PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnie Ballantine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Orlando Sackett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sackett has chosen Kryptonite as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ballantine
vs
Sackett

188 cm
26
210 lbs
22 - 8 - 0

187 cm
27
215 lbs
20 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnie Ballantine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Orlando Sackett!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ballantine connects with a looping right hand.
Ballantine uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sackett.
Sackett needs to keep his hands up - Ballantine had a free shot at his head there.
Ballantine moves to clinch but Sackett breaks away
and Sackett counters with a body kick that stops Ballantine in his tracks momentarily.
Sackett misses with a head kick.
Johnie Ballantine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Sackett tries to keep at a distance but Ballantine has taken the fight into the clinch.
Sackett landing knees to the body.
Ballantine tries to work over Sackett's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Sackett.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ballantine is working Sackett over against the cage.
Ballantine working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Sackett misses with a punch to the body.
Sackett throws a head punch that misses.
Ballantine lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
A short right from Ballantine.
Sackett wants to break free but Ballantine has control.
Sackett tries to circle away but Ballantine has him pinned against the cage.
Ballantine blocks an uppercut.
Ballantine swings wildly with an uppercut but Sackett uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ballantine is leaning against Sackett and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sackett tries to circle away but Ballantine has him pinned against the cage.
Sackett misses with an elbow strike.
Sackett has had enough of the clinch but Ballantine keeps him there for the moment.
Sackett misses with a body punch.
Ballantine struggles to land a body shot inside as Sackett controls his hands.
Ballantine lands a hook to the side of the head.
Good body shot from Sackett.
Sackett misses with a body punch.
Sackett tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ballantine's elbow.
Ballantine blocking some punches.
Sackett lands an elbow inside.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ballantine.
Ballantine gets through Sackett's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ballantine misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sackett lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ballantine.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ballantine doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Sackett throws a head punch that misses.
Sackett misses with a punch on the inside.
Ballantine scores with a shot to the side of Sackett's head.
Sackett lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ballantine lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good body shot from Ballantine.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ballantine creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Sackett takes a shot to the head.
Sackett's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Ballantine pushes Sackett back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ballantine tries to work over Sackett's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ballantine tries to throw a body punch but Sackett avoids it by throwing Ballantine back against the cage.
Ballantine misses with a hook from the clinch.

Sackett breaks the clinch.
Ballantine throws a leg kick which misses Sackett's front leg but catches the back leg as Sackett tries to avoid it.
Ballantine tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sackett misses with a body shot.
Ballantine ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ballantine scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Sackett doesn't seem bothered though.
Sackett misses with a body shot.
Ballantine throws a right hand that Sackett ducks under and follows up with a left that Sackett also avoids with ease.
Ballantine misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sackett.
Ballantine throws an overhand right that lands on Sackett's shoulder, as Sackett tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ballantine.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ballantine.
Sackett throws a right hand that misses
and Ballantine counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ballantine missing with a left hand there. Sackett was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ballantine misses with a wild combination.
Sackett takes a swing at Ballantine's ribcage but misses.
Ballantine throws a low kick but Sackett avoids it.

Sackett closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Ballantine quickly recovers to half guard.
Sackett not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ballantine is trying to control but can't.
Ballantine looks like he's trying to stand up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ballantine is trying to maintain the position but Sackett is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Sackett.

Ballantine looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Sackett has picked Ballantine up and slammed him! Ballantine can't keep hold of the triangle and Sackett manages to pass to side control!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sackett scores with punches from side control.
Ballantine manages to work his way to half guard, despite Sackett's best efforts.
Sackett scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Sackett is looking to stall here but Ballantine recovers full guard.
Sackett stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ballantine swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Ballantine looking for a guillotine here but Sackett defends easily.

Ballantine has his foot on Sackett's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Sackett works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnie Ballantine dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sackett is defended easily by Ballantine.
Sackett throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sackett misses with a hook. Ballantine ducked under it nicely.
Ballantine misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ballantine tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sackett takes one to the side of the head.

