PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johan Belltrouse (ranked 4275 p4p, 4326 weight class) and Luc Balland (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.

Belltrouse
vs
Balland

176 cm
18
142
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
18
145
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Inexperienced

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 New York, Johan Belltrouse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Luc Balland!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Roberts and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Balland misses.

Belltrouse darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Belltrouse trying to mount his opponent but Balland defends it.
Belltrouse working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Belltrouse content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belltrouse has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belltrouse landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belltrouse slows the pace down in half guard.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Belltrouse.
Belltrouse'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 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.
Belltrouse is looking to advance position but Balland won't allow it.
Belltrouse seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Balland wants to control but Belltrouse is keeping busy.
Belltrouse keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Balland moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Belltrouse takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Good shot there by Balland.
Balland lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Belltrouse takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Balland lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Belltrouse at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balland looks to land a combination but Belltrouse avoids it well.
Balland scores with a crisp jab that stopped Belltrouse in his tracks.
Luc Balland seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balland misses with a combination

and Belltrouse counters with a nice double leg into side control. Balland won't be happy with that.
Balland looking for a sweep but Belltrouse has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Belltrouse controlling the position easily from mount.
Belltrouse with good strikes from the mount here!
Belltrouse unloading with bombs!
Belltrouse sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Belltrouse continues to hold on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Belltrouse seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Balland for as long as he can get away with.
Belltrouse lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Balland hang on?
Belltrouse has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Balland's face.
Balland wants to control but Belltrouse is having none of it.
Belltrouse looking to control and managing it successfully.
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 Johan Belltrouse will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Belltrouse closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Belltrouse looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Belltrouse is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Belltrouse content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Balland wants to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belltrouse content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balland is looking to improve his position.
Still in half guard, Belltrouse seems content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Belltrouse working the head and body with strikes.
Belltrouse looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Balland with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Balland is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Belltrouse in particular looking to stall.
Belltrouse continues to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Belltrouse 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.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Balland sizes up Belltrouse with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Balland catches Belltrouse with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Belltrouse takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nice shot by Balland.
Sloppy strikes from Balland. Those never looked like landing.

Balland gets caught napping as Belltrouse dives in and scores a takedown. Balland manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belltrouse landing with the ground and pound.
Belltrouse landing with the ground and pound.
Belltrouse is stalling in the full guard.
Belltrouse advances position into side control!
Belltrouse controlling from side mount.
Belltrouse lands a decent elbow from side control.
Balland tries to bench press Belltrouse off him but Belltrouse keeps the position.
Belltrouse controls the position from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balland looking for a sweep but Belltrouse has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Balland can't escape the position.
Belltrouse controlling from the full mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Balland taking shots to the head.
Belltrouse tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Belltrouse dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Balland misses with a series of wild punches.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Balland enables Belltrouse to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Balland manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Belltrouse's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Belltrouse stopping the sweep attempt from Balland.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belltrouse advances to half guard.
Belltrouse scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Still in half guard, Belltrouse seems content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belltrouse is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Belltrouse is nestled in close to Balland, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Belltrouse seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Luc Balland has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Balland is trying to control but can't.
Belltrouse with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Belltrouse is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balland can do to turn this around?
Balland throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Balland dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Belltrouse walks into a left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belltrouse looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Balland avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Belltrouse doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Balland dips to his left and cracks Belltrouse with an uppercut!
Balland lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Balland scores with a crisp jab that stopped Belltrouse in his tracks.

Belltrouse is rocked!
A punch combination from Balland misses.
Belltrouse appears to be looking for a big counter.
Oh Belltrouse is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Belltrouse gets caught by a big overhand right and goes down! Balland gets on top of him and starts throwing some serious punches until the ref intervenes and stops the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Luc Balland!