PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rex Bearden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Black comes into the arena with The Pixies - Hey blaring out of the sound system. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Black
vs
Bearden

195 cm
24
255 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

192 cm
22
250 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rex Bearden!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, David Schapiro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bearden tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Black paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Black rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bearden moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Bearden closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Black did well to prevent Bearden getting side control.
Black looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Bearden is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Black is just riding it out for now. Bearden eventually gives up the hold.
Bearden thows a huge punch but Black dodges it nicely.
Black tries to kick Bearden off but Bearden keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Black is staying active underneath Bearden, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Black wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Black wants to clinch

and Bearden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Bearden has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bearden sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Black's guard.
Bearden looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Bearden missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bearden is working for a submission of some sort.
Bearden looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Bearden trying to control from half guard but Black is working away.
Bearden tries to stand but can't do so whilst Black controls his leg.
Black is trying to stand up here but Bearden is controlling him well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bearden will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Black has closed the distance and engaged Bearden in a clinch.

Black breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Black gets in close and instigates a clinch.

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 short right hand to the side of the head by Black.

Black escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bearden shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Black as he avoids it easily.
Black wants to clinch but Bearden slips to the side

and Bearden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Black's guard now.

Black uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Nice cross by Black.
Black throws a right and a left that Bearden avoids nicely.
Bearden shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Black defends it nicely.
Frank Black has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rex Bearden.
Bearden throws a nice looking combination but Black bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Black tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Bearden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Black's guard.
Bearden stops Black from standing up.
Bearden pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Black is keeping the position for now.
Black wants to stand and escape but Bearden is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bearden trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black wants to stand up but Bearden is controlling him.
Black is breathing heavily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Bearden misses with a takedown attempt - Black sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Black closes the distance looking to clinch

and Bearden counters with a nice double leg into side control. Black won't be happy with that.
Bearden wants to control but Black is keeping him busy.
Bearden working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Bearden wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Black, who protects the arm well.
Bearden postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bearden trying to control the action but Black is working from the bottom.
Bearden is chipping away with strikes.
Black is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bearden wants to clinch up but Black keeps it at a distance.
Black wants to clinch

and Bearden counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Black's guard now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Bearden dominated that round.
That's time! Black's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Bearden shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Bearden is looking for a kimura but Black is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Bearden to get the leverage.
Bearden trying to control from half guard but Black is working away.
Black is looking to escape.
Bearden throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Bearden is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Black is trying to stand up here but Bearden is controlling him well.

Bearden is looking for a kimura here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Black tries to clinch

and Bearden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Black scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Bearden is breathing heavily.
Bearden changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Black tries to avoid it but Bearden manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Black to the ground. Black escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Black closes the distance but Bearden moves to the side

and Bearden counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Black!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black bucks up and throws Bearden to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Bearden walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

It looks like Rex Bearden has been cut.
Black throws a series of punches but Bearden avoids them all with ease.
Black is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bearden moves away from the strike by Black.
Black fails in his attempt to clinch.
Black wants to clinch but Bearden slips to the side

and Bearden counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Black!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Black trying desperately to get to his feet.
Black trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bearden fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Black is squirming around, avoiding Bearden's attempts to control the action.

Black bucks Bearden off and manages to get back to his feet!

Bearden shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Bearden escapes and gets back to his feet.
Bearden throws a series of punches but Black avoids them all with ease.

Bearden drives through with a takedown into guard.
Bearden won't allow Black to get back to his feet.
Bearden trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Black wants to stand but Bearden is controlling the position.
Bearden chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bearden trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Bearden trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Black has his feet on Bearden's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Black is looking to clinch but Bearden is avoiding it.
Black throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bearden counters with a takedown into side control.
Black wants to get back to his feet.

Bearden tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bearden has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bearden trying to control the position but Black is working away.
Black tries to escape but Bearden is in control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bearden lands a few punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bearden is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Black knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Bearden fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Black is trying to get back to his feet.
Rex Bearden has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Black is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Bearden wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Black, who protects the arm well.
Black wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Bearden showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rex Bearden's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Black closes the distance looking to clinch

and Bearden counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Black!
Black squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Bearden wants to finish this one by submission but Black is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Bearden.
Black trying desperately to get to his feet.

Black defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Bearden.
Black is trying to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bearden unloading with bombs!

Bearden looking for a guillotine from mount but Black is having none of it.
Black is squirming around, avoiding Bearden's attempts to control the action.
Bearden connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Black is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Bearden has hold of Black's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Black manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Bearden punching from mount but Black doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Black is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Black in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bearden stands up from mount. Strange move.

Black pushes Bearden up against the cage in a clinch.

Black breaks from the clinch.
Black misses with a combination

and Bearden counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Black pushes Bearden off looking to stand but Bearden dives back in and keeps control.
Bearden uses his free foot to push down on Black's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Black.
Bearden is landing with some decent strikes but Black is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Bearden landing punches.
Black squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Bearden has hold of Black's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Black manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bearden looking to control but Black is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Black is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bearden is landing with some decent strikes but Black is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Black is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Black is bucking up trying to escape but Bearden cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
BOOM! Bearden connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Black really wants to buck Bearden off and get back to his feet.
Bearden can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Black is looking to escape.

Bearden is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Black has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Black holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Bearden tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Frank Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Bearden cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Black is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

Bearden looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Black wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Rex Bearden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bearden sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bearden's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Bearden comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Bearden 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rex Bearden!