PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bert Starius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Charles Blackburn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Starius
vs
Blackburn

180 cm
25
230 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

182 cm
24
268 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bert Starius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Charles Blackburn!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Chris Edwards and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Starius avoids a punch combination nicely.
Starius appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.

Blackburn shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Starius is controlling Blackburn's trapped leg to prevent Blackburn from advancing to side control.
Starius trying to control here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackburn missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Starius regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Blackburn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn preventing the sweep.
Blackburn trying to control but Starius is working from the bottom.
Starius working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Blackburn.
Blackburn wants to control from the top but Starius keeps moving.
Blackburn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Starius is trying to control the position but Blackburn postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.

Blackburn rushes Starius and presses him up against the cage.

Blackburn works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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

Starius trying to stand up but can't free himself from Blackburn's guard.

Blackburn throws his legs up looking for a submission but Starius uses it to pass to side control.
Blackburn is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn is trying to control Starius's posture but Starius avoids it.
Blackburn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Starius wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Blackburn keeps trying to improve his position.
Starius is looking to take a break and control but Blackburn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Blackburn tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Blackburn can't do much from the bottom here.
Starius trying to control the action but Blackburn is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Blackburn's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Starius loads up on a big right hand but Blackburn slips the punch.
Blackburn let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Starius gets cracked there but stands up to it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Blackburn dominated that 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.

Blackburn closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Starius to the mat! Starius manages to get full guard.
Blackburn throws an elbow that misses. Starius uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Blackburn's guard. Nice move by Starius!

Blackburn 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.

Starius avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Blackburn throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Blackburn had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Starius defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starius is looking to stand up but Blackburn won't let him.
Blackburn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Starius trying to control the position from guard on top but Blackburn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Blackburn looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Starius passes into side control.
Blackburn tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Starius presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

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.
Starius is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Blackburn is looking to improve his position but Starius isn't that keen on the idea.
Blackburn is still trying to improve position.
Blackburn tries to improve his position but instead Starius has taken his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn tries to escape but Starius has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
I would not like to be Blackburn right now.
Blackburn rolls, trying to escape but Starius keeps control of the position.
Starius just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Blackburn prevents Starius from getting a body triangle.
Blackburn wants to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Blackburn bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Starius utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blackburn is looking to work some ground and pound but Starius has wrist control.
Blackburn connects with a couple of short punches.
Blackburn trying to control the position from guard on top but Starius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Charles Blackburn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Blackburn swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
It looked like Starius wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Blackburn misses with a wild combination.
Starius swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Blackburn on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Starius fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've been told by Starius's head coaches at Sanitarium that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Charles Blackburn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Starius swings for the body but Blackburn moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Blackburn on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Blackburn keeps the fight on the outside.
Blackburn swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Blackburn drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Blackburn tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Sloppy strikes there by Blackburn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn works to advance to full mount. Starius defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Starius tries to hold on but Blackburn pushes him away.
Blackburn can't control as he wanted to and Starius manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Blackburn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Blackburn is working for a kimura but Starius is defending it quite comfortably.

Blackburn wants to work for an arm triangle but Starius is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starius is looking to get back to full guard here but Blackburn has managed to pass to side control instead.

Blackburn working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Blackburn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Blackburn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Starius keeps working.
Charles Blackburn is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Blackburn works to advance to full mount. Starius defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starius is squirming around, avoiding Blackburn's attempts to control the action.
Blackburn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Starius can't escape the position.
Blackburn scoring with strikes but Starius is staying in there.
Blackburn trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Blackburn sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bert Starius has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blackburn trying to control but Starius is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Charles Blackburn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Blackburn has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Blackburn!
During a confident post fight interview, Charles Blackburn thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.