PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Erick Darko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Darko kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is S.C.O.S.A - Flatbush Zombies. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Darko
vs
Black

179 cm
22
187 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

182 cm
22
180 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Arcticus University: London
Aspire Clothing

MayheM sportswear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Erick Darko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jason Black!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Black misses with a body kick.
A counter left hand to the body from Darko misses its target.
We've been hearing reports that Darko has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Black tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Black closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
A short right from Black on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darko.
Darko blocking some punches.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Black is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Black seems frustrated at his inability to get double underhooks.
Darko pushes Black back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Darko lands an uppercut.
Black misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Darko.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Darko.
Black has a couple of punches blocked by Darko.
Black looking to stall.
Darko lands a left hand.
Darko tries to work over Black's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darko wants the takedown. Black is fighting it off but Darko persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Black's guard against the ropes.
Darko is looking to work some ground and pound but Black has wrist control.
Darko throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Black works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Darko trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Darko postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Darko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Darko lands a couple of digs.
Darko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Darko accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Darko wants to control from the top but Black keeps moving.
Darko is pushing down on Black's leg trying to pass to half guard. Black is fighting to maintain full guard but Darko has managed to sneak the leg through.
Black won't allow Darko to pass to mount.
Darko thows a huge punch but Black dodges it nicely.
Black keeping control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Darko is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Black has managed to free his arm - good work.

Darko is trying to work for a kimura but Black is defending well.
Darko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Darko working over Black with some ground and pound. Black looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Darko seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Black does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Darko is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Darko is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Black is just riding it out for now. Darko eventually gives up the hold.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Black is trying to maintain the position but Darko is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Black has hold of Darko's hands but Darko slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Black avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Darko.
Black is looking to control Darko's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Black avoid being mounted?
Black is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Darko throwing shots but Black is blocking nicely.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Darko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Darko thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black blocking the ground and pound attempt from Darko.
Darko is looking to take a break and control but Black is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Darko wants to work for an arm triangle but Black is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Darko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Darko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Black avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Darko.
Darko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Darko 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.
Darko not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Darko is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Darko throws a big right hand that misses.
Black trying to control the position.
Darko won't allow Black to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erick Darko dominated that round.
That's time! Darko's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Black just misses with a punch to the body.
Darko tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Black fails in his attempt to clinch.
Black scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Darko on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Darko throws a shot from downtown. Black moves away and avoids it.
Darko doesn't succeed with the takedown
enabling Black to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A clash of legs there as Darko blocks the low kick.
A lazy body kick from Black
and Darko counters with a straight right hand.
Darko is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Black can do to turn this around?
Black loads up on a big right hand but Darko slips the punch.
Black stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Black wants it to stay on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darko throws an off balance right hand
and Black counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Darko just misses with a punch to the body.
Black smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Darko keeps the fight on the outside.
Black is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darko.
Darko takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Darko throws a shot from downtown. Black moves away and avoids it.
Black misses with a looping left.
Darko throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Darko misses with a wild body shot.
Black takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Black clobbers Darko with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darko slips a straight right by Black.
It looked like Darko wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Black throws an off balance right hand
and Darko connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Darko tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Jason Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
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!
Black is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darko.
Darko stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Black.
Darko misses with a looping left.
Black appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Black throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Darko drops down looking for a counter takedown but Black sprawls and moves away.
Darko takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Darko lands a nice hook to Black's body. Black takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Black throws a body kick that misses.
The fighters circling - Darko throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darko connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Black misses with a straight left.
Darko went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Black scores with a head kick. Darko tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Darko with a jab.
Darko moves out of range of the strikes.
Black cracks the inside of Darko's front leg.
Darko throws a jab when Black was well out of range.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Darko paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Black wants to land a leg kick but Darko is out of range.
Black staying out of range there.
Darko throws a series of punches but Black avoids them all with ease.
Black tries to clinch but Darko is having none of it.
An attempted straight right counter from Darko misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Black sizes up Darko with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Black throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Darko throws a looping overhand right but Black ducks down to avoid it.
Black slips a straight right by Darko.
Darko lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Black at a distance.
Darko walks into a jab.
Jason Black is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Darko throws the left hand but Black avoids the punch easily.
Black feints a counter leg kick.
Darko connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Darko lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Black misses with a head kick.
Darko throwing a counter right hand but Black manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Black showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Black fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Darko has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Darko checks a low kick from Black.
Black misses with a low kick.
Darko is looking to clinch.
Black is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Black moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd cheers as Black lands an impressive looking overhand right. Darko doesn't seem phased though.
Darko throws a jab but it's blocked by Black.
A big left from Darko misses.
Jason Black seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black defending well as Darko loads up on a big left hand.
Black is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Darko.
A head kick by Black misses
and Black takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Darko throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darko misses with an uppercut. Black saw that one coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Darko misses the target.
Black misses with a leg kick.
Darko throws a big shot that misses.
Black lands a nice looking kick to the body. Darko takes a step back to recover.
A nice leg kick lands there from Black.
Darko throws an off balance right hand
and Darko takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Black misses with a body shot.
Black ducks under a wild hook from Darko.
Black steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Darko throws a lazy right hand but Black sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darko shoots in and drives through. Black sprawls well.
Black lands a nice shot that snaps Darko's head back.
Darko fails to land with a series of punches.
Darko has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Black.
Darko on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Black. Black obviously looking to wear him down.
Black misses with a looping right.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Black is looking to slow Darko down with leg kicks.
Darko slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Darko takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Darko looks to throw the jab but Black is out of range.
Black chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Black uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darko.
Black throws out a counter right but Darko avoids it with no problem.
Black throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Darko throws a big shot that misses.
Darko throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Black throws out a counter right but Darko avoids it with no problem.
Darko moves away from the strike by Black.
It looked like Darko wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Darko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Black.
An attempted straight right counter from Darko misses the target.
Darko throws the left hand but Black avoids the punch easily.
Darko pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Black dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Darko misses with a hook. Black ducked under it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Darko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Darko sizes up Black with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Black moves out of range as Darko strikes.
Black tries to clinch there but Darko circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Black.
Black throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Darko.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Darko, as that shot connected.
Darko avoids the head kick by Black.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Black comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Black 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Erick Darko!

The fight ends as a draw!