PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jake Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Paulister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Black
vs
Paulister

174 cm
20
168 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
165 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

BLKOUT Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jake Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luke Paulister!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black just misses with a punch to the body.
Black fails to land with a series of punches.
Black closes the distance but Paulister moves to the side
and Paulister counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Paulister fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Black, pushing him back against the cage.
Paulister prevents Black from breaking the clinch.
Paulister unloads a knee to the mid-section. Black lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Black is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Paulister pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Paulister keeps control of Black as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Paulister changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Black fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Black goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Black with a poor takedown
and Paulister makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Black really felt that one!

Paulister clinches up against the cage.
Black gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Paulister.

Paulister has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Black regains guard immediately.
Paulister trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Paulister landing with the ground and pound.
Paulister pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Black is keeping the position for now.
Paulister trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulister throws and elbow that misses. Black uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Paulister's guard. Nice move by Black!
Paulister pulls Black in to control the position.
Black trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Paulister trying to keep a closed guard but Black is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Paulister has Black pulled in close to control his posture.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Luke Paulister hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Paulister thumps Black with a low kick.
Black gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Paulister counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jake Black. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Paulister clinches.
Black is trying to break the clinch but Paulister has him pressed against the cage.
Paulister gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Black.
Paulister tries to land knees in the clinch but Black avoids the damage to the body.
Paulister landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Black is breathing heavily.

Paulister's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Paulister clinches.
Black misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Paulister.
Paulister misses with a knee to the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Paulister.

Paulister escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A low kick from Black is predictable there
and Paulister counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paulister lands a two punch combo.
Paulister catches Black with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Black lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Paulister works over Black's head and body with a nice combination.
Black throws a head kick that misses.
Paulister displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Paulister lands a jab-cross combination.

Paulister gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Black's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Paulister wants the takedown. Black is fighting it off but Paulister persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Black's guard against the cage.
Paulister throwing strikes from guard but Black blocks nicely.
Paulister missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Paulister throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paulister throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Black works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Black wants to sweep here but Paulister controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulister working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Paulister working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Black utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Paulister has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Paulister looking to pass the guard.
Paulister makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Black preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Paulister tries to free his leg and advance position but Black is retaining full guard.
Paulister throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Paulister postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Paulister thows a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Paulister pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Black is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Black throws a sloppy head kick and Paulister moves out of range easily.
Black doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Paulister counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Paulister scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Paulister wants to control but Black is keeping him busy.
Paulister in side control lands a decent elbow.
Black is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Paulister off and has taken his back!
Paulister is really stuck here.
Paulister manages to reverse the position and now he's in Black's guard. Nice work there by Paulister.
Paulister advances position into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulister in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Paulister tries for a kimura but Black is defending well.
Paulister advances to mount.
Paulister with a couple of short strikes.

Paulister goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Black is on top in guard.
Black trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paulister working a defensive guard here.
Paulister controlling Black's posture.
Black trying to control the position from guard on top but Paulister is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Paulister lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Black!

Paulister goes for an armbar but Black turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Black.
Black trying to control but Paulister is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black postures up.
Black works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Black is thwarting Paulister's attempts to control the position.
Black wants to stand up but Paulister is controlling the position.
Paulister trying to control but Black postures up.
Paulister is pressing down on Black's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four 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.
Paulister looking for a sweep. Not yet Paulister, not yet.
Paulister is trying to control the position but Black postures up.
Black looking to pass the guard.
Paulister has his hands on Black's head, controlling the position.
Paulister working a defensive guard here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Luke Paulister hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Black looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Paulister slips under a jab.

Black shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Paulister actively working from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Paulister showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Paulister shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Black napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Paulister has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Paulister displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Black.

Black gets tackled into the cage by Paulister. Paulister maintains the clinch.

Black breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Black misses with a takedown
and Paulister counters with a head kick.

Paulister fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Black, pushing him back against the cage.
Paulister connects with a knee to the head.

Paulister pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Paulister closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Paulister stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Paulister stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Paulister lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Paulister pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paulister takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Paulister feints a jab promting Black to slip. Paulister then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Black slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Black throws a sloppy head kick

and Paulister counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Paulister is pressing down on Black's thigh, looking to free his foot. Black is holding on for now.

Paulister is working for a submission of some sort.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Paulister lands a nice short elbow.
Paulister working Black over with strikes.
Paulister thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Black's head.
Black blocking the ground and pound attempt from Paulister.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Paulister connects with a nice short shot to Black's temple.
Paulister scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Paulister is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Paulister is nestled in close to Black, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Paulister thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Black's head.
Black trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Paulister manages to pass to mount!
Black in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Black tries to lock up and control but Paulister gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Paulister lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black is bucking up trying to escape but Paulister cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Paulister postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Black looks a forlorn figure.
Paulister working Black over with strikes here.
Jake Black has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
BOOM! Paulister connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Black tries to hold on but Paulister pushes him away.
Paulister landing strikes from the mount and Black is in trouble!
Paulister with the ground and pound from mount.
Paulister in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Paulister cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Paulister with the ground and pound from mount.
Luke Paulister has got the better of the ground game so far.
Paulister postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Black looks a forlorn figure.
Paulister landing strikes from the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paulister cracks Black with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Paulister lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Paulister scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Paulister has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Paulister pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Paulister lands a big shot there that rocks Black but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Paulister breaks from Black's wrist control and lands an elbow.
A nice elbow there by Paulister.
Paulister lands with some strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Black flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Paulister punishing his opponent with strikes.
Paulister connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Paulister comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Paulister 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 26:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 26:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Paulister!