PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nikolai Putin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hellson Ballswick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hellson Ballswick has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Putin
vs
Ballswick

179 cm
28
182 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

175 cm
25
180 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nikolai Putin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hellson Ballswick!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Putin misses with a takedown attempt

and Ballswick counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ballswick.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Putin escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ballswick gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ballswick wants to pass the guard but Putin is keeping the position.

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

Ballswick stands up from Putin's guard - Ballswick perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hellson Ballswick seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Putin misses with a takedown attempt

and Ballswick counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Putin is looking for a triangle but Ballswick pushes his legs off easily.

Ballswick gets to his feet. Putin looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
No joy there for Ballswick, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Putin blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ballswick has Putin up against the cage in a clinch.
Putin goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ballswick prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nikolai Putin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Putin has Ballswick pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ballswick manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Ballswick breaks the clinch.
Ballswick thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Putin if he has to take too many more of those.
Putin is breathing heavily.
Ballswick tries to close the distance and clinch up but Putin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice defenses there by Putin.

Ballswick moves into the clinch.
Ballswick wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ballswick looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Putin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ballswick pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ballswick gets underhooks to prevent Putin's takedown attempt.
Putin tries for a takedown but Ballswick manages to get underhooks.

Ballswick drags the fight down to the ground.

Ballswick escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Putin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Ballswick holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Putin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Ballswick working for a triangle but Putin defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ballswick is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Putin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ballswick works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ballswick controls Putin momentarily but Putin frees himself.
Putin throws a big right hand that misses.
Putin postures up.
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 lack of action by Hellson Ballswick.
Ballswick throws a solid leg kick but Putin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Ballswick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Ballswick counters with a nice uppercut.

Putin scores with a takedown into Ballswick's guard.

Ballswick looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ballswick is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Putin defends well.
Putin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ballswick can't keep his opponent in guard - Putin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Putin throwing shots but Ballswick is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballswick gets full guard.
Ballswick not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Putin scoring with some ground and pound.
Ballswick looking to control.
Putin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Putin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ballswick is keeping the position for now.
Ballswick trying to control the position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Putin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ballswick has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Putin has managed to get both his arms back between Ballswick's legs - danger averted.
Ballswick working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Putin.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Putin drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Putin jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Putin thows a big elbow that misses.
Putin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hellson Ballswick dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ballswick looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ballswick throws a sloppy head kick and Putin moves out of range easily.
Ballswick throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Putin on the side of the head.
Nice body punch from Ballswick.
Ballswick throws a combination that misses

and Putin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Putin working Ballswick over with strikes.

Putin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ballswick defends it well.
Putin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ballswick's head.
Putin is thwarting Ballswick's attempts to control the position.
Ballswick keeping control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballswick on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Putin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ballswick is trying to maintain the position but Putin is very close to passing his half guard.
Putin thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ballswick's head.
Putin looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ballswick with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ballswick moves into full guard.
Ballswick managing to control the position.
Putin throwing strikes but missing.
Putin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ballswick works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

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.
Putin advances position into side control!
Ballswick wants to get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Ballswick's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Ballswick is breathing heavily.
Putin with the ground and pound but Ballswick regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Putin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Putin seems to be working for a kimura but Ballswick defends the submission attempt.
Ballswick trying to hold on to Putin's head to control him but Putin postures up.

Ballswick looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ballswick trying to hold on to Putin's head to control him but Putin postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ballswick actively working from the bottom here.
Putin looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ballswick tries to roll over but Putin keeps him under control.
Ballswick is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Putin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ballswick wants to control but Putin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hellson Ballswick has got the better of the ground game so far.

Putin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Ballswick sees it coming and defends easily.
Putin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Ballswick moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ballswick is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ballswick preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Putin throwing strikes from guard but Ballswick blocks nicely.
Putin lands a couple of digs.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Putin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Putin working some strikes from top position.

Ballswick is looking for a triangle but Putin pushes his legs off easily.
Putin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Ballswick had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Putin defends it easily.

Ballswick is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Putin is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikolai Putin dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Putin feints and as Ballswick raises his hands in defense, Putin changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ballswick trying to keep a closed guard but Putin is proving a slippery customer.
Putin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Putin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Ballswick tries to kick Putin off but Putin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Putin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Ballswick is just riding it out for now. Putin eventually gives up the hold.

Putin is looking for a kimura but Ballswick is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Putin to get the leverage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ballswick trying to hold on to Putin's head to control him but Putin postures up.

Putin seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ballswick manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Putin 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.

Ballswick had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Putin defends it easily.

Ballswick looking for a guillotine here but Putin defends easily.
Putin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ballswick's head.

Putin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Putin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Ballswick had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Putin defends it easily.
Ballswick avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Putin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Putin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Putin throwing strikes but missing.
Ballswick working a defensive guard here.

Ballswick looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Putin lands a couple of elbows.

Ballswick looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Putin postures up.
Putin thows a big elbow that misses.
Ballswick is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin works over Ballswick with some ground and pound from guard.
Putin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Putin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Putin is fighting to break Ballswick's control of his arms but Ballswick is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Putin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Putin is in close to Ballswick's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Ballswick has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Putin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Ballswick looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Putin throwing strikes but missing.
Ballswick has momentary wrist control but Putin slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Putin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ballswick has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Putin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Putin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Putin works over Ballswick with some ground and pound from guard.
Putin tries to free his leg and advance position but Ballswick is retaining full guard.
Ballswick utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Putin cracks Ballswick with a solid left hand.
Ballswick looking to control.
Putin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Putin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Ballswick is looking for a triangle but Putin pushes his legs off easily.
Ballswick is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikolai Putin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Putin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikolai Putin!