PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnson Juarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Blair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Juarez might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to SYSTEM OF A DOWN - Prison Song. Blair has chosen Bullet by Creed as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Juarez
vs
Blair

194 cm
28
280 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

199 cm
24
273 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Steel Penn's Skin Shop *laundry 93%

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Johnson Juarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hank Blair!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blair throws an overhand right that lands on Juarez's shoulder, as Juarez tries to avoid the shot.

Juarez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Blair looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Blair wants to get back to his feet.

Juarez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Juarez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Blair is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Blair regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blair wants to control but Juarez is keeping busy.
Blair really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Juarez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Juarez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Blair knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Juarez is trying to work for a kimura but Blair is defending well.

Juarez is working for a kimura but Blair is defending it quite comfortably.
Blair is looking to control Juarez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Blair avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blair is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Juarez is staying active.
Blair holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Juarez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Blair has managed to free his arm - good work.
Juarez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Blair's head.

Juarez is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Blair gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Juarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Blair is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blair is looking to sweep but instead, Juarez has passed into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Blair manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Blair controls Juarez momentarily but Juarez frees himself.
Juarez is looking to work some ground and pound but Blair has wrist control.
Juarez looking to sit in guard and control but Blair gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Blair trying to control but Juarez is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Juarez is looking for a triangle here but Blair uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Blair tries to move into full mount but can't pass Juarez's legs.
Juarez regains half guard there - taking advantage of Blair's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.

Juarez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blair wants to pass the guard but Juarez is defending well.
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 Johnson Juarez will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Juarez wants to clinch.
Blair misses with a few strikes there.
Juarez on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Blair. Blair obviously looking to wear him down.
Juarez misses the shot to the body.
Blair fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Juarez on the side of the head.

It looks like Johnson Juarez has been cut.
Blair fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Juarez is looking to clinch.
Blair misses with an uppercut. Juarez saw that one coming.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blair lands a nice looking body shot.
Blair tries to land a front kick but Juarez steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blair fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Blair ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Juarez moves away.
Hank Blair seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blair throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Juarez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Blair cracks the inside of Juarez's front leg.
Blair scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Blair throws out a powerful jab.
Blair throws a half hearted mid kick.
Blair uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Juarez.
Juarez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Blair as he jumps to the side.
A left lands for Blair.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Juarez throws a body punch but Blair moves out of range.
Blair throws a series of punches but Juarez moves out of range.
Blair stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnson Juarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blair comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sloppy strikes from Blair. Those never looked like landing.
Blair misses with a wild combination.
Blair fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hank Blair is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blair throws a right and a left that Juarez avoids nicely.
Blair lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blair throws a series of punches but Juarez avoids them all with ease.
Blair staying out of range there.
Blair misses with a wild combination.
Blair throws a right and a left that Juarez avoids nicely.
Juarez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Blair tries to avoid it but Juarez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Blair to the ground. Blair escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Blair keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A punch combination from Blair misses.
Juarez walks into a straight right hand from Blair.
Juarez tries to clinch there but Blair circles away.
Juarez dodges the punch combination from Blair.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juarez misses with a wild body shot.
Juarez slips a jab and a cross from Blair.
Nice uppercut there from Blair.
Juarez tries to move into range but Blair moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Juarez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blair paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Blair swinging wildly here.
Hank Blair is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blair looks to land a combination but Juarez avoids it well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Blair missing with a left hand there. Juarez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Blair rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Juarez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Blair showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Johnson Juarez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Juarez slips a jab and a cross from Blair.
Blair changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Juarez misses with a body shot.
Juarez takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Juarez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Blair counters with a body kick that stops Juarez in his tracks momentarily.
No joy there for Blair, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Blair jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Juarez walks into a straight right hand from Blair.
Juarez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Blair.
Blair throws a right and a left that both miss.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Blair.
Juarez slips a jab and a cross from Blair.
Blair falls off balance throwing a combination

and Juarez moves into the clinch.
Blair lands an uppercut.
Blair lands a hook to the side of the head.

Blair breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blair lands a jab.
Blair misses with the combination.
Hank Blair seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Blair misses with a looping right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blair misses with the combination.
Juarez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Blair's waist but Blair gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Juarez off to one side.
Juarez needs to keep his hands up - Blair had a free shot at his head there.
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!
Juarez stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Blair.
Blair throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Juarez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Blair.
Some wild striking there from Blair.
Blair swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Blair does it's job there.

Juarez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Juarez seems to be looking for submissions.
Blair holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Blair is trying to maintain the position but Juarez is very close to passing his half guard.
Juarez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Blair's head.

Juarez is looking for a kimura here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Juarez not landing any meaningful shots this time.

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

Juarez wants to work for an arm triangle but Blair is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Blair slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hank Blair comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Blair has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hank Blair!
After the fight, Hank Blair was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.