PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sterling Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Petter Norlin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Sterling Black has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Black
vs
Norlin

188 cm
26
197 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

198 cm
20
199 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Good knees
KO power

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sterling Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Petter Norlin!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Aleksandr Martynov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Black moves into range and clinches up with Norlin.
Black on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Black working aggressively here.
Black with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Still in the clinch, Black scores with a nice short uppercut.
Black tries a knee to the head but Norlin blocks it.
Black can't find room to land a body shot as Norlin controls the action.
Norlin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Sterling Black has been cut.

Norlin lands a big knee from the Thai clinch and Black goes down hard! The ref takes a good look at him but he's still defending himself. Norlin in side control.

Black is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Black gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Oh Black is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Black is desperately trying to improve his position but Norlin has a good base and remains in mount.
Norlin content just to control the position here.
Black seems to have got his legs back now.
Black working to try and regain half guard.
Black tries to hold on but Norlin postures up.
Norlin content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Norlin controlling his opponent.
Black is trying desperately to improve position.
Norlin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Black is trying to escape the mount.

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.
Black sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Black wants to control but Norlin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Well, if Norlin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Black on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Black tries to get out of the position.
Black wants to get back to his feet.
Norlin content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Black is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Norlin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Norlin prevents Black from standing back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Black fails with a takedown attempt.

Black clinches.
Norlin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Black avoids it.
Norlin tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Black avoids it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Black.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Black avoiding damage as Norlin throws knees to the body.
Norlin managing to block the knees to the body from Black.
Black misses with a knee to the head.
Black goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Norlin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Black.
Black tries to land a knee to the head but Norlin blocks with his arms.
Norlin looking to throw knees to the head but Black is blocking nicely.
Norlin landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Norlin will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Black up against the cage.
A short uppercut from Norlin.
Black working aggressively here.
Norlin lands a knee to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Norlin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Black is breathing heavily.
A knee to the head by Norlin.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Norlin obliges.
Black has been working on his balance at Barbell Brigade - $1000, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Norlin.
Norlin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Norlin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petter Norlin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sterling Black's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Norlin changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Norlin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Black, pushing him back against the cage.
Black lands a left hand that snaps the head of Norlin backwards.
Black managing to block the knees to the body from Norlin.
Black on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Norlin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Norlin misses with a knee to the head.
Norlin blocking some punches.
Norlin tries a knee to the head but Black blocks it.
Norlin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Black blocks it with crossed arms.
Norlin tries to land knees in the clinch but Black avoids the damage to the body.
Norlin scores with a knee to the head.
Norlin scores with a knee to the head.
Black throws a knee to the head but misses.
Knees to the body from Norlin.
Norlin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Black misses with a hook from the clinch.
Norlin stalling in the clinch but Black improves position.
Black with a knee to the head.
Norlin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Black is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black tries to work over Norlin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Black lands with a light punch inside.
Norlin scores with a knee to the head.
Norlin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Black.
Black takes a knee to the side of the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Norlin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Norlin obliges.

Norlin lands a big knee from the Thai clinch and Black goes down hard! The ref takes a good look at him but he's still defending himself. Norlin in side control.

Sterling Black's cut is getting worse.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Black is letting Norlin control him for a moment.

Norlin stands up.
Norlin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norlin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Black moves into the clinch.
Norlin with a knee to the head.
Petter Norlin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Norlin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Black has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Norlin lands a big knee to the head and Black goes down! Norlin pounces and finishes the fight with strikes! He jumps to his feet and celebrates with the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Petter Norlin!