PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Brian Blessed (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blessed comes to the cage accompanied by Alive - P.O.D. Edgar has chosen Salute to the Jugger as his entrance music. The key to victory for Brian Blessed has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Blessed
vs
Edgar

175 cm
27
153 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

168 cm
24
157 lbs
7 - 4 - 1

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Brian Blessed!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Frankie Edgar!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Nard Betker and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edgar connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A big right from Edgar misses.
A punch lands to the side of Edgar 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Blessed throws out a loose jab but Edgar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Blessed bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A big right from Blessed misses.
Edgar misses with a wild body shot.
Blessed rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Edgar moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Blessed displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Edgar.
A telegraphed right hand from Edgar misses the target.
A slow jab from Edgar misses its intended target.

Edgar closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Blessed quickly recovers to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Blessed regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Edgar.
Edgar pushing down on Blessed's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
It looks like Edgar might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Edgar is keen to just control but Blessed is a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Edgar stalling away here and it's allowed Blessed to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Edgar is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Edgar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blessed tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Edgar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Edgar throwing strikes but missing.
Edgar trying to control the position from guard on top but Blessed is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blessed on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Blessed tries to get out of the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Frankie Edgar wasn't active enough on the ground.
Blessed's jab looks to have found its range, popping Edgar under the eye.
Blessed throws a poor cross that misses
and Edgar counters with a straight right hand.
Edgar shoots for a double leg takedown but Blessed sprawls well. He's pushed Edgar's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blessed stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar moves out of range of the strikes.
Brian Blessed is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Edgar shoots for a double leg takedown but Blessed sprawls well. He's pushed Edgar's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Brian Blessed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Edgar.
Blessed scores with a punch to the head.
Edgar ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Blessed moves away.
Edgar just misses with a punch to the body.
Edgar walks into a jab.
Blessed avoids the body shot from Edgar.
Nice defenses there by Edgar.
Edgar swings for the body but Blessed moves out of range.
Edgar misses with a looping right.
Brian Blessed seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blessed tests Edgar's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar ducks under a wild hook from Blessed.

Edgar shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Blessed napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Edgar in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Edgar in side control, throwing shots but Blessed defends.
Edgar has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Edgar throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Blessed is trying to get back to half guard.
Edgar wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blessed keeps working.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Edgar creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Blessed sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Edgar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Edgar bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Blessed missing with a left hand there. Edgar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Edgar misses the shot to the body.
Edgar throws a lazy right hand but Blessed sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Blessed is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Jab, jab by Blessed - just one landing.
Blessed throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Blessed misses the jab.
Blessed throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A nice combination there by Blessed.
Edgar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Blessed throws out the jab.
Blessed lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blessed looks to land a right hand but Edgar moved out of range.
Blessed swinging wildly here.
Blessed connects with a single shot there.
Blessed looks to land a combination but Edgar avoids it well.
Edgar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jab by Blessed.
Edgar slips a jab and a cross from Blessed.
Edgar walks into a jab.
A swing and a miss from Edgar.
A telegraphed right hand from Blessed misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edgar looks to land a left hand but Blessed moved out of range nicely.
Blessed throws a hook but Edgar blocks it.
Edgar fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Blessed cracks Edgar with an open hand slap.
Blessed misses with a straight left.
Edgar takes a jab right on the kisser.
Edgar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A combination from Blessed does no damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Edgar just misses with a punch to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Blessed, as that shot connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar staying out of range there.
Blessed connects with a crisp jab.
A big left from Edgar misses.

Edgar changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Blessed looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Edgar tries to score with some ground and pound. Blessed controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Blessed tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Edgar presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Blessed avoids a series of strikes thrown by Edgar.
Edgar looking to control and managing it successfully.
Frankie Edgar has got the better of the ground game so far.
Edgar trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar raining down shots from the mount!
Edgar punching from mount but Blessed doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Edgar looking to finish with strikes here!
Edgar throwing strikes here but Blessed is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Blessed knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Edgar on the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Edgar avoids the attempt from Blessed to control.
Edgar scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Blessed?
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 Brian Blessed will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Blessed misses with an uppercut.
Edgar looks to throw the jab but Blessed is out of range.
Edgar just misses with a punch to the body.
Edgar is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Blessed displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Blessed pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Edgar thows a body shot but no joy.
Blessed throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A big left from Blessed misses.
Jab from Blessed.
The fighters circling - Blessed throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A big left from Blessed misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar looks to score with a jab to the body but Blessed is just out of range.
Blessed pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Edgar fails with a takedown attempt.
Blessed throws a good cross that connects.
Edgar fails with a takedown attempt.
Edgar dives in and grabs Blessed's left leg, looking for a takedown. Blessed pushes down on Edgar's head and hops out.
Brian Blessed has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frankie Edgar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Edgar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Blessed throws out the jab.
Edgar displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Blessed throws out the jab.
Edgar takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Blessed works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Blessed swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Blessed misses with an uppercut.
Blessed darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Edgar scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Edgar trying to control the position but Blessed is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blessed is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Edgar has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Edgar postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Edgar tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Blessed is not content to let Edgar control the position.
Blessed tries to buck Edgar off but Edgar is having none of it.
Edgar looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Blessed is avoiding damage well.
Blessed is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Edgar working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Edgar working the strikes but Blessed uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Edgar controlling the action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Edgar working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Frankie Edgar.
I think Edgar 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:29
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!