PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Laverne Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grisgoros Astraph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Black
vs
Astraph

174 cm
18
278 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Laverne Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Grisgoros Astraph!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Astraph will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Astraph connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Astraph gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Black really is a fat lump.
Black's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Astraph is looking to stand up but Black isn't so interested in that idea.
Black not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

We're going to have a standup here because Laverne Black wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Black shoots in and gets a takedown into Astraph's guard.
Black slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Black seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Astraph for as long as he can get away with.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Astraph wants to get back to his feet but Black is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black stays in close to Astraph's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Laverne Black.
Sloppy strikes from Astraph. Those never looked like landing.

Black closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Black lands in his opponent's guard.

Black drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Black jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Black is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Astraph throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black chips away with some ground and pound.

Black is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Black controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Black thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Black lands a couple of digs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Black is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Black prevents Astraph from getting back to his feet.
Black sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Astraph is trying to control the position but Black postures up.

Black is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Astraph working a defensive guard here.
Astraph is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Black content to stall in guard here.
Black working some strikes from top position.

Black drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Black seems to have locked his on tight now - Astraph screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Black, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:53 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Laverne Black!