PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Olivier Denis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damian Blair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Denis's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Undead. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Denis
vs
Blair

173 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

186 cm
18
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Olivier Denis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Damian Blair!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Jonathan Paton and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blair tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Denis paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Blair with that takedown attempt.
Denis keeps the fight on the outside.
Denis tries a head kick but it misses.
Denis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Blair pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Denis swats away the attempt to clinch by Blair.

Blair fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Denis, pushing him back against the cage.
Blair lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Olivier Denis has been cut.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Denis has picked Blair up - he's going for a ride! Denis dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Denis slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blair blocking the ground and pound attempt from Denis.
Blair regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Denis.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Denis preventing the sweep.
Blair trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Denis working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Blair wants to control but Denis passes easily into half guard.

Denis seems to be looking for submissions.
Blair wants to control but Denis is keeping busy.
Blair flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denis is pressing down on Blair's thigh, looking to free his foot. Blair is holding on for now.
Blair is looking to escape.

Blair is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Denis pulls his head out easily.
Blair on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Denis wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blair keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Denis bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
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.
Blair is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Denis prevents Blair from standing back up.
Blair looks gassed!
Blair wants to control but Denis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Denis lands a nice short elbow.
Blair wants to control but Denis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Denis is nestled in close to Blair, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Denis trying to pass the guard but Blair defending well.
Blair tries to roll over but Denis keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Olivier Denis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Olivier Denis's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Denis throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Blair is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Denis pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Blair will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Denis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Olivier Denis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Denis throws a head kick but Blair moves out of range.
Denis fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Denis throws a head kick that half lands.
Denis throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blair rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Denis moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Denis looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blair tries to clinch but Denis moves out of range.
Blair doesn't manage to clinch there - Denis circles away.
Blair throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Denis looks for a takedown but Blair sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Olivier Denis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Blair takes the fight into the clinch.
Blair lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Blair wants a takedown.

Blair breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A head kick by Denis misses
and Blair counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Blair misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Blair fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Denis throws a lazy head kick

and Blair moves into the clinch.
Blair landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Blair has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Denis avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Denis fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Blair is pressed up against the cage. Denis has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Blair down to the mat. Blair avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Blair drives through with a takedown into guard.

Denis throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Blair escapes and throws Denis's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Denis striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denis manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Blair is trying to maintain the position but Denis is very close to passing his half guard.
Denis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Denis seems to be looking for submissions.
Blair is trying to stand.
Denis working the head and body with strikes.

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.
Blair blocking the ground and pound attempt from Denis.
Denis is tying to control. Blair wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Blair tries to clinch but Denis moves out of range.
Blair throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Denis's waist but Denis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Blair off to one side.
Denis throws a lazy head kick
and Blair counters with a big head kick but Denis shrugs it off.
Denis throws a sloppy head kick
and Blair counters with a nice leg kick.
Blair avoids the head kick by Denis.

Denis scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Denis is looking to take a break and control but Blair is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Blair is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Denis pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Blair showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Olivier Denis's cut.
That's time! Denis's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

A right-left combo lands from Denis.
Denis blocks a head kick by Blair.
Denis pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Denis keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Blair scores with a jab.
Blair tries for a takedown but Denis sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Blair keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Denis takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Denis pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Blair avoids the head kick by Denis.
Denis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Blair.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Denis scoring well with a low kick there.
Blair changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Denis tries to avoid it but Blair manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Denis to the ground. Denis escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Denis shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Blair tries to lock up and control but Denis gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Blair is trying desperately to improve position.
A nice elbow there by Denis.

Denis is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Blair has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blair blocking the ground and pound.
Blair is trying to escape the mount.
Denis won't let Blair get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Denis scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denis lands with some strikes.
Blair is in all sorts of trouble here.
Blair is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Blair is bucking up trying to escape but Denis cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Denis unloads with some shots from mount but Blair bucks and avoids them well.
Poor strikes thrown by Denis there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

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.
Denis punching from mount but Blair doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Denis thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Blair tries to lock up and control but Denis gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Blair is desperately trying to improve his position but Denis has a good base and remains in mount.

Denis looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Denis content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Olivier Denis showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Denis 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Olivier Denis!