PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rolf Byrd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Byrd
vs
Black

162 cm
23
140 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

150 cm
23
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rolf Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Scott Black!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Black closes the distance and clinches.
Black looking to throw knees to the head but Byrd is blocking nicely.

Black breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Byrd gets caught napping as Black dives in and scores a takedown. Byrd manages to retain guard.
Byrd managing to control the position.
Byrd manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Byrd goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Black is on top in guard.
Byrd is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Black is controlling him.
Byrd is pulling down on Black's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Black tries to free his leg and advance position but Byrd is retaining full guard.
Byrd has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Byrd wants to improve his position but instead Black has moved into half guard.
Byrd is staying active underneath Black, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Byrd keeping control of the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A solid leg kick lands there for Black.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Byrd gets caught napping as Black dives in and scores a takedown. Byrd manages to retain guard.
Byrd 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.
Byrd striking from his own guard.
Byrd wants to sweep but no luck.
Black content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Byrd will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Byrd keeping full guard, as Black tries to pass.
Byrd has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Byrd manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Black is bucking up trying to escape but Byrd cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The referee warns Black that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Byrd in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Black wants to control but Byrd is having none of it.
Byrd is landing with some decent strikes but Black is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Byrd lands a couple of good shots and Black has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Byrd gets his hands free as Black looks to control.
Black is trying to break free.
Black is holding onto Byrd's left hand, preventing any choke attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Black preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Byrd.
Byrd not allowing Black to control his hands.

Byrd tightening his grip on Black, looking for the choke.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Byrd controlling the position well here. Black rolled but Byrd kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Black trying to control the position but Byrd manages to sink in the hooks.
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 Rolf Byrd will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Black waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Byrd.

Black fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Byrd sprawls well initially but Black persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Byrd controlling the position well.
Black is looking to advance position but Byrd won't allow it.
Black trying to control from half guard but Byrd is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Black seems to be working for a kimura but Byrd defends the submission attempt.
Byrd makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byrd.
Black stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Byrd swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd controlling Black's posture.
Byrd wants to sweep but no luck.
Byrd is pulling down on Black's head. It's preventing any offense from Black, at least for the moment.
Byrd keeping moving, preventing Black from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Black fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Byrd to the ground. Black is now in Byrd's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black wanted to stand there but Byrd had control of the position.
Byrd has Black pulled in close to control his posture.
Byrd wants to sweep here but Black controlling him for the moment.
Byrd is controlling Black's posture.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Byrd's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rolf Byrd wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Black has closed the distance and engaged Byrd in a clinch.
Byrd tries to pull guard but Black forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Black has Byrd pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Black pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Byrd tumbling to the mat - Black dives into Byrd's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd has control of Black's left arm, preventing Black from doing any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Byrd looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rolf Byrd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Rolf Byrd has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Black manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Byrd on his heels. He'll look to pass Byrd's guard now, I'm sure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black pushing down on Byrd's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Black is looking to take a break and control but Byrd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrd pushes Black off looking to stand but Black dives back in and keeps control.
Black wants to control but Byrd is keeping him busy.
Byrd is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Byrd preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Scott Black was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Black gets the takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Black showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Black closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Byrd is trying is best to control the position here.
Byrd has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Black is working away from the top position though.
Byrd holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Black trying to control the action but Byrd is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Black throws a head kick that misses.

Byrd gets tackled into the cage by Black. Black maintains the clinch.

Black pulls guard.

Black throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Byrd postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black has his foot on Byrd's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Byrd works his way back into a safe position though.
Black takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Byrd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Byrd working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Byrd postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Black has momentary wrist control but Byrd slips an elbow through the middle.
Byrd is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Byrd with a flurry of punches that miss.
Black has momentary wrist control but Byrd slips an elbow through the middle.
Byrd working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Byrd working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Black's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Byrd working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Byrd missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Byrd with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Black wants to sweep but no luck.
Byrd with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Byrd with a nice head shot there.
Byrd stands up over Black, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Byrd's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Black looking to hit a scissor sweep but Byrd is one step ahead there.
Byrd working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd postures up and lands a big shot to Black's brow.
Black not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Black working for submissions but it's allowed Byrd to get to half guard.
Byrd takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

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

Byrd is working for a kimura but Black is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Black wants to get back to his feet.
Black taking some punishment here, with Byrd in his half guard.
Black wants to sweep but Byrd has passed to side control!
Byrd in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Byrd scores with a couple of short elbows.
Black takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
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!
Byrd lands some shots froms side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rolf Byrd showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Byrd 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rolf Byrd!