PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rui Patricio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Blake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Patricio
vs
Blake

199 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rui Patricio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Paul Blake!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Santiago Holmes and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Patricio wants to clinch.
Blake closes this distance looking for a takedown but Patricio circles away.
Patricio shoots and misses
and Blake counters with a series of strikes. Patricio will be more careful next time no doubt.
Patricio feints a jab promting Blake to slip. Patricio then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Blake slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Paul Blake has been cut.
Patricio throws a sloppy head kick and Blake moves out of range easily.
Patricio misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Patricio walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Blake checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Blake drives through with a takedown into Patricio's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blake seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Patricio trying to strike off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Patricio manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Patricio closes the distance and clinches up with Blake, looking for a takedown. Patricio pushes Blake against the cage but Blake circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rui Patricio. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Blake has taken the fight to the clinch.

Blake gets control of Patricio's arms and successfully pulls guard. Blake will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Blake trying to keep a closed guard but Patricio is proving a slippery customer.

Blake is looking for a triangle here but Patricio uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Blake can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blake tries to escape but Patricio is in control.
Patricio has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Patricio controls the position.
Patricio misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Patricio fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Blake regains half guard, as Patricio was trying to land strikes.

Patricio seems to be working for a kimura but Blake defends the submission attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Patricio wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blake wants to improve his position but Patricio is controlling well.
Blake has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Patricio is working away from the top position though.
Patricio stops Blake from getting back to his feet.
Blake trying to get back to full guard but Patricio takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Patricio tries to control but Blake wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake tries to lock up and control but Patricio gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Patricio throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Patricio tries to control but Blake wriggling away.
Blake is in all sorts of trouble here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Patricio thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Blake really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Patricio looking to control but Blake is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
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 Rui Patricio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Paul Blake's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Blake throws a jab when Patricio was well out of range.
Patricio stuffs the takedown.
Blake throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Patricio closes the distance and clinches.
Patricio looking for a takedown.
Blake gets underhooks to prevent Patricio's takedown attempt.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Blake breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blake slaps away a takedown attempt from Patricio, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rui Patricio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blake misses with a series of wild punches.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Blake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake trying to control the action but Patricio is working from the bottom.
Blake working the head with strikes.
Paul Blake has got the better of the ground game so far.
Blake working away.

Blake is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Patricio is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Patricio struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blake landing a few strikes.

Blake wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Patricio, who protects the arm well.
A lull in the action here as Blake stalls from top position.
Blake wants to stand but Patricio is controlling his arm.
Blake tries to advance to mount but Patricio denies him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patricio manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Blake is looking for a sweep. Patricio is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Blake avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Patricio.

Patricio is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Blake defends it well.
Patricio is looking to take a break and control but Blake is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Patricio throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Patricio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blake keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Patricio is looking for a kimura here.
Patricio is trying to control. Blake wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blake desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Blake manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Blake fails to land the takedown.

Patricio tries to sprawl but Blake drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Patricio has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Blake is working away from the top position though.
Blake is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Blake tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Patricio.
Blake is keen to just control but Patricio is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Patricio.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Blake stalling.

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

Patricio closes the distance and clinches.
Patricio can't get the takedown.

Blake's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Patricio works Blake's body with a nice hook.
Blake takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Patricio tries to score a power double leg takedown but Blake sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Patricio somewhat.
Blake tries to clinch up but Patricio circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patricio leaves Blake with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Blake stuffs the takedown attempt from Patricio. Patricio gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rui Patricio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Blake tries to clinch up.
Patricio throws a head kick that misses.
Blake blocks a leg kick.
Patricio will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Blake closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Patricio quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Blake content to control rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blake works his foot free and advances to mount.
Blake lands a heavy elbow.
Patricio tries to hold on but Blake postures up.
Blake trying to control but Patricio is having none of it.
Blake lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Patricio is in a horrible position here. Blake smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Patricio is trying desperately to improve position.
Blake can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Patricio is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Patricio bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Blake comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Blake 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Blake!
Rui Patricio was interviewed post fight and said 'Ando em baixo de forma. Para a próxima vou lhe encher a marmita!'.