PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bernard Blake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rakishi Tua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blake comes to the cage accompanied by Millencolin - Mr Clean. Tua has chosen Not Afraid-Eminem as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Blake
vs
Tua

190 cm
24
270 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

201 cm
28
280 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

"PWNAGE - over 100 designs under $20"
"PWNAGE - over 100 designs under $20"

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 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bernard Blake!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rakishi Tua!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tua stalks Blake and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Blake's face. Blake staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Bernard Blake has been cut.
Tua tries to score with a low kick but Blake moves his leg out of the way.
Bernard Blake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tua throws a body punch but Blake moves out of range.
Blake throws a body punch but Tua moves out of range.
Blake swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tua darts in trying to clinch
and Blake counters with a straight right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blake scores with a nice strike.
Blake ducks under a wild hook from Tua.
Tua throws a shot from downtown. Blake moves away and avoids it.
A punch lands to the side of Tua 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tua looks to score with a jab to the body but Blake is just out of range.
Blake thows a body shot but no joy.
An inside leg kick lands from Blake.
A big right from Blake misses.
Blake with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tua looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tua circles away quickly and effectively.
Blake fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Blake throws a hook but Tua blocks it.
A telegraphed right hand from Blake misses the target.
Blake stuns Tua with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rakishi Tua is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blake throws a quick inside leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tua walks into a stiff left hand from Blake.
Blake lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tua moves away from the strike by Blake.
A jab from Blake misses.
Blake fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tua looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Tua on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Blake dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Blake dives in and scores a takedown into Tua's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blake loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Blake forces his way into half guard.
Blake not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Blake is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Tua has managed to free his arm - good work.
Blake not doing much here.
Blake scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Blake working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Tua's thigh. Tua counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Blake has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Blake working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blake looking to pass the guard.
Blake is working hard here to advance position.
Blake with a flurry of punches that miss.
Blake throws a big right hand that misses.
Tua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Blake.
Blake sitting in guard here, content to control.
Tua keeping moving, preventing Blake from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blake accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tua utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blake distracts Tua with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Blake might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Blake looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Tua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Blake working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blake working some strikes from top position.
Blake is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Blake trying to control the position from guard on top but Tua is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bernard Blake dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bernard Blake's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Blake looks to land a right hand but Tua moved out of range.
Tua is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Tua takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Blake takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Blake pivots, looking for a leg kick but Tua is out of range and Blake settles back down.
Bernard Blake is winning the standup battle so far.
Tua tests Blake's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Blake shoots in for a takedown but Tua shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Tua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Blake will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Blake with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Blake connects with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Blake is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tua can do to turn this around?

Blake gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake looks up at the clock and then as Tua takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Blake smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Blake tries to score with some ground and pound. Tua controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Blake working away.
Tua is breathing heavily.
Blake is working Tua over with some ground and pound from side control.
Blake misses with the ground and pound.
Blake tries to score with some ground and pound. Tua controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Tua being controlled for a moment.
Blake trying to control the action but Tua is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Tua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Blake is working Tua over with some ground and pound from side control.
Blake scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Tua to see if he's OK.
Tua is not content to let Blake control the position.
Tua wants to control but Blake postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The ground and pound from Blake seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Tua taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blake goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Tua rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Blake's guard! Nice work there by Tua!
Blake looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tua is one step ahead there.

Tua avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tua looking to pass the guard.

Blake looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Blake throws his legs up looking for a submission but Tua uses it to pass to side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake is trying to get back to half guard.

Tua decides to stand back up. Tua steps back and let's Blake get back to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A left and a right from Tua both land. Nice combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tua getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Blake with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tua cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bernard Blake dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bernard Blake's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Blake blocks a leg kick.
Blake shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tua pinned against the cage. Tua gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Blake swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Tua counters with a straight right hand.
Blake feints a jab promting Tua to slip. Blake then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Tua slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Blake loads up on a big right hand but Tua slips the punch.
Tua moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tua tries to clinch up.
Tua fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Blake looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tua digs a good hook to Blake's body.
A leg kick checked by Blake.
Tua defending well as Blake loads up on a big left hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tua rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Blake moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake shoots in for a double leg but Tua sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tua is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Tua tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Blake tries a low kick but Tua avoids it.
Tua is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Tua wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Blake moves into range and connects with a jab.
Blake misses with a low kick.
Blake tries to bum rush Tua with a series of wild strikes but Tua uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tua throws a good cross that connects.

Blake has Tua up against the cage in a clinch.
Tua has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Tua can't find room to land a body shot as Blake controls the action.
Blake blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Blake blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Tua lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A shot in the inside from Tua.
Nice body punch from Tua - that landed with a thud.
Tua lands a shoulder strike.
Tua lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Blake or not.
Tua lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Tua on the inside.
Tua working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Tua works on Blake's body with a couple of short punches.
Nice body punch from Tua - that landed with a thud.
Tua gets through Blake's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tua tries to work over Blake's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blake tries to pull guard but Tua won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bernard Blake. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tua lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Blake blocks a body shot from Tua.
A short right from Tua.
Tua gets underhooks to prevent Blake's takedown attempt.
Tua misses with the head strike.
Tua scores with a shoulder strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tua.
Blake is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Tua throws a head punch that misses.
Tua misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tua.

Blake manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Tua would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Blake has an active guard here but Tua has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tua stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blake swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tua is looking to stand up but Blake won't let him.
Rakishi Tua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Blake working for a triangle but Tua defends it easily.
Blake looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rakishi Tua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Blake has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bernard Blake!