PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Helio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Ballard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Elijah Ballard struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 147.6lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Helio Gracie could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Elijah Ballard's chin.

Gracie
vs
Ballard

175 cm
23
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

174 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
KO power

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Elite Golden Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Helio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Elijah Ballard!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Ballard stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ballard wants it to stay on the feet.
Ballard fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ballard tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ballard to the ground. Ballard escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Helio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ballard displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Ballard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ballard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Ballard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gracie looks for the body kick but Ballard saw that one coming.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Ballard blocks a head kick by Gracie.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ballard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice takedown defense from Ballard. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.

That's two 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.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ballard defends it nicely.
Ballard moves out of range of the body kick from Gracie.

Ballard closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The referee calls for Ballard to work.
Gracie tries to circle away but Ballard has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ballard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Ballard pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gracie misses with a body kick.
Nice takedown defense from Ballard. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Gracie closes the distance but Ballard moves to the side

and Ballard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ballard throws an elbow that misses.
Ballard can't break the clinch.

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.
Ballard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gracie slows down the pace here.

Gracie jumps guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Ballard from controlling successfully.
Ballard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie 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.
Ballard would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ballard really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ballard controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Ballard dominated that 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.

No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ballard keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Helio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ballard tries to clinch

and Gracie moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.
Gracie prevents the takedown attempt.
Ballard prevents Gracie from breaking the clinch.
Gracie lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ballard.
Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Ballard shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ballard just stands there and leans against the cage.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Ballard controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Ballard sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Ballard is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ballard trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Elijah Ballard.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Helio Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie shoots in but Ballard avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a head kick.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Ballard sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Helio Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ballard is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Ballard tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Elijah Ballard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four 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.
Ballard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt

and Ballard moves into the clinch.
Ballard looking for a takedown.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Ballard shows good takedown defense.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Ballard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ballard displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ballard pinned against the cage. Ballard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ballard pinned against the cage. Ballard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Helio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie lands with a kick to the temple. Ballard shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Ballard circles away.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Ballard circles away.
Gracie throws a head kick that half lands.
Ballard keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie looks to clinch

and Ballard counters by moving into the clinch.
Gracie is pressed up against the cage. Ballard has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gracie down to the mat. Gracie avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gracie closes the distance but Ballard moves to the side

and Ballard counters by clinching up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Ballard fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ballard pinned against the cage. Ballard gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ballard displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Helio Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie has his takedown stuffed

and Ballard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Ballard tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gracie working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gracie fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ballard just stands there and leans against the cage.

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.
Ballard is looking to break free of the clinch but Gracie has double underhooks.
Ballard tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ballard is trying to break free.
Ballard changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gracie fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ballard tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Ballard tries to clinch but Gracie moves away
and Gracie makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ballard takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ballard keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.

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 Helio Gracie.
Well Ballard 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Ballard!