PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Damion Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derrick Waters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Black
vs
Waters

164 cm
24
140 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

176 cm
23
145 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Knockout power

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Damion Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Derrick Waters!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black is looking to clinch but Waters is avoiding it.
Waters takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Waters shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Black as he avoids it easily.
Black throws a shot from downtown. Waters moves away and avoids it.

Black shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Waters holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Black tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Black sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Waters can't escape the position.
Black landing shots from mount.
Black trying to control but Waters is having none of it.
Waters manages to control the position for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black thowing shots but they're missing.
Black trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Waters wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Black.

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.
Waters keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Black goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Waters is on top in guard.
Black wants to stand but Waters is controlling the position.
Waters trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black is trying to control the position but Waters postures up.
Black wants to sweep here but Waters controlling him for the moment.
Waters trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Waters shoots in but no luck this time.

Black throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Waters was covering up waiting for the punch and Black finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Black throws a strike but Waters rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black keeping moving, preventing Waters from controlling successfully.
Black is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Waters postures up in Black's guard and throws a big left but Black blocks it.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Black holds on and takes a little breather.

Black pushes Waters off and gets back to his feet.
Black misses with a takedown

and Waters counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damion Black dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Waters swats away the attempt to clinch by Black.
Waters lands with a nice body punch.
Waters tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Black swivels and escapes.
Waters tries for a takedown but Black circles away easily

and Black decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Waters's guard.
Waters is trying to control the position but Black postures up.
Waters is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Waters keeping moving, preventing Black from controlling successfully.

Black is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Waters is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Waters has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Waters wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.
Waters wants to pass the guard but Black is keeping the position.
Black avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Waters wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.
Black working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Waters.

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.
Waters stops Black from standing up.
Waters trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Black looking for a guillotine here but Waters defends easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Black fails with the takedown

so Waters counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Waters thows a big elbow that misses.

Black has his foot on Waters's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Waters works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Waters trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.

Waters drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Black dives on top into guard.
Waters keeping moving, preventing Black from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black throws and elbow that misses. Waters uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Black's guard. Nice move by Waters!
Black controlling Waters's posture.
Black bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Waters's guard.
Black throwing strikes but missing.
Black might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four 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.
Waters has a closed guard, preventing Black from standing up.

Waters has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Black can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Waters pulls Black in to control the position.
Black trying to control but Waters 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 Damion Black will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Black throws a right and a left that both miss.
Damion Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch but Waters swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A punch lands to the side of Waters 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Waters fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Black sprawls well initially but Waters persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Waters wants to free his trapped foot but Black is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Black trying to hold on to Waters's head to control him but Waters postures up.

Black makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Waters shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black wants to hold on but Waters pushes him away.
Black is desperately trying to improve his position but Waters has a good base and remains in mount.
Black is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Waters.
Waters can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.

Waters jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Black manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Waters takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Waters tries to advance to mount but Black denies him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Black can't do much from the bottom here.
Waters working the strikes but Black uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Black kicks Waters off and gets back to his feet.
Black throws a series of strikes that have Waters backpedaling.
Black misses with the combination.
Black tries to clinch up

so Waters counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Black keeping full guard, as Waters tries to pass.
Derrick Waters has got the better of the ground game so far.

Black looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Waters controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Black avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Waters wants to pass the guard but Black is keeping the position.
Black has Waters pulled in close to control his posture.
Waters wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Waters misses with a takedown

so Black counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Black loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Waters wants to sweep but no luck.

Black stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Waters misses with a takedown
and Black counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Black drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Waters pulls Black in close to prevent any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damion Black showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Black has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Suge Night scores the fight for Damion Black!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Damion Black!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Damion Black!

Damion Black wins by unanimous decision!