PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ti Tiy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Ballard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ti Tiy has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tiy
vs
Ballard

175 cm
20
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
19
290 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ti Tiy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kevin Ballard!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Viktor Lagutenko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tiy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tiy looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Tiy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tiy wants it to stay on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ballard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ballard misses with a head kick.
Ballard looks for a takedown but Tiy sprawls well.

Tiy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ballard manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Ballard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ballard gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard looking to control.
Ballard looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ballard working a defensive guard here.
Tiy is stalling in the full guard.
Ballard wants to stand and escape but Tiy is having none of it.

Ballard throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Ballard not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballard 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.
Tiy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tiy keeps the fight on the outside.
Ballard fails with the takedown.
Ti Tiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Ballard.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Tiy.
Tiy looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tiy leaves Ballard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ballard looks for the body kick but Tiy saw that one coming.
Ballard looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Ballard tries to clinch there but Tiy circles away.
Ballard throws a combination. Tiy tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

It looks like Ti Tiy has been cut.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ballard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ballard dives in and grabs Tiy's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tiy pushes down on Ballard's head and hops out.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ballard.
Ballard is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tiy sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard scores with a jab to the body.
Ballard will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ballard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ballard tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ballard lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tiy circles away quickly and effectively.

Tiy shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ballard is trying to defend but Tiy finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Tiy really is a fat lump.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tiy takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Ballard dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ti Tiy's cut.
That's time! Tiy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ballard fails with a takedown attempt.
Ballard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ballard shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tiy holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ballard jumps guard but Tiy stands there with Ballard around his waist. Ballard gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ti Tiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Ballard.
Ballard wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ballard trying to stall but Tiy improves his position.
Ballard stalls.
Ballard tries to pull guard but Tiy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ballard tries to break free but Tiy pushes him back against the cage.
Tiy fails to pull guard.
Ballard tries to circle away but Tiy has him pinned against the cage.
Tiy keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Ballard's efforts to push away.
Tiy trying to stall but Ballard improves his position.
Tiy tries a knee to the head but Ballard blocks it.
Ballard looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ballard has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Ballard fails to pull guard.
Ballard wants a takedown but no success here.

Tiy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ballard tries to close the distance and clinch but Tiy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kevin Ballard seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ballard shoots in but no luck this time.
Tiy leaves Ballard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ballard pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ballard closes the distance and clinches up with Tiy, looking for a takedown. Ballard pushes Tiy against the cage but Tiy circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Tiy scores with a takedown into Ballard's guard.
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.
Tiy seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Tiy might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ballard is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tiy prevents Ballard from getting back to his feet.
Tiy passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Tiy tries to stand but Ballard is controlling his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard is trying to control Tiy's posture but Tiy avoids it.

Tiy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ballard is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The referee asks Tiy politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tiy prefers to stall for the moment though.
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 Ti Tiy will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ti Tiy's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ballard tries to clinch there but Tiy circles away.
Ballard is looking to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Ballard or perhaps it was just good defense by Tiy which made him look bad.
Tiy leaves Ballard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Tiy leaves Ballard with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ti Tiy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kevin Ballard.
Ballard doesn't manage to clinch there - Tiy circles away.
Tiy throws a left and a right that both miss
and Ballard counters with a nice uppercut.
Tiy takes a jab right on the kisser.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ballard throws a head kick but Tiy moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ballard shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tiy defends it nicely.

Tiy instigates a clinch.
Ballard gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Tiy.
Tiy tries to pull guard but Ballard holds him up against the cage and eventually Tiy drops back down to his feet.

Ballard pulls Tiy into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tiy stopping the sweep attempt from Ballard.
Ballard working a defensive guard here.
Ballard keeping moving, preventing Tiy from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tiy throws a strike but Ballard rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Ballard got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tiy has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ballard has managed to get both his arms back between Tiy's legs - danger averted.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ballard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tiy keeping moving, preventing Ballard from controlling successfully.
Ballard must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ballard pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tiy is keeping the position for now.
Ballard trying to control the position from guard on top but Tiy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ballard working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ballard postures up.

Tiy is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Tiy keeping moving, preventing Ballard from controlling successfully.

Tiy escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ballard gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin Ballard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ballard 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

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