PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ritchie Blackmore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Kaia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blackmore comes to the cage accompanied by Sometimes My Opponent Feels Like Screaming. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Blackmore
vs
Kaia

180 cm
19
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
194 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ritchie Blackmore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Damian Kaia!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kaia clinches with his opponent.

Kaia breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blackmore throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kaia's waist but Kaia gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Blackmore off to one side.
Blackmore misses with a few strikes there.
Kaia takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Kaia moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Blackmore misses with a looping right.

Blackmore tries to keep at a distance but Kaia has taken the fight into the clinch.
Blackmore is trying to stall.
Kaia is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Blackmore gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Kaia's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Blackmore slips a jab and a cross from Kaia.

Blackmore gets the takedown into side control.
Blackmore wants to control but Kaia is keeping him busy.
Kaia struggling a bit here.
Blackmore is looking to take a break and control but Kaia is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kaia on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaia is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kaia is staying active underneath Blackmore, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Blackmore missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kaia wants to get back to his feet.

Blackmore is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Kaia looking for submissions off his back.

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

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.

Blackmore is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kaia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kaia trying to pass the guard but Blackmore defending well.
Blackmore moves into full guard.

Blackmore throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Blackmore looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kaia advances position into side control!
Blackmore is not content to let Kaia control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackmore is trying to get back to half guard.
Blackmore wants to control but Kaia postures up.
Kaia lands an elbow.
Blackmore tries to improve position but can't.
Blackmore is trying to control Kaia's posture but Kaia avoids it.

Kaia is trying to get an arm triangle but Blackmore is defending well.
Blackmore gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Blackmore flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Kaia looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Blackmore wants to get back to full guard.
Blackmore is staying active underneath Kaia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Blackmore is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kaia pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ritchie Blackmore dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Kaia ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Blackmore moves away.
Kaia steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Blackmore.
Blackmore fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Blackmore throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kaia moves into the clinch.

Blackmore pulls guard.
Blackmore manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kaia manages to get himself to full guard.

Kaia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Blackmore doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Blackmore manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Blackmore is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Kaia had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Blackmore defends it easily.
Blackmore with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kaia is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kaia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kaia keeping full guard, as Blackmore tries to pass.
Blackmore distracts Kaia with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Kaia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blackmore can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kaia avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Blackmore lands a couple of elbows.
Kaia trying to control the position.

Kaia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blackmore can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kaia throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackmore throwing strikes but missing.

Blackmore postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kaia is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Blackmore, into his guard.
Blackmore 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.
Blackmore trying to keep a closed guard but Kaia is proving a slippery customer.

Blackmore looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Blackmore is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Blackmore looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackmore keeping full guard, as Kaia tries to pass.

Blackmore looking for a guillotine here but Kaia defends easily.
Kaia wants to pass the guard but Blackmore is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Kaia decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Kaia seems to be working for a kimura but Blackmore defends the submission attempt.
Blackmore wants to get back to full guard.

Blackmore is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Kaia pulls his head out easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kaia is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Blackmore works his way to full guard. Good work.
Kaia in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Kaia drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Kaia jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Blackmore looking to control.
Kaia stopping the sweep attempt from Blackmore.

Blackmore throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kaia trying to control but Blackmore is working from the bottom.
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 Ritchie Blackmore 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!

Kaia feints and as Blackmore raises his hands in defense, Kaia changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Blackmore has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Kaia doesn't defend quickly enough and Blackmore has managed to lock this one up! Can Kaia escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Blackmore on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Ritchie Blackmore!