PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ridge Back (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blaine Stone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Back comes to the cage accompanied by Animal I have Become. The key to victory for Ridge Back has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Back
vs
Stone

185 cm
21
180 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
183 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Very confident

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ridge Back!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Blaine Stone!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Back moves in looking to clinch but Stone pushes him off.
Back tries to clinch but Stone is having none of it.
Back is looking to clinch.
Back moves in looking to clinch but Stone pushes him off.
Back tries to clinch up.
Back tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Stone paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Back throws a half hearted mid kick.

Stone drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Stone wants to lay and pray for a moment but Back keeps working.

Stone tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Stone has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stone in side control, throwing shots but Back defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone throws a strike aimed at the side of Back's head but Back avoids it well.

Stone is trying to get an arm triangle but Back is defending well.
Back is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Stone is controlling him well.
Stone cracks Back with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Stone scores with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stone working the head and body with strikes.
Stone wants to control but Back is keeping him busy.
Stone throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Stone is putting a hurting on Back here, landing some big shots from side control.
Back dodges the ground and pound from Stone.
Back knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Stone on the ground.
Stone in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Stone works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Stone grinds an elbow into Back's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone throws an elbow but Back slips to the side and avoids it well.
Stone trying to control the position but Back is working away.
Stone scoring with punches from side control.
Stone tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Back avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Stone.
Stone scoring with punches from side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Back pushes Stone away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Stone gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

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.
Stone is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Stone scores with a couple of short elbows.
Back managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Stone.
Back wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ground and pound from Stone seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blaine Stone dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stone fails to land the takedown.

Stone closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Stone lands in his opponent's guard.
Stone tries to free his leg and advance position but Back is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stone lands a couple of elbows.
Stone throwing strikes from guard but Back blocks nicely.
Stone throws and elbow that misses. Back uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stone's guard. Nice move by Back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stone is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Stone thows a huge punch but Back dodges it nicely.

Stone is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Back is just riding it out for now. Stone eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stone throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Back on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Back tries to get out of the position.

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.
Stone sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Back defending well though.
Nice strikes from Stone there.
Stone not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Stone throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Stone is working for a kimura but Back is defending it quite comfortably.
Stone thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Back to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stone thows a big elbow that misses.
Stone tries to free his leg and advance position but Back is retaining full guard.
Back wants to get back to his feet but Stone is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Stone working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Back's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Stone accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Stone throwing strikes but missing.
Blaine Stone has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Stone landing some decent shots from guard.
Stone throwing strikes but missing.
Stone wants to pass the guard but Back is keeping the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stone postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Stone wants to control from the top but Back keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blaine Stone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Stone avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stone keeps the fight on the outside.
Back is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ridge Back is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Stone fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Back connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Stone moves out of range as Back throws a body kick.
Ridge Back seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Back doesn't manage to clinch there - Stone circles away.
Back throws a right and a left that Stone avoids nicely.
Back will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Back throws a body kick that misses.
Stone avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Back tries to clinch but Stone moves out of range.
Back doesn't manage to clinch there - Stone circles away.
Back moves in looking to clinch but Stone pushes him off.
Stone showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Back.
Back tries to clinch but Stone is having none of it.
Stone connects with a good right hand that stumbles Back. Back circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Stone keeps the fight on the outside.

Stone drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Stone trying to control the position from guard on top but Back is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stone trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Back preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Stone looking to sit in guard and control but Back gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Back won't allow Stone to sweep him here.
Back tries to stand but Stone is controlling from the bottom.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stone escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Back gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Stone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Back tries to stand but Stone is controlling from the bottom.

Stone looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Back passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Back stands up from half guard.
Ridge Back has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Back misses with a wild combination.
Stone uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Back is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Blaine Stone is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stone fails with a takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ridge Back.
I think Stone has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blaine Stone!