PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Nogueira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reynold Blanco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reynold Blanco told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Nogueira
vs
Blanco

200 cm
25
280 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

220 cm
25
278 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent knees
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Nogueira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Reynold Blanco!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Thiago Cunha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nogueira throws a half hearted mid kick.

Nogueira has closed the distance and engaged Blanco in a clinch.

Nogueira manages to break the clinch.
Blanco will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nogueira misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Blanco fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Nogueira manages to avoid it.
Nogueira throws a low kick, looking for Blanco's leg but Blanco calmly moves out of range.
Nogueira fails to land with a series of punches.
Blanco moves into range and connects with a jab.
Nogueira misses with a combination
and Blanco counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Blanco.

Blanco tries for a kimura but Nogueira is defending well.
Blanco is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Nogueira will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira tries to buck Blanco off but Blanco is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blanco taking a breather here.
Blanco creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Nogueira sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Blanco is looking to take a break and control but Nogueira is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Blanco decides to stand back up. Blanco steps back and let's Nogueira get back to his feet.

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.

Blanco clinches up against the cage.

Nogueira pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Nogueira throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Blanco closes the distance and clinches.

Nogueira breaks the clinch.
Blanco takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Blanco works the jab nicely.
Blanco throws a head kick that misses.
A punch lands to the side of Nogueira 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Blanco scores with a one two! Nogueira had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Nogueira throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Blanco works Nogueira's body with a nice hook.
Blanco scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Blanco keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horrible takedown by Nogueira or perhaps it was just good defense by Blanco which made him look bad.
Blanco slips a straight right by Nogueira.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira looks to throw the jab but Blanco is out of range.

Nogueira tries to keep at a distance but Blanco has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nogueira with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nogueira is breathing heavily.

Blanco breaks from the clinch.
Nogueira throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Nogueira closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Blanco lands a lovely overhand right.
Blanco misses with a low kick.
Nice takedown defense from Nogueira. No joy for Blanco on that attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from Nogueira misses the target.
Blanco shoots in for a double leg but Nogueira sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nogueira takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Blanco lands a slapping body shot.
Nogueira looks to clinch

and Blanco counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Nogueira's guard now.

Blanco stands and steps away. Nogueira gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Nogueira misses the body punch
and Blanco counters with an outside leg kick.
A nice combination there by Nogueira.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Blanco clinches.
Nogueira wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Blanco has him pressed against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Blanco breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters circling a little - Blanco finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Blanco with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Blanco is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Nogueira had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.

Blanco moves into range and clinches up with Nogueira.
Blanco cracks Nogueira with a nice body shot.
Blanco prevents Nogueira from breaking the clinch.
Blanco is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rodrigo Nogueira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reynold Blanco.
Nogueira gets underhooks to prevent Blanco's takedown attempt.
Nogueira prevents a takedown attempt there.

Blanco pulls guard effortlessly.
Nogueira wants to get up but he can't break Blanco's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blanco is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Blanco looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reynold Blanco dominated that round.
That's time! Nogueira's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nogueira tries a head kick but it misses.
Blanco swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Nogueira.
Nogueira leaves Blanco with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nogueira takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Blanco lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Horrible takedown by Blanco or perhaps it was just good defense by Nogueira which made him look bad.
Nogueira needs to keep his hands up - Blanco had a free shot at his head there.

Blanco drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Blanco throws a strike but Nogueira rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nogueira trying to control but Blanco is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nogueira looking to pass the guard.

Nogueira got a little sloppy there for a moment and Blanco has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nogueira has managed to get both his arms back between Blanco's legs - danger averted.

Blanco is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nogueira trying to control but Blanco is working from the bottom.

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.
Blanco trying to keep a closed guard but Nogueira is proving a slippery customer.
Nogueira content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nogueira wants to pass the guard but Blanco is keeping the position.
Blanco is adopting a defensive guard.

Blanco working for a triangle but Nogueira defends it easily.
Nogueira works over Blanco with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nogueira.
Nogueira has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Blanco looking to control.

Nogueira 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.
Blanco lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nogueira!
Blanco connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Blanco with the ground and pound from mount.
Blanco lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Nogueira hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanco trying to control but Nogueira is having none of it.
Reynold Blanco has got the better of the ground game so far.
Blanco lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Nogueira's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Blanco controlling the position easily from mount.
Let's hope that Blanco has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reynold Blanco 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!

Nogueira takes one to the chin there.
Nogueira lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Reynold Blanco has been cut.
Nogueira tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A jab from Blanco does it's job there.
Blanco shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Nogueira but Nogueira pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Nogueira wants to clinch but Blanco slips to the side
and Blanco counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A punch lands to the side of Nogueira 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Blanco uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Rodrigo Nogueira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blanco lands with a straight right. Nogueira didn't see that one coming.
Nogueira takes a swing at Blanco's ribcage but misses.
Blanco uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nogueira.
Blanco tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Blanco lands a nice hook to Nogueira's body. Nogueira takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Blanco is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nogueira throws a sloppy head kick and Blanco moves out of range easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blanco has a takedown stuffed.

Blanco looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Blanco is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Blanco passes to full mount!

Nogueira bucks Blanco off and manages to get back to his feet!
Nogueira takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nogueira throws a series of punches but Blanco avoids them all with ease.
Nogueira stuffs the takedown attempt from Blanco. Blanco gets slowly back to his feet.
Rodrigo Nogueira has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reynold Blanco.
Nogueira throws out a loose jab but Blanco uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nogueira takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Blanco avoids a kick to the body.
Blanco sizes up Nogueira with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Nogueira misses with a head kick.
Nogueira throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Blanco shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Nogueira napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Blanco is staying tight to Nogueira's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Blanco prevents Nogueira from escaping the position.
Nogueira might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco cracks Nogueira with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Blanco wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Nogueira, who protects the arm well.
Blanco staying calm.
Blanco works to advance to full mount. Nogueira defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Rodrigo Nogueira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanco scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Nogueira?
Reynold Blanco is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Blanco controlling the position easily from mount.
Blanco punishing his opponent with strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blanco controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reynold Blanco comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Blanco 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reynold Blanco!