PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Al Blaze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick van Greeven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). van Greeven has chosen Tom Waits - Telephone call from Istanbul as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Dick van Greeven enters the cage!

Blaze
vs
van Greeven

193 cm
22
250 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

205 cm
26
284 lbs
9 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Al Blaze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dick van Greeven!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

van Greeven gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Blaze to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Blaze with a flurry of punches that miss.

Blaze drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Blaze jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if van Greeven can do anything to dispel that myth.
van Greeven has control of Blaze's left arm, preventing Blaze from doing any damage.
van Greeven tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blaze tries to free his leg and advance position but van Greeven is retaining full guard.
Blaze advances to half guard.
van Greeven is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
van Greeven on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Blaze is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, van Greeven has managed to free his arm - good work.

Blaze is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaze is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Blaze moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, van Greeven has worked his arm free - good work by van Greeven!

Blaze swings around for an armbar but van Greeven sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Blaze's guard.
van Greeven is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
van Greeven must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Blaze wants to sweep here but van Greeven controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
van Greeven is pushing down on Blaze's leg trying to pass to half guard. Blaze is fighting to maintain full guard but van Greeven has managed to sneak the leg through.
van Greeven scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Blaze might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
van Greeven missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
van Greeven looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Blaze with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blaze looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Blaze is breathing heavily.
van Greeven is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
van Greeven lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blaze keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
van Greeven scores with a couple of good head shots there.
van Greeven with the ground and pound from mount.
van Greeven lands with some strikes.
van Greeven with shots to the head and body - Blaze looks very uncomfortable down there.
BOOM! van Greeven connects with a massive shot to the dome!
van Greeven lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
van Greeven with shots to the head and body - Blaze looks very uncomfortable down there.
Blaze tries to hold on but van Greeven postures up.
The referee warns Blaze that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
van Greeven is in the full mount, landing strikes.
van Greeven with the ground and pound from mount.
van Greeven fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Blaze is looking to get to half guard.
van Greeven lands a heavy elbow.
van Greeven breaks from Blaze's wrist control and lands an elbow.
van Greeven landing punches.
van Greeven lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
van Greeven prevents Blaze from getting the reversal.
A nice elbow there by van Greeven.
Blaze tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
van Greeven putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaze is trying to escape the mount.
van Greeven trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Blaze is trying desperately to improve position.
van Greeven looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
van Greeven lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Blaze hang on?
Blaze tries to get back to half guard but can't.

van Greeven has hold of Blaze's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Blaze manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
van Greeven lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Blaze working to try and regain half guard.
van Greeven working Blaze over with strikes here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick van Greeven dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Blaze shoots for a double leg takedown but van Greeven sprawls well. He's pushed Blaze's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Blaze bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Blaze tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Blaze has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
van Greeven wants to control but Blaze postures up.

Blaze is trying to get an arm triangle but van Greeven is defending well.

Blaze is trying to get an arm triangle but van Greeven is defending well.
van Greeven is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blaze swings around for an armbar but van Greeven sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Blaze's guard.
van Greeven chips away with some ground and pound.
van Greeven landing with the ground and pound.
van Greeven tries to free his leg and advance position but Blaze is retaining full guard.
Blaze has momentary wrist control but van Greeven slips an elbow through the middle.
van Greeven trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blaze working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from van Greeven.
Blaze avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
van Greeven tries to stand but Blaze is controlling from the bottom.

Blaze has his foot on van Greeven's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. van Greeven works his way back into a safe position though.
Blaze preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blaze looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
van Greeven really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Blaze. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

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

van Greeven avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
van Greeven working some strikes from top position.
Blaze has momentary wrist control but van Greeven slips an elbow through the middle.
van Greeven is looking to work some ground and pound but Blaze has wrist control.
van Greeven stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blaze swivels though and keeps the full guard.
van Greeven with a flurry of punches that miss.

Blaze looking for subs off his back but van Greeven has passed one foot through into half guard.
van Greeven working Blaze over with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
van Greeven lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Ground and pound from van Greeven.
Dick van Greeven has got the better of the ground game so far.

Blaze is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but van Greeven pulls his head out easily.
van Greeven winds up and cracks Blaze with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
van Greeven moves nicely into side control.
Blaze manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

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

Blaze is working for a kimura but van Greeven is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
van Greeven is trying to get back to full guard.

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

Blaze is looking for a kimura but van Greeven is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Blaze to get the leverage.
van Greeven works his way to full guard. Good work.
van Greeven manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Blaze manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick van Greeven showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

van Greeven looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Blaze!
Blaze taking shots to the head.
Blaze flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
van Greeven is landing with some decent strikes but Blaze is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
van Greeven landing strikes, looking to finish!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
van Greeven wants to control the pace but Blaze is squirming around nicely.
Blaze tries to reverse the position but van Greeven maintains control.
van Greeven lands a big elbow.
Blaze is desperately trying to improve his position but van Greeven has a good base and remains in mount.
Blaze takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
van Greeven with shots to the head and body - Blaze looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
van Greeven prevents Blaze from getting the reversal.
van Greeven lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Blaze is wriggling around trying to escape.
Blaze tries to hold on but van Greeven pushes him away.
van Greeven putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
van Greeven with shots to the head and body - Blaze looks very uncomfortable down there.
Blaze is bucking up trying to escape but van Greeven cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Blaze tries to hold on but van Greeven postures up.
Blaze taking shots to the head.
Blaze is looking to improve his position but van Greeven isn't that keen on the idea.
van Greeven putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
van Greeven scores with a couple of good head shots there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blaze slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Well,Blaze is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
van Greeven working Blaze over with strikes.
van Greeven throwing shots but Blaze is blocking nicely.
Blaze is trying to maintain the position but van Greeven is very close to passing his half guard.
Blaze has hold of van Greeven's hands but van Greeven slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Blaze trying to control but van Greeven postures up.
Blaze is looking to improve his position.

van Greeven is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Blaze defends it well.

Blaze looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
van Greeven prevents Blaze from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Blaze gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows van Greeven to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Blaze not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
van Greeven landing some decent shots from guard.

Blaze working for a triangle but van Greeven defends it easily.

Blaze looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
van Greeven working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaze wants to sweep here but van Greeven controlling him for the moment.
Blaze utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Blaze has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but van Greeven can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
van Greeven landing some decent shots from guard.

Blaze is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and van Greeven defends well.

van Greeven thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
van Greeven keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Blaze's head.

Blaze is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and van Greeven defends well.
Al Blaze has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dick van Greeven is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

van Greeven drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and van Greeven jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dick van Greeven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well van Greeven has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Dick van Greeven!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Dick van Greeven!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Dick van Greeven!

Dick van Greeven wins by unanimous decision!