PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jim Fortaleza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elwood Blues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Fortaleza
vs
Blues

179 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jim Fortaleza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Elwood Blues!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blues's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Fortaleza connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Blues scrambles back to his feet.
Fortaleza stuffs the takedown.
Nice takedown defense from Fortaleza. No joy for Blues on that attempt.

Blues clinches up against the cage.
Blues drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fortaleza gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Jim Fortaleza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elwood Blues.
Fortaleza is looking to break free of the clinch but Blues has double underhooks.

Blues has hold of one of Fortaleza's legs. Fortaleza is fighting the takedown attempt but Blues gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Fortaleza looking for a sweep. Not yet Fortaleza, not yet.
Blues slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Blues thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fortaleza knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Blues on the ground.

Blues drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Blues jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Fortaleza on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Fortaleza tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blues throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fortaleza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fortaleza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Blues throws an elbow that misses. Fortaleza uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Blues's guard. Nice move by Fortaleza!
Blues is pulling down on Fortaleza's head to control his posture.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Blues is on top in guard.
Blues postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fortaleza looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Blues puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Blues slips a nice elbow through Fortaleza's hands, connecting with Fortaleza's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blues decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Blues is looking to clinch but Fortaleza is avoiding it.

Blues throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Fortaleza was covering up waiting for the punch and Blues finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blues trying to control but Fortaleza is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blues is pushing down on Fortaleza's leg trying to pass to half guard. Fortaleza is fighting to maintain full guard but Blues has managed to sneak the leg through.
Blues winds up and cracks Fortaleza with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Blues thows a huge punch but Fortaleza dodges it nicely.
Blues controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fortaleza on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Fortaleza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Blues.
Blues has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Blues is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Blues drops an elbow to the side of Fortaleza's head.
Blues not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Blues is trying to control the action in half guard but Fortaleza is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Well, if Blues is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Fortaleza is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blues seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Blues sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fortaleza defending well though.
Fortaleza is looking to control Blues's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fortaleza avoid being mounted?

Blues is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Fortaleza is just riding it out for now. Blues eventually gives up the hold.

Blues is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blues wants to take a breather but Fortaleza is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Fortaleza slaps away a takedown attempt from Blues, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Blues changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Fortaleza tries to avoid it but Blues manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Fortaleza to the ground. Fortaleza escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Blues shoots in for a takedown but Fortaleza shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Jim Fortaleza has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Elwood Blues.

Blues gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Blues.
Fortaleza gets underhooks to prevent Blues's takedown attempt.
Fortaleza misses with a knee strike.
A frustrated look appears on Fortaleza's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Maybe Fortaleza would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Fortaleza is pressed up against the cage. Blues has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Fortaleza down to the mat. Fortaleza avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Fortaleza gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Blues to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blues works over Fortaleza with some ground and pound from guard.
Fortaleza avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Blues working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Blues slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fortaleza looking to control.
Blues preventing the sweep.
Blues trying to control but Fortaleza is working from the bottom.
Blues is looking to work some ground and pound but Fortaleza has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blues landing some decent shots from guard.
Elwood Blues has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fortaleza utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blues throws a big right hand that misses.
Blues is looking to work some ground and pound but Fortaleza has wrist control.
Blues pushes down on Fortaleza's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ground and pound from Blues.
Fortaleza tries to get to full guard but Blues has control of the leg.
Fortaleza trying to get back to full guard but Blues takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Blues controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blues looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
BOOM! Blues connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Blues looking to control and managing it successfully.
A nice elbow there by Blues.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blues looking to finish Fortaleza with some ground and pound. This is bad for Fortaleza!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blues lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Blues lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Fortaleza hang on?

Fortaleza is rocked!
Blues raining down shots from the mount!
Oh Fortaleza is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Blues pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Blues with a couple of short strikes.
Blues lands a big elbow.
Blues with the ground and pound from mount.
Blues breaks from Fortaleza's wrist control and lands an elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Blues working Fortaleza over with strikes here.
Blues looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Fortaleza covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Elwood Blues!
During a confident post fight interview, Elwood Blues thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.