PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tom Bielawski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joshua Blackshaw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bielawski comes to the cage accompanied by The Last of the Mohican. Blackshaw has chosen Frank Sinatra - Ain't that a Kick in the Head as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Bielawski
vs
Blackshaw

170 cm
18
137 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
135 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tom Bielawski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Joshua Blackshaw!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Daniel Bishop and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blackshaw gets a takedown into half guard.

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

Blackshaw is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Bielawski has managed to free his arm - good work.
Bielawski is looking to control Blackshaw's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Bielawski avoid being mounted?
Blackshaw trying to mount his opponent but Bielawski defends it.
Blackshaw works his way into full mount!

Blackshaw is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Bielawski to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Bielawski shrugs it off.
Blackshaw really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bielawski. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Blackshaw lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bielawski tries to lock up and control but Blackshaw gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Bielawski holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Blackshaw tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Bielawski slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Bielawski wants to control but Blackshaw is keeping busy.
Bielawski works his way to full guard. Good work.

Blackshaw stands and steps away. Bielawski gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Blackshaw throws a combination that misses
and Bielawski counters with a stiff right hand.
Tom Bielawski is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blackshaw chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bielawski can pounce on him.
Bielawski thuds a left hand into Blackshaw's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A low kick from Blackshaw misses
and Bielawski connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Blackshaw moves into the clinch.
Blackshaw lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackshaw looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bielawski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Bielawski lands a good knee to the midsection. Blackshaw won't want to take too many of those.
Blackshaw looks gassed!
Bielawski blocking some punches.

Blackshaw pulls guard effortlessly.
Blackshaw looking for a sweep. Not yet Blackshaw, not yet.

Bielawski drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bielawski jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Blackshaw wants to get back to his feet but Bielawski is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bielawski works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Bielawski trying to control from half guard but Blackshaw is working away.

Bielawski is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Bielawski is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Blackshaw sees it coming and defends easily.
Blackshaw moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bielawski wants to control from the top but Blackshaw keeps moving.

Blackshaw is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Bielawski wants to control from the top but Blackshaw keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bielawski avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Bielawski forces his way into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackshaw gets full guard.
Bielawski wants to pass the guard but Blackshaw is keeping the position.
Bielawski trying to control the position from guard on top but Blackshaw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Bielawski 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blackshaw keeping full guard, as Bielawski tries to pass.
Blackshaw bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bielawski's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Bielawski will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bielawski thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Blackshaw if he has to take too many more of those.

Blackshaw has closed the distance and engaged Bielawski in a clinch.
Blackshaw working hard to break the clinch.
Nice body punch from Blackshaw - that landed with a thud.
Bielawski with an attempt at a knee that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Blackshaw.
A head punch on the inside from Blackshaw fails to land.
Bielawski misses with a knee to the head.
Blackshaw lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bielawski backwards.
Blackshaw lands an elbow inside.

Blackshaw pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bielawski avoids a punch combination nicely.

Blackshaw darts in and clinches Bielawski up against the cage.
Bielawski misses with an elbow strike.
Bielawski lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Knees in the clinch landing for Bielawski.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Blackshaw lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Blackshaw gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Blackshaw is breathing heavily.
Blackshaw trying to mount his opponent but Bielawski defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bielawski is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Blackshaw scores with a couple of nice shots.
Blackshaw is thwarting Bielawski's attempts to control the position.
Bielawski makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Bielawski.
Bielawski is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Bielawski is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Blackshaw sees it coming and defends easily.
Blackshaw gets full guard.
Bielawski preventing the sweep.
Bielawski trying to control but Blackshaw is working from the bottom.

Bielawski 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackshaw keeping moving, preventing Bielawski from controlling successfully.

Blackshaw is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bielawski defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bielawski drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bielawski jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Blackshaw trying to control the position.
Blackshaw bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Bielawski's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bielawski managing to control the position.
Bielawski manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Blackshaw manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackshaw tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Blackshaw is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Bielawski stands and throws Blackshaw's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Bielawski thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Bielawski looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Blackshaw is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Bielawski off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackshaw is trying to stick to Bielawski's back but Bielawski is turning into Blackshaw. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Blackshaw's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Bielawski.
Blackshaw is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tom Bielawski overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bielawski is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Blackshaw keeping moving, preventing Bielawski from controlling successfully.

Bielawski drops back looking for a leg! Blackshaw is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Blackshaw manages to kick Bielawski off! Bielawski jumps back into Blackshaw's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bielawski advances to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bielawski wants to take a breather but Blackshaw is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tom Bielawski will probably get the nod.
That's time! Bielawski's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bielawski scores with a head kick. Blackshaw tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Bielawski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Blackshaw throws a head kick that misses
letting Bielawski counter with a right hand.
Blackshaw lands a jab-cross combination.
Blackshaw avoids the head kick by Bielawski.

Blackshaw feints and as Bielawski raises his hands in defense, Blackshaw changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Blackshaw wants to get up but he can't break Bielawski's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bielawski looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Blackshaw thows a big elbow that misses.
Bielawski utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Bielawski pushes a forearm under Blackshaw's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Blackshaw is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tom Bielawski!