PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jezza Kyle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Baker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Joe Baker was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Kyle
vs
Baker

168 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
18
168 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jezza Kyle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Baker!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker throws a nice inside leg kick.
Kyle looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kyle throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baker's coach down at Elite Burn was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Baker's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Kyle looks to land a right hand but Baker moved out of range.
Baker throws a leg kick which misses Kyle's front leg but catches the back leg as Kyle tries to avoid it.
Kyle catches Baker with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Kyle sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Baker scores with a push kick.
Baker throws a nice inside leg kick.
Kyle misses with an uppercut. Baker saw that one coming.
Baker fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kyle misses with a body shot.
Baker moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Kyle misses with a left hand
and Baker counters with a nice kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kyle chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baker can pounce on him.
Baker scores with a kick to the midsection.
Baker throws a sloppy head kick and Kyle moves out of range easily.
Kyle circles away from the clinch attempt.
Kyle misses with a wild body shot.
Kyle steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Baker. That one must have hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kyle swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kyle misses with a hook
and Baker counters with a nice low kick that buckles Kyle's knee momentarily.
Baker buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Kyle throws a lazy right hand but Baker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Baker throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kyle.
Baker throws a head kick that half lands.
Kyle misses with a straight right.

Baker moves into the clinch successfully.
Baker takes a shot to the head.
Kyle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Baker leaning his opponent against the cage.
Kyle tries to throw a body punch but Baker avoids it by throwing Kyle back against the cage.
Kyle scores with a hook to the body.
Kyle gets through Baker's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kyle blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kyle scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kyle has a couple of punches blocked by Baker.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Baker connects with a knee to the head.
Kyle on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Baker tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Kyle softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kyle misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Kyle.
Kyle will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Baker working Kyle over with knees to the body.
Kyle is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Baker's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Kyle lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baker backwards.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Baker obliges.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
Kyle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kyle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Kyle creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Baker.
A head punch on the inside from Kyle fails to land.
Baker letting Kyle take a breather here.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Baker is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Kyle on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kyle managing to block the knees to the body from Baker.
Kyle throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bakers head.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kyle working aggressively here.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Kyle misses with the head strike.
Kyle managing to block the knees to the body from Baker.
Kyle is trying to stall.
Baker is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kyle is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kyle swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Baker.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kyle blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kyle swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kyle throws a head punch that misses.
Kyle misses with a hook from the clinch.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
Baker tries to land knees in the clinch but Kyle avoids the damage to the body.
Kyle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kyle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kyle lands an uppercut.
Kyle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Baker.
Kyle working aggressively here.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baker lands a good knee to the midsection. Kyle won't want to take too many of those.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Baker will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Baker lands with a thumping leg kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Baker.
Baker lands with a thumping leg kick.
Baker fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kyle has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Baker scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Baker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Baker throws a push kick but Kyle slaps the foot to one side.
An attempted straight right counter from Kyle misses the target.
Joe Baker seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Baker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baker tries to clinch up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Baker.
A chopping leg kick lands by Baker.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kyle swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Kyle fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baker flicks out a counter leg kick but Kyle steps away.
Baker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Kyle loads up on a big right hand but Baker slips the punch.
Kyle on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Baker. Baker obviously looking to wear him down.
Kyle misses with a hook.
Baker thinks about the counter body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kyle tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Baker was well out of range. Poor timing from Kyle.
Kyle chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baker can pounce on him.
Baker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Baker thinks about the counter body kick.
Kyle wants to clinch.
Baker has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Baker throws a nice inside leg kick.

