free and moves into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balch missing with punches from the bottom.
Balch misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Jones is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Balch wants to improve his position but Jones is controlling well.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Balch tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Jones not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Balch throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Jones seems to be working for a kimura but Balch defends the submission attempt.
Balch tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Balch takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jones is controlling the pace.
Balch strikes from the bottom but Jones uses the opportunity to move to side control.
Balch is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jones thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Jones throws an elbow but Balch slips to the side and avoids it well.
Jones controls the position.
Balch tries to bench press Jones off him but Jones keeps the position.
Balch throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Jones lands a nice forearm strike.
Balch misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Jones controlling the position from side mount.
More hug and hope from Jones.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balch is looking to regain half guard here but Jones keeps moving and retains side control.
Balch gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Jones is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balch can do to turn this around?
Balch is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Balch has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Balch is in all sorts of trouble here.
Jones controlling the pace for now.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Jones is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Balch can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Jones has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Balch's face.
Balch defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Jones.
Jones wants to finish this one by submission but Balch is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Jones.
Jones postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Balch looks a forlorn figure.
Jones takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Bob Balch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Jones is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jones tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Jones showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jones, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:25
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:25
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:25
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Jones!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
36% |
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