PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bernard Blackstone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Mitchell could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Bernard Blackstone's chin.

Mitchell
vs
Blackstone

170 cm
22
162 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

181 cm
23
171 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bernard Blackstone!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blackstone misses with a looping left.
Blackstone tries to clinch but Mitchell is having none of it.
Mitchell steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Blackstone.
Mitchell avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Blackstone tries to clinch but Mitchell is having none of it.
Mitchell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Blackstone tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mitchell lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A slow jab from Blackstone misses its intended target.
No joy there for Mitchell, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mitchell shoots for a takedown but Blackstone saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mitchell scores with a one two! Blackstone had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mitchell throws a series of punches but Blackstone moves out of range.
Blackstone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blackstone fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

It looks like James Mitchell has been cut.
Blackstone tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitchell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mitchell is defended easily by Blackstone.
Mitchell shoots in for a double leg but Blackstone sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Mitchell. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blackstone tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mitchell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mitchell throws a big shot that misses.
Mitchell will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackstone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mitchell fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Blackstone waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Mitchell.
Blackstone displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Mitchell throws out the jab.
Blackstone fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mitchell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Blackstone jabs at Mitchell's body.
A jab from Mitchell misses.
Blackstone wants to clinch up but Mitchell keeps it at a distance.
Blackstone tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mitchell paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackstone throws an overhand right that lands on Mitchell's shoulder, as Mitchell tries to avoid the shot.
Blackstone tries to clinch there but Mitchell circles away.
Blackstone tries to clinch there but Mitchell circles away.
Mitchell throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Blackstone's waist but Blackstone gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mitchell off to one side.

Blackstone closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Blackstone throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mitchell blocks it with crossed arms.
Blackstone misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mitchell.

Blackstone breaks from the clinch.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown but Blackstone shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Blackstone tries to clinch up but Mitchell circles away and keeps his distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Blackstone misses the target.

Mitchell shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Blackstone manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell is pushing down on Blackstone's leg trying to pass to half guard. Blackstone is fighting to maintain full guard but Mitchell has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mitchell throwing shots but Blackstone is blocking nicely.

Mitchell is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Blackstone doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mitchell.
Mitchell is breathing heavily.

Mitchell is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Blackstone is just riding it out for now. Mitchell eventually gives up the hold.
Blackstone pushes Mitchell off looking to stand but Mitchell dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Mitchell will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Mitchell's cut.
That's time! Mitchell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Blackstone with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Blackstone throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mitchell tries to work over Blackstone's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Blackstone breaks the clinch.

Mitchell scores a takedown into full mount!

Mitchell is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Blackstone has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Mitchell throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Mitchell is working for a guillotine from mount but Blackstone frees his head quite easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackstone wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mitchell lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Mitchell is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Blackstone can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Blackstone blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Mitchell tries to control but Blackstone wriggling away.
Blackstone is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

Blackstone defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Mitchell.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mitchell is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Blackstone has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Blackstone!
Blackstone won't allow Mitchell to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackstone has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mitchell is proving hard to escape from.

Mitchell has his foot on Blackstone's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Blackstone works his way back into a safe position though.

Blackstone wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Mitchell's closed guard. He's half up but Mitchell has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Mitchell pivots and extends the arm, Blackstone falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Mitchell! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). James Mitchell!