PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Keenan Rosales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Young Blount (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Young Blount acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Rosales
vs
Blount

197 cm
23
215 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

195 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Keenan Rosales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Young Blount!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Edson Gomes and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blount tries to clinch there but Rosales circles away.
Rosales swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Young Blount seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rosales enables Blount to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rosales manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Blount throws a strike but Rosales rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Rosales is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Rosales trying to stand up but can't free himself from Blount's guard.

Rosales decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Blount, up you get!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosales wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rosales pushes Blount up against the cage in a clinch.

Rosales breaks from the clinch.
Blount slaps away a takedown attempt from Rosales, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Rosales clinches up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rosales stalling in the clinch.

Blount breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blount tries to clinch up.
Rosales quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Rosales is looking to clinch but Blount is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rosales gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Blount counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Blount closes the distance and clinches.
Rosales displaying some good clinch control by pressing Blount up against the cage.

Blount breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blount throws a low kick but Rosales avoids it.

Blount closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rosales to the mat! Rosales manages to get full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Blount stopping the sweep attempt from Rosales.
Blount trying to control the position from guard on top but Rosales is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rosales looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blount trying to control but Rosales is working from the bottom.

Blount stands up from Rosales's guard - Blount perhaps looking for a knockout.

Blount closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Blount lands in his opponent's guard.
Blount wants to control from the top but Rosales keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rosales is trying to control the position but Blount postures up.
Blount wants to stand but Rosales has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Blount slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Rosales wants to sweep here but Blount controlling him for the moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rosales keeping moving, preventing Blount from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Young Blount 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.

Blount moves into the clinch successfully.
Rosales is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Blount is pressed up against the cage. Rosales has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Blount down to the mat. Blount avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Rosales gets caught napping as Blount dives in and scores a takedown. Rosales manages to retain guard.
Blount throws a big right hand that misses.
Rosales looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blount throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rosales keeping moving, preventing Blount from controlling successfully.
Blount might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rosales haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blount would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rosales looking to hit a scissor sweep but Blount is one step ahead there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rosales shoots for a double leg takedown but Blount sprawls well. He's pushed Rosales's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Blount wants to clinch
and Rosales counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Rosales closes the distance and pushes Blount back into the cage.

Blount has picked Rosales up - he's going for a ride! Blount dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Young Blount has got the better of the ground game so far.
Blount is trying to control the action in half guard but Rosales is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Blount is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blount stalling.
Blount's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rosales gets back to full guard.
Blount 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blount is continuing to stall.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blount throws a series of punches but Rosales moves out of range.

Rosales has taken the fight to the clinch.
The referee calls for Rosales to work.
Rosales landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Rosales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rosales throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Blount's waist but Blount gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rosales off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Rosales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rosales shoots in looking for a takedown but Blount manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Rosales's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rosales clinches.
Blount is looking to break free of the clinch but Rosales has double underhooks.
Blount has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

Rosales gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Blount to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Rosales pushes Blount off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rosales closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Blount quickly recovers to half guard.

Rosales decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
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 Keenan Rosales will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Rosales takes the fight into the clinch.
Rosales cracks Blount with a nice body shot.

Rosales breaks the clinch.
Blount pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Blount fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rosales drops down looking for a counter takedown but Blount sprawls and moves away.

Rosales shoots in and bounces Blount off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Blount uses the cage to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rosales fails to land the takedown.
Blount takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blount tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rosales looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Rosales drives through and clinches with Blount against the cage.
Rosales landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Blount is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rosales is keeping busy.
Blount prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rosales slowing the pace effectively.
Keenan Rosales has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Blount jumps guard and drags Rosales to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rosales wants to stand but Blount has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Blount wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rosales gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Rosales closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rosales content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rosales is stalling here.

Blount manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Rosales prevents Blount from getting back to his feet.

Rosales stands up and waves to Blount to follow him.
Rosales shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Blount pinned against the cage. Blount gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Rosales. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rosales looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Rosales gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Rosales gets the takedown into side control.
Blount is trying to improve his position.
Blount struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blount is looking for a sweep.

Rosales decides to stand up, so the ref orders Blount to his feet.

Blount scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Rosales throws Blount to one side and escapes!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rosales tries to clinch up.

Rosales moves into the clinch successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Keenan Rosales showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rosales 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Keenan Rosales!