PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between David Bielkheden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitchell Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mitchell Joseph will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Bielkheden
vs
Joseph

186 cm
21
210 lbs
6 - 8 - 0

178 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

FIT FOR LIFE
Organic Peak Performance

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 6 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, David Bielkheden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mitchell Joseph!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Luis Engracia and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joseph swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Joseph fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Bielkheden, pushing him back against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Joseph escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Bielkheden looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Joseph is refusing to be controlled, as Bielkheden sits in half guard.
Joseph is trying to stand back up but Bielkheden is controlling him
Bielkheden thows a huge punch but Joseph dodges it nicely.
Joseph is looking to control Bielkheden's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Joseph avoid being mounted?
Joseph is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Bielkheden is staying active.
Bielkheden perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Bielkheden is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Joseph defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Bielkheden clinches with his opponent.
Joseph wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Joseph manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Joseph breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mitchell Joseph seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Joseph darts in trying to clinch

and Bielkheden counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Bielkheden.
Bielkheden has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bielkheden wants to control from the top but Joseph keeps moving.
Joseph looking to control.
Bielkheden looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bielkheden trying to control the position from guard on top but Joseph is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joseph is trying to control the position but Bielkheden postures up.
Bielkheden is looking to work some ground and pound but Joseph has wrist control.
Bielkheden throwing strikes but missing.
Bielkheden is breathing heavily.
Joseph keeping full guard, as Bielkheden tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Joseph fails with the takedown

and Bielkheden counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Joseph pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Joseph misses with a takedown attempt

and Bielkheden counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joseph breaks the clinch.

Joseph forces Bielkheden back against the cage and clinches.

Joseph decides to pull guard.
Bielkheden trying to stand up but can't free himself from Joseph's guard.
Bielkheden 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.
Bielkheden wants to control from the top but Joseph keeps moving.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Joseph looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Bielkheden tries to free his leg and advance position but Joseph is retaining full guard.
Bielkheden preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Joseph pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Joseph uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bielkheden has time to react.
Joseph is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Joseph lands the left hand.

Joseph gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Joseph breaks the clinch.

Joseph clinches.

Joseph breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bielkheden avoids the body shot from Joseph.
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 David Bielkheden will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Joseph tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Bielkheden counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bielkheden is looking to take a break and control but Joseph is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bielkheden is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joseph wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Bielkheden.
Bielkheden content just to control the position here.
Joseph is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bielkheden looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Joseph tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bielkheden landing punches.
Bielkheden misses with a head shot.
Bielkheden prevents Joseph from getting the reversal.
Joseph wants to control but Bielkheden is having none of it.
Bielkheden throws a sloppy strike and Joseph uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Joseph has ended up in Bielkheden's guard.
Bielkheden is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bielkheden controls Joseph momentarily but Joseph frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Bielkheden working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Joseph doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Joseph manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Bielkheden thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Joseph scores with a jab to the body.
Joseph with a poor takedown

and Bielkheden decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Joseph's guard.

Joseph has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bielkheden can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bielkheden wants to stand but Joseph is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bielkheden trying to control the position from guard on top but Joseph is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Bielkheden wants to control from the top but Joseph keeps moving.

Joseph pushes Bielkheden off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Joseph is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Joseph closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bielkheden to the mat! Bielkheden manages to get full guard.
David Bielkheden overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bielkheden throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Joseph won't allow Bielkheden to sweep him here.
Joseph lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Bielkheden not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Joseph won't allow Bielkheden to sweep him here.
Joseph won't allow Bielkheden to get back to his feet.

Bielkheden working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Joseph has passed into half guard!
Bielkheden wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Joseph tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bielkheden paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Bielkheden dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Bielkheden avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joseph fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Bielkheden shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Joseph counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Bielkheden tries to kick Joseph off but Joseph keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Joseph blocks the strikes from Bielkheden.
Bielkheden is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bielkheden trying to get back to full guard but Joseph takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Bielkheden is trying to escape the mount.
Joseph trying to control but Bielkheden is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bielkheden is in all sorts of trouble here.
Joseph avoids the attempt from Bielkheden to control.
Bielkheden is looking to get to half guard.
Bielkheden is squirming around, avoiding Joseph's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Joseph really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bielkheden. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Joseph prevents Bielkheden from getting the reversal.
Joseph wants to control the pace but Bielkheden is squirming around nicely.
Bielkheden is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bielkheden throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Joseph looking to control and managing it successfully.

Despite being in the dominant position, Mitchell Joseph just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Joseph gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Bielkheden counters with a single leg into guard. Joseph didn't expect that.
Bielkheden trying to control but Joseph is working from the bottom.
Bielkheden in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Joseph keeping moving, preventing Bielkheden from controlling successfully.
Joseph trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bielkheden looking to pass the guard.
Joseph looking to control.
Bielkheden 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Joseph misses with a wild body shot.
Mitchell Joseph has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joseph tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
David Bielkheden is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Joseph shoots in for a double leg but Bielkheden sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mitchell Joseph.
I think Bielkheden 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Bielkheden!