PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roberto Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Stelling (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Stelling 's choice of entrance music: London Calling. Jack Stelling is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Black
vs
Stelling

190 cm
25
179 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
175 lbs
2 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Roberto Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 12 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jack Stelling !
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stelling has taken the fight to the clinch.
Black looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Stelling breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Black darts in and clinches Stelling up against the cage.
Stelling goes for a takedown in the clinch but Black prevents it.

Stelling jumps guard.
Black wants to control from the top but Stelling keeps moving.
Black stays in close to Stelling 's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Black 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.
Black trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Black drops back looking for a leg! Stelling is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Stelling manages to kick Black off! Black jumps back into Stelling 's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stelling is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black throws a big elbow that misses.
Black stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Stelling swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Stelling managing to control the position.
Black throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two 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.
Stelling is trying hard to land a takedown here. Black sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Black will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Stelling throws a counter combo.
Black misses with a combination
and Stelling counters with a nice leg kick.
Stelling checks the leg kick.
Stelling throws out a counter right but Black avoids it with no problem.
Stelling connects with a looping right hand.

Stelling closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Black explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Stelling will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Black fails to land with a series of punches.
Black misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stelling lands with a kick to the ribs.
Black swings for the body but Stelling moves out of range.
Stelling is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Black tries to sprawl but Stelling drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Black looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Black moves into full guard.
Stelling trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.

Black looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Stelling passes into side control.
Stelling working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stelling really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Black. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Stelling thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Stelling working away.
Black is trying to work for a sweep but Stelling has mounted him!
Black is looking to improve his position but Stelling isn't that keen on the idea.
Black wants to hold on but Stelling pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jack Stelling will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Black clinches up with Stelling and pushes him back against the cage.

Stelling breaks from the clinch.
Black scores with a one two! Stelling had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Stelling gets tackled into the cage by Black. Black maintains the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Stelling .
Stelling is working Black over against the cage.

Black is fighting off a takedown attempt but Stelling is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Black to the mat. Black regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Black is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Black isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Stelling stacks Black on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Stelling !
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Black tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stelling wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stelling wants to stand but Black has his arm trapped.
We've been informed that Stelling has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
You can see the frustration on Black's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Black is looking to reverse the position.
Black takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Stelling has control of an arm but Black manages to advance to Stelling 's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Stelling escapes and is now in half guard on top.

Stelling is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Black trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Black is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black looking for submissions off his back.

Black looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Black looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Black looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Stelling wants to take a breather but Black is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Stelling is thwarting Black's attempts to control the position.
Stelling prevents Black from standing back up.
Stelling is keen to just control but Black is a slippery customer.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Black on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Black is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Stelling pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Stelling missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Stelling tries to keep at a distance but Black has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roberto Black will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Stelling feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Black is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Stelling is working Black over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Stelling is working Black over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Black has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Stelling is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Black.
Black can't do much from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stelling has control of an arm but Black manages to advance to Stelling 's back!
Black will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Black punches the canvas rather than the man.
Black missing with strikes.

Black has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Stelling has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Black keeps control of the position as Stelling tries to break free.

Stelling defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Black's arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stelling is trying to stand back up.
Stelling finds himself mounted whilst avoiding strikes.

Black goes for an armbar but Stelling turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Stelling .

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Stelling wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black is working hard here to advance position.
Black is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Stelling is controlling him well.
Black tries to bench press Stelling off him but Stelling keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Black's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four 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.
Black is trying to get back to half guard.
Black is trying to control Stelling 's posture but Stelling avoids it.
Black is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Stelling landing a few strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jack Stelling .
I think Stelling has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jack Stelling !
Our winner, Jack Stelling , made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.