PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ask Midgard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balboa is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: I was made for lovin you. Apollo Balboa has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Ask Midgard's chin.

Midgard
vs
Balboa

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

210 cm
18
290 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ask Midgard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Apollo Balboa!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Midgard throws a right and a left that Balboa avoids nicely.
Midgard looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Balboa closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Balboa has picked Midgard up - he's going for a ride! Balboa dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Midgard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Balboa.
Balboa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Midgard is trying to stand back up but Balboa is controlling him
Balboa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Balboa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Balboa is keen to just control but Midgard is a slippery customer.
Midgard keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balboa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Midgard's head.
Balboa working Midgard over with strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Midgard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Balboa.
Balboa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Balboa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Midgard's head.
Midgard is breathing heavily.
Balboa thows a huge punch but Midgard dodges it nicely.
Midgard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Balboa.
Balboa wants to control but Midgard is keeping him busy.
Balboa working the head and body with strikes.
Balboa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Midgard's head.
Still in half guard, Balboa seems content to control.
Balboa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Balboa throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Balboa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Midgard does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Balboa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Midgard defending well though.
Balboa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Balboa passes to side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balboa lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Midgard down.
Balboa throws an elbow but Midgard slips to the side and avoids it well.
Balboa misses with the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Balboa throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Midgard knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Balboa on the ground.
Balboa in side control, throwing shots but Midgard defends.
Balboa sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Midgard is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Midgard managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Balboa.
Balboa misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Midgard parries the strikes from Balboa easily there. Balboa is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Midgard to escape.

Balboa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Balboa is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Midgard is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Balboa's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Balboa working the ground and pound but Midgard is defending the strikes.
Balboa working the head with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Balboa tries to score with some ground and pound. Midgard controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Balboa misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
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!
Midgard taking a bit of punishment here - Balboa scoring with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Apollo Balboa dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Balboa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Midgard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Midgard lands a head shot.
Midgard lands a jab-cross combination.
Balboa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Balboa ducks right into an uppercut from Midgard.
Midgard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Midgard lunges at Balboa with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Balboa's hand.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Midgard pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Balboa back to the cage. Midgard follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Midgard moves away from the strike by Balboa.
Ask Midgard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Midgard connects with a jab.

Midgard tries to keep at a distance but Balboa has taken the fight into the clinch.

Balboa is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Midgard can't fight it off and eventually Balboa manages to take the fight to the floor. Midgard looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Balboa wants to control from the top but Midgard keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Balboa lands a couple of digs.
Balboa throws a big elbow that misses.
Balboa wants to pass the guard but Midgard is keeping the position.
Balboa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Midgard preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Balboa throwing strikes but missing.

Balboa decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Midgard, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Midgard lands an overhand right.
Midgard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A left and a right from Midgard both land. Nice combination.
Balboa tries to close the distance and clinch but Midgard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Midgard will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ask Midgard is winning the standup battle so far.
Balboa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A jab lands there for Midgard.
Balboa is looking to clinch but Midgard is avoiding it.
Midgard lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Balboa slips a jab and a cross from Midgard.
Balboa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balboa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Midgard lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Midgard is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Midgard lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Balboa instigates a clinch.
Midgard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Balboa stalls.
Midgard is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Midgard has had enough of the clinch but Balboa keeps him there for the moment.
Midgard is trying to break free.
Midgard looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Midgard can't break the clinch.
Midgard is trying to break the clinch but Balboa is controlling him.
Balboa lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Balboa has picked Midgard up - he's going for a ride! Balboa dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa thows a huge punch but Midgard dodges it nicely.
Balboa moves into full mount! Midgard won't be happy about that!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Balboa punching from mount but Midgard doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Midgard is trying to stand.
Balboa unloading with bombs!
Balboa raining down hammerfists from mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Midgard wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Balboa.
Balboa unloads with some shots from mount but Midgard bucks and avoids them well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ask Midgard will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Midgard listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Balboa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Midgard.

Balboa rushes Midgard and presses him up against the cage.

Balboa has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Midgard is trying to keep an underhook but Balboa manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Balboa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Balboa is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Balboa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Midgard's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Midgard avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Balboa.
Balboa with the ground and pound but Midgard uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Balboa drops back, looking for a kneebar! Midgard looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Midgard looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Midgard!
Midgard working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Balboa struggling a bit here.
Balboa tries to buck Midgard off but Midgard is having none of it.
Balboa is trying to control Midgard's posture but Midgard avoids it.
Balboa striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Balboa striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Balboa is looking to regain half guard here but Midgard keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Midgard wants to stand but Balboa is controlling his arm.
Balboa wants to control but Midgard postures up.
Midgard tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Balboa can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is trying to buck Midgard off.
Balboa throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Balboa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Midgard asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Balboa can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Apollo Balboa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Balboa has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 for Apollo Balboa!
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Apollo Balboa!
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight for Apollo Balboa!

Apollo Balboa wins by unanimous decision!
Apollo Balboa spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.