PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gustavo Safra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Blake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Safra
vs
Blake

190 cm
24
275 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

215 cm
22
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gustavo Safra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, David Blake!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Mauricio Rocha and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blake looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Safra is fending him off so far but Blake persists. Nope, Safra circles away and we're back to standing.
Blake fails with the takedown.
Blake throws a sloppy head kick and Safra moves out of range easily.
Blake closes the distance and clinches up with Safra, looking for a takedown. Blake pushes Safra against the cage but Safra circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gustavo Safra has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Blake.
Blake shoots in for a takedown but Safra shows good takedown defense.
Safra circles away from the clinch attempt.

Safra darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Blake gets full guard.
Safra looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Safra might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Safra stopping the sweep attempt from Blake.
Safra slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Blake is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Blake looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safra controls from within his opponent's guard.
Safra connects with a couple of short punches.
Blake controls Safra momentarily but Safra frees himself.
Safra has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Safra looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Blake looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Blake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Safra stands and throws Blake's legs to the side, diving into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Safra wants to control but Blake is keeping him busy.
Blake manages to work his way to half guard, despite Safra's best efforts.
Blake wants to control but Safra is keeping busy.
Safra performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safra trying to mount his opponent but Blake defends it.
Safra sitting and controlling from the half guard.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Gustavo Safra just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Blake shoots and misses

and Safra counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Safra 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.
Safra wants to control from the top but Blake keeps moving.
Blake wants to sweep but no luck.

Blake looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Blake might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Safra kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Blake wants to get back to his feet but Safra is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Safra looking to pass the guard.
Blake keeping moving, preventing Safra from controlling successfully.
Safra wants to stand but Blake is controlling his posture from full guard.

Blake has his foot on Safra's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Safra works his way back into a safe position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gustavo Safra dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Blake shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Safra counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Safra in particular looking to stall.
Safra is thwarting Blake's attempts to control the position.
Blake is trying to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Safra lands a nice short elbow.
Safra is tying to control. Blake wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Blake wants to get back to full guard.
Blake is not content to let Safra control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blake is controlling Safra's trapped leg to prevent Safra from advancing to side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Blake manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Safra trying to control the position from guard on top but Blake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blake not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Blake is looking for a triangle but Safra pushes his legs off easily.
Safra wants to pass the guard but Blake is keeping the position.
Safra is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Blake is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Blake escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Safra gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Safra is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Blake had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Safra is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Blake Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Safra's back instead.

Blake tightening his grip on Safra, looking for the choke.
Safra trying to control the hands but Blake breaks the grip.
Blake throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Safra!

Blake is looking for the choke from the back position but Safra is controlling his hands well.
Safra trying to control the hands but Blake won't let him.
Blake is hanging on to Safra's back as he tries to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Safra wants to get back to his feet.

Blake looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Safra taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:33 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). David Blake!