PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ritchie Blackmore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tam Zeus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blackmore comes to the cage accompanied by 16th century greensleeves. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Blackmore
vs
Zeus

180 cm
32
197 lbs
10 - 8 - 1

178 cm
39
199 lbs
23 - 13 - 2

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Red Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Ritchie Blackmore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 13 - 2, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tam Zeus!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Sosuke Kotani and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zeus is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Blackmore's half guard.
Blackmore is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zeus content to control rather than advance.
The fighters are battling for position here. Blackmore manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Blackmore 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.
Zeus passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Blackmore is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Ultimate MMA Training Center, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

Zeus tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Zeus has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blackmore is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackmore is not content to let Zeus control the position.
Blackmore manages to work his way to half guard, despite Zeus's best efforts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeus is keen to just control but Blackmore is a slippery customer.
Blackmore tries to roll over but Zeus keeps him under control.
Blackmore is not content to let Zeus control the position.
Blackmore has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zeus is working away from the top position though.
Blackmore is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Zeus is controlling the pace.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zeus wants to pass to mount but Blackmore is defending the position.

That's two 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.

Zeus looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Blackmore moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Zeus stopping the sweep attempt from Blackmore.

Zeus is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Zeus won't allow Blackmore to sweep him here.
Zeus trying to control the position from guard on top but Blackmore is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zeus is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackmore looking to hit a scissor sweep but Zeus is one step ahead there.
Zeus postures up.
Zeus trying to control but Blackmore is working from the bottom.
Zeus cracks Blackmore with a solid left hand.
Zeus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Blackmore is keeping the position for now.
Blackmore bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Zeus's guard.

Blackmore postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Blackmore gets to his feet. Zeus looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Zeus closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Blackmore wants to improve his position but Zeus is controlling well.
Blackmore is pressing down on Zeus's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeus won't allow Blackmore to sweep him here.

Blackmore working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Zeus doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Zeus manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Zeus 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.
Blackmore wants to stand up but Zeus is controlling him.
Zeus is working Blackmore over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blackmore has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Zeus has passed into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Blackmore manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Zeus looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
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 Ritchie Blackmore will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zeus looks to land a left hand but Blackmore moved out of range nicely.
A big left from Zeus misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Zeus checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Zeus feints the counter takedown.
Blackmore tries a low kick but Zeus avoids it.
Zeus takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Blackmore moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Zeus has a takedown stuffed.
Blackmore lands a high kick!
Zeus avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Blackmore walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Zeus checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackmore throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Blackmore.
Zeus connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
A punch combination from Blackmore misses.
Blackmore throws a leg kick

and Zeus counters with a nice double leg into side control. Blackmore won't be happy with that.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zeus is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Blackmore knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Blackmore gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Zeus wants to control but Blackmore is keeping him busy.
Zeus passes to full mount!
Blackmore is trying to escape the mount.
Blackmore is squirming around, avoiding Zeus's attempts to control the action.
Zeus lands with some strikes.
Zeus looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Blackmore has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

Zeus is persistently looking for the submission but Blackmore is defending it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zeus is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Blackmore defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Zeus is persistently looking for the submission but Blackmore is defending it well.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Zeus is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Blackmore is defending well though. Zeus let's go of the attempt for now.
Zeus trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Blackmore is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Blackmore rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zeus wants to free his trapped foot but Blackmore is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Zeus is looking to take a break and control but Blackmore is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zeus lands with a punch from half guard.
Blackmore tries to roll over but Zeus keeps him under control.
Zeus is looking to advance position but Blackmore won't allow it.
Blackmore wants to get back to full guard.
Zeus content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Zeus passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zeus is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Blackmore is surviving well by controlling Zeus's body position as best he can.
Zeus working the ground and pound effectively.
Blackmore is squirming around, avoiding Zeus's attempts to control the action.

Zeus has isolated one of Blackmore's arms. Blackmore looking to fight him off but Zeus twists into an armbar. It's tight... Will he tap?? YES, he's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tam Zeus!
The defeated Ritchie Blackmore had this to say: 'You WILL see me again'.