PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Igor Blancho (ranked 2748 p4p, 3141 weight class) and Tom Dirk (ranked 348 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Igor Blancho has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Igor Blancho seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Blancho
vs
Dirk

200 cm
26
287
8 - 6 - 0

194 cm
26
234
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Highland Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Igor Blancho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tom Dirk!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blancho tries for a takedown but Dirk circles away easily
and Dirk cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Blancho tries for a takedown but Dirk sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Blancho shoots in but Dirk avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Igor Blancho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dirk connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Blancho misses with a takedown attempt
and Dirk counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Blancho gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Blancho takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blancho fails with the takedown
and Dirk connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Dirk sends Blancho crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Dirk is motioning to the referee to let Blancho up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Blancho is rocked!

It looks like Igor Blancho has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Blancho with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dirk counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Blancho is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blancho closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Dirk to the mat! Dirk manages to get full guard.
Dirk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Blancho is one step ahead there.

Dirk had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Blancho defends it easily.
Blancho throws an elbow that misses. Dirk uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Blancho's guard. Nice move by Dirk!

Blancho has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Dirk is stalling in the full guard.
Dirk has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Cozad The Island. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Blancho looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blancho pulls Dirk in close to prevent any damage.
Blancho trying to keep a closed guard but Dirk is proving a slippery customer.
Dirk pushes down on Blancho's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Dirk perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Blancho keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blancho wants to control but Dirk is keeping busy.
Dirk stops Blancho from getting back to his feet.
Blancho landing strikes from the bottom.
Dirk moves into full mount! Blancho won't be happy about that!
Blancho is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dirk tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blancho tries to reverse the position but Dirk maintains control.
Blancho tries to hold on but Dirk postures up.
Blancho has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Blancho surviving as best he can, preventing damage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Blancho tries to escape but Dirk has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Dirk dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Igor Blancho's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Dirk smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Dirk feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Blancho sprawling to the canvas! Blancho rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Dirk finish him?!

Blancho gets a double leg takedown into Dirk's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blancho trying to control the position from guard on top but Dirk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dirk trying to control the position here.
Blancho stopping the sweep attempt from Dirk.
Blancho works over Dirk with some ground and pound from guard.
Blancho throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blancho is working Dirk over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dirk trying to keep a closed guard but Blancho is proving a slippery customer.
Blancho stopping the sweep attempt from Dirk.

Dirk has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blancho can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Dirk pulls Blancho in close to prevent any damage.
Dirk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Blancho is one step ahead there.
Blancho scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blancho accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Blancho looking to sit in guard and control but Dirk gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dirk is stalling in the full guard.
Blancho keeping moving, preventing Dirk from controlling successfully.
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.
Blancho looking for a sweep. Not yet Blancho, not yet.
Blancho is looking to stand up but Dirk isn't so interested in that idea.
Blancho looking for a sweep. Not yet Blancho, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blancho goes for a double leg but Dirk avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Dirk continues to drive forward.
Dirk is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Blancho with a body shot.
Dirk has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Blancho blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dirk lands with a left to the head.
Dirk digs a right hand into Blancho's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Blancho's gas tank.
Dirk softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Dirk lands with a left to the head.
Dirk lands a body punch.
Blancho drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dirk gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Dirk lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Dirk. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dirk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blancho with a lazy takedown attempt
and Dirk counters with a stiff right hand.
Oh Blancho is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Igor Blancho. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blancho misses with a takedown attempt
and Dirk counters with a beautiful right hand that knocks Blancho out cold! What a finish! Dirk is going crazy, running around the mat, summersaulting off the corner posts and screaming into the cameras. Something tells me he's pretty happy!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Tom Dirk!