PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Blanco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Butch Copeland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Copeland has chosen A Country Boy Can Survive as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Blanco
vs
Copeland

178 cm
23
170 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

166 cm
29
175 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roberto Blanco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Butch Copeland!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Copeland takes one to the chin there.
Blanco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Blanco bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Copeland's head.
No luck for Blanco with that takedown attempt.
Copeland takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Copeland darts in looking for a takedown but Blanco gets double underhooks and turns Copeland into the cage.
Nice defenses there by Blanco.
Blanco throws a jab when Copeland was well out of range.
Blanco dives in and grabs Copeland's left leg, looking for a takedown. Copeland pushes down on Blanco's head and hops out.
Copeland ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Blanco looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Copeland takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Copeland avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Blanco stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Copeland's coach down at The Fortress of Solitude was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Copeland's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blanco's corner calls for a 1-2. Blanco obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Blanco shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Copeland defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roberto Blanco. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blanco rushes Copeland and presses him up against the cage.
Copeland fails to pull guard.

Copeland pulls guard.
Blanco won't allow Copeland to sweep him here.

Blanco got a little sloppy there for a moment and Copeland has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Blanco has managed to get both his arms back between Copeland's legs - danger averted.
Copeland trying to control the position.
Blanco looking to pass the guard.
Blanco trying to control but Copeland is working from the bottom.
Blanco slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blanco pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Copeland is keeping the position for now.
Copeland keeping moving, preventing Blanco from controlling successfully.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Copeland has an active guard here but Blanco has managed to pass into half guard.
Copeland is trying to control but Blanco passes into side control!
Copeland on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Copeland is looking to reverse the position.
Blanco working away.
The referee asks Blanco politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Blanco prefers to stall for the moment though.
Blanco'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.
Blanco is looking to take a break and control but Copeland is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Copeland's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Blanco trying to control the action but Copeland is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Blanco is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Blanco smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Blanco keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Blanco fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Copeland blocks a jab.
Copeland throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Copeland throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Copeland doesn't manage to clinch there - Blanco circles away.
Blanco works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Blanco is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Blanco fails to land with a series of punches.
Blanco moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Copeland misses the jab.
Roberto Blanco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Copeland wants to land a leg kick but Blanco is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Blanco dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Blanco scores with a decent looking hook.
Copeland on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A punch combination from Blanco misses.
Blanco takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Blanco is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Copeland can do to turn this around?
Blanco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Butch Copeland is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blanco misses with a hook.
Blanco throws a jab but it's blocked by Copeland.
Copeland tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Blanco defends well and Copeland ends up having to push Blanco into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Blanco uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Copeland.
Blanco feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Copelands jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Copeland on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Blanco moves out of range of the body kick.
Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch but Blanco swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Blanco fails with a takedown attempt.
Blanco sets himself, and Copeland steps forward looking for the clinch! Blanco avoids it this time.
Blanco connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Copeland tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Blanco manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Copeland on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Blanco keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Copeland.
Copeland throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Copeland moves away from the strike by Blanco.
Copeland feints the counter takedown.
Blanco misses with a straight right.
Blanco connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Blanco loads up on a big right hand but Copeland slips the punch.
Copeland showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Blanco.
Blanco throws a looping overhand right but Copeland ducks down to avoid it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Copeland.
Copeland takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Copeland takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Blanco throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Copeland sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Blanco missing with a left hand there. Copeland was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Copeland pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
An attempted straight right counter from Blanco misses the target.
Copeland slaps away a takedown attempt from Blanco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Roberto Blanco is winning the standup battle so far.

Copeland drives through with a takedown into Blanco's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Copeland drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Blanco dives on top into guard.

Blanco trying to control the position from guard on top but Copeland is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Copeland is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Copeland has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blanco can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Blanco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Blanco wants to control from the top but Copeland keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Copeland 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.

Copeland looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Copeland looking for a guillotine here but Blanco defends easily.
Blanco slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roberto Blanco dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Copeland is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Copeland on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Blanco lands with a straight right. Copeland didn't see that one coming.
Copeland keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Blanco.
Blanco misses with a hook. Copeland ducked under it nicely.
Blanco sets himself, and Copeland steps forward looking for the clinch! Blanco avoids it this time.
Copeland tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blanco paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Blanco throws a shot from downtown. Copeland moves away and avoids it.
Copeland steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Blanco.
Blanco misses with a hook. Copeland ducked under it nicely.
Blanco scores with a jab to the head.
Blanco throws a hook to the side of Copeland's head but Copeland sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Blanco takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Copeland throws a jab when Blanco was well out of range.
Blanco throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Blanco misses with a looping left.
Copeland tries to counter by closing the distance.
Blanco tries for a takedown but Copeland circles away easily

and Copeland counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanco swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Copeland blocking some punches.
Copeland blocks an uppercut.
Blanco working aggressively here.
Blanco swings wildly with an uppercut but Copeland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Blanco prevents the takedown attempt.
Blanco tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A bit of stalling here from Copeland.
Blanco throws a head punch that misses.
Copeland fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Copeland.
Copeland is trying to pull guard but Blanco has him pressed against the cage.
Roberto Blanco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Butch Copeland.
Blanco swings wildly with an uppercut but Copeland uses good head movement to avoid it.
Copeland has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Copeland is working for takedown but Blanco is calmly controlling the position for now.
Blanco blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blanco throws a punch but it's blocked by Copeland.
Copeland's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short right from Blanco.
Blanco throws a head punch that misses.
Copeland is trying to pull guard but Blanco has him pressed against the cage.
Copeland can't find room to land a body shot as Blanco controls the action.
Copeland wants a takedown but no success here.
Copeland blocking some punches.
Blanco lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Blanco misses with the head strike.
Copeland blocks a punch to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Blanco.
Copeland blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Copeland has Blanco pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Copeland pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Blanco tumbling to the mat - Copeland dives into Blanco's guard.
Copeland controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Copeland wants to control from the top but Blanco keeps moving.
Blanco managing to control the position.
Copeland trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Copeland sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Copeland tries to free his leg and advance position but Blanco is retaining full guard.

Copeland is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Blanco is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Blanco has escaped and now he's on top!

Copeland escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Blanco gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Butch Copeland has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Blanco is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roberto Blanco showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Blanco, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roberto Blanco!
Roberto Blanco seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Butch Copeland spoke after the fight, saying 'I've taken plenty of whoopins in my time. I'll be back for another one.'.