Ballantine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sackett, pushing him back against the cage.
Ballantine blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ballantine tries to work over Sackett's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ballantine misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ballantine throws a head punch that misses.
Good body shot from Ballantine.
Ballantine softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ballantine struggles to land a body shot inside as Sackett controls his hands.
Sackett gets through Ballantine's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ballantine misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine blocks an uppercut.
Ballantine swings wildly with an uppercut but Sackett uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ballantine tries to work over Sackett's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ballantine struggles to land a body shot inside as Sackett controls his hands.
Sackett is trying to break free.
Sackett scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sackett looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Johnie Ballantine has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short right from Ballantine.
Sackett misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ballantine misses with the head strike.
Sackett lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Sackett is looking to break free of the clinch but Ballantine has double underhooks.
Sackett throws a punch but it's blocked by Ballantine.

Sackett breaks the clinch.
Ballantine takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Ballantine throws an off balance right hand
and Sackett counters with a thumping low kick.
Ballantine tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sackett manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sackett.
Sackett with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Ballantine to score with a decent uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sackett dips to his left and cracks Ballantine with an uppercut!

Ballantine drives through and clinches with Sackett against the cage.
Sackett tries to circle away but Ballantine has him pinned against the cage.

Sackett's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ballantine tries to clinch but Sackett moves out of range.
Ballantine tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sackett was well out of range. Poor timing from Ballantine.
Ballantine tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sackett was well out of range. Poor timing from Ballantine.
Sackett lands with a nice body punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ballantine uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sackett.
Sackett ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ballantine moves away.
Ballantine throws a nice looking combination but Sackett bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sackett is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ballantine.
Johnie Ballantine is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sackett takes a swing at Ballantine's ribcage but misses.
Ballantine wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sackett. That's going to slow Ballantine down.
Sackett avoids the head kick by Ballantine.
Sackett catches Ballantine with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Ballantine tries a head kick but it misses.
Sackett thows a leg kick but Ballantine checks it

and Ballantine moves into the clinch.
Sackett blocking some punches.
Ballantine tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Sackett's elbow.
Sackett lands a right hand.
Ballantine lands a nice shot to the body.
Sackett struggles to land a body shot inside as Ballantine controls his hands.
Ballantine scores with a shoulder strike.
Sackett scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sackett is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Ballantine blocking some punches.
Ballantine misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine lands a body shot.
Ballantine misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ballantine avoids a wild elbow strike from Sackett.
Ballantine throws a punch but it's blocked by Sackett.
Ballantine can't find room to land a body shot as Sackett controls the action.

Sackett breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sackett lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Sackett thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sackett slips under a jab.
Ballantine displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sackett throws out the jab.
Ballantine takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Ballantine lands the left hand.
Ballantine scores with a jab.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sackett avoids the body shot from Ballantine.
Ballantine fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Ballantine misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sackett.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Orlando Sackett will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sackett chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Ballantine can pounce on him.
Sackett tries to move into range but Ballantine moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ballantine walks into a stiff left hand from Sackett.
Ballantine connects with a looping right hand.
Sackett bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Ballantine avoids a kick to the body.
Johnie Ballantine is winning the standup battle so far.
Ballantine throws a good cross that connects.
Ballantine feints and then cracks Sackett's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sackett down.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sackett feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ballantine's calf.
Sackett on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
No joy there for Sackett, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sackett will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sackett takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ballantine thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballantine throws the kick towards the body but Sackett avoids it.
A low kick from Sackett is predictable there
and Ballantine counters with a straight right hand.
Sackett throws a body punch but Ballantine moves out of range.
Sackett uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ballantine.
Ballantine takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Sackett shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ballantine trying desperately to get to his feet.
Sackett is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Sackett has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ballantine keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Ballantine is working hard here to advance position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sackett cracks Ballantine with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Ballantine tries to hold on but Sackett pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballantine is trying desperately to improve position.
Orlando Sackett has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sackett dominating with strikes here.

Ballantine is rocked!
Oooooh, big shot lands for Sackett! Ballantine is hurt baaadly! Sackett is firing away with more strikes - Ballantine is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Orlando Sackett!