PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thadd Badd (ranked 4517 p4p, 5617 weight class) and Jean Jacque Mwilinagwe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Thadd Badd has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Badd
vs
Mwilinagwe

194 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
180
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thadd Badd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jean Jacque Mwilinagwe!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Badd throws a wild body kick that Mwilinagwe sees coming a mile off.
Mwilinagwe looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Mwilinagwe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Badd shoots in for a takedown but Mwilinagwe shows good takedown defense.
Mwilinagwe throws a sloppy head kick

and Badd counters by clinching up.
Badd comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Mwilinagwe has had enough of the clinch but Badd keeps him there for the moment.

Badd breaks from the clinch.
Badd fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Badd defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Mwilinagwe.
Badd went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mwilinagwe moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Badd rushes Mwilinagwe and presses him up against the cage.

Badd drags the fight down to the ground.
Mwilinagwe stopping the sweep attempt from Badd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badd pulls Mwilinagwe in to control the position.

Badd looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Badd not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mwilinagwe working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Badd controlling Mwilinagwe's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Badd drives through and clinches with Mwilinagwe against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Badd's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Badd stalling the fight.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Badd takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Badd seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

Badd pulls Mwilinagwe into guard.
Badd thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Badd can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mwilinagwe controls the pace.
Badd trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Badd 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badd throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Badd managing to control the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Badd looking for a sweep. Not yet Badd, not yet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Badd goes for a double leg but Mwilinagwe avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mwilinagwe continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thadd Badd. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Badd jumps guard.

Mwilinagwe stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Badd tries to close the distance and clinch but Mwilinagwe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Badd fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mwilinagwe avoids it really well and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mwilinagwe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Badd looks for a takedown but Mwilinagwe sprawls well.
Badd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mwilinagwe swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Badd doesn't manage to clinch there - Mwilinagwe circles away.
Badd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Badd fails to land the takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thadd Badd will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Mwilinagwe shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Badd napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Badd gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Badd wants to control but Mwilinagwe is keeping busy.

Badd pushes Mwilinagwe off and gets back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Badd closes the distance and clinches.
Mwilinagwe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Badd.

Badd manages to break the clinch.
Mwilinagwe is breathing heavily.
Mwilinagwe takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Mwilinagwe as Badd shoots in.
Despite the aggression on Mwilinagwe's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Badd clinches up with Mwilinagwe and pushes him back against the cage.

Badd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Badd fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Badd shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mwilinagwe but Mwilinagwe pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thadd Badd. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Badd throws a front kick that sends Mwilinagwe stumbling back into the cage.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Badd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Badd drives through and clinches with Mwilinagwe against the cage.
Badd keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mwilinagwe's efforts to push away.
Mwilinagwe is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Badd slows down the pace here.
Come on Badd - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Badd for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Mwilinagwe can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Badd tries to pull guard but Mwilinagwe won't allow it.
Mwilinagwe is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Badd to keep the fight standing.

Badd drags the fight down to the ground.
Badd working a defensive guard here.
Mwilinagwe stopping the sweep attempt from Badd.
Badd wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Mwilinagwe postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Badd wants to sweep here but Mwilinagwe controlling him for the moment.
Badd is working hard here to advance position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mwilinagwe wants to stand but Badd has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A nice combination there by Badd.
Badd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mwilinagwe can do to turn this around?
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Badd misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mwilinagwe throws a counter combo.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thadd Badd dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mwilinagwe blocks a head kick by Badd.
Badd goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Badd looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Mwilinagwe is fending him off so far but Badd persists. Nope, Mwilinagwe circles away and we're back to standing.
Mwilinagwe wants to counter the offense by Badd and move into the clinch position.
Badd shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mwilinagwe as he jumps to the side.
Mwilinagwe tries to counter by closing the distance.
Thadd Badd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mwilinagwe turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mwilinagwe gets caught flat footed, as Badd shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Badd 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.
Badd will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mwilinagwe is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Badd is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mwilinagwe is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Mwilinagwe avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Badd scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Badd thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Badd shoots in for a takedown but Mwilinagwe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thadd Badd. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Badd forces Mwilinagwe back against the cage and clinches.
Mwilinagwe is trying to break the clinch but Badd has him pressed against the cage.
Badd leaning his opponent against the cage.

Badd manages to pull guard.

Badd scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Badd tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mwilinagwe defends well and Badd ends up having to push Mwilinagwe into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Badd wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mwilinagwe stops a takedown attempt from Badd.
Badd wants a takedown.

Mwilinagwe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Badd looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Mwilinagwe throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Badd counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Mwilinagwe tries to score with a low kick but Badd moves his leg out of the way.
Mwilinagwe stuffs the takedown.
Mwilinagwe is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Badd darts in looking for a takedown but Mwilinagwe gets double underhooks and turns Badd into the cage.

Mwilinagwe jumps into guard, dragging Badd to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mwilinagwe keeping moving, preventing Badd from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mwilinagwe is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Badd presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Mwilinagwe is trying to pull guard but Badd turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Badd manages to break the clinch.
Badd tries for a takedown but Mwilinagwe sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Badd closes the distance and pushes Mwilinagwe back into the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mwilinagwe tries to break the clinch but Badd is controlling the position.

Badd breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mwilinagwe defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Badd.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Thadd Badd.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Badd, 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 Josh West scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thadd Badd!