Baker clinches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Kyle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Baker lands a good knee to the midsection. Kyle won't want to take too many of those.
Kyle has a couple of punches blocked by Baker.
Kyle gets through Baker's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Baker missing with knees to the body.
Baker taking a breather.
Kyle is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baker trying to control the position but instead, Kyle has worked for underhooks and has pushed Baker into the cage.
Jezza Kyle has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Kyle on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Kyle swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kyle fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Kyle avoiding damage as Baker throws knees to the body.
Kyle jumps guard but Baker stands there with Kyle around his waist. Kyle gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Kyle working aggressively here.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kyle working aggressively here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baker lands a knee to the body.
Kyle misses with some punches.
A nice left hand lands by Kyle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Baker lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Baker lands a good knee to the midsection. Kyle won't want to take too many of those.
Kyle tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Baker smiles and moves away.
Kyle misses with a straight left.
Baker tries a quick counter leg kick but Kyle is wise to it.
Kyle takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Baker scores with a nice body kick.
Baker scores with a head kick.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Baker, right into the meat.
Kyle throws an overhand right that lands on Baker's shoulder, as Baker tries to avoid the shot.
Kyle misses the body punch
and Baker counters with a thumping low kick.
Baker moves away from the strike by Kyle.
Kyle ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Baker moves away.
Baker scores with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Baker keeps the fight on the outside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kyle misses with an uppercut
and Baker counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kyle takes a kick to the side of the head.
Baker ducks under a wild hook from Kyle.
Baker appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Baker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Kyle takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Baker uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kyle.
Baker is trying to counter with his kicks.
Baker throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kyle swings for the body but Baker moves out of range.
Baker tries to clinch up.
Baker throws a leg kick which misses Kyle's front leg but catches the back leg as Kyle tries to avoid it.
Kyle swings widly with a right hand
and Baker counters with a thumping low kick.
Kyle misses with an uppercut. Baker saw that one coming.
Baker lets loose with a powerful body kick. Kyle will feel that in the morning.
Baker is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Baker showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Baker bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Baker thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Kyle if he has to take too many more of those.
A good leg kick by Baker.
Kyle has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Baker.
Kyle throws a jab but it's blocked by Baker.
Kyle thows a left - swing and a miss!
Baker follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Baker throws a nice outside leg kick.
Kyle looks to throw the jab but Baker is out of range.
Baker steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Baker misses with a head kick.
Baker scoring well with a low kick there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kyle swings for the body but Baker moves out of range.
Baker replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Kyle blocks it well.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Baker, right into the meat.
Baker moves out of range as Kyle strikes.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Kyle crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Baker - the referee stops the clock and Kyle gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Baker. Kyle manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Baker with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Baker.
Kyle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Baker.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Baker.
Kyle stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Baker.
Kyle throws a jab but it's blocked by Baker.
Baker throws a head kick but Kyle moves out of range.
Baker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A solid leg kick lands there for Baker.
Baker lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Kyle throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Kyle lands a jab.
Baker moves out of range as Kyle strikes.
Nice body kick from Baker.
Baker moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Kyle tries to clinch up but Baker circles away and keeps his distance.
Jezza Kyle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kyle misses with a straight right.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baker dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kyle. That did some damage!
Baker moves out of range as Kyle strikes.
Baker lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Baker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kyle.
Baker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Baker fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Kyle has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Joe Baker is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Kyle forces Baker back against the cage and clinches.
Kyle fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Kyle fails to land.
Kyle misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kyle lands a left hand.
Kyle scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Kyle misses with a punch to the body.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
A hook to the body from Kyle.
Baker is trying to maintain a safe position but Kyle gets an underhook and turns Baker into the cage.
Baker looking to throw knees to the head but Kyle is blocking nicely.
Kyle misses with some punches.
Kyle misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kyle misses with the head strike.
Kyle scores with a hook to the body.
Kyle has a couple of punches blocked by Baker.
Kyle blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kyle lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Baker backwards.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kyle swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Kyle makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Kyle swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kyle misses with the head strike.
Kyle throws a head punch that misses.
Baker unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Kyle throws a punch but it's blocked by Baker.
Kyle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Baker with a knee to the head.

It looks like Jezza Kyle has been cut.
Kyle swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Baker tries a knee to the head but Kyle blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Baker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Baker winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Baker!
A very excited looking Joe Baker made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.