PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lucas Blackwell (ranked 25816 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alphonse Coco (ranked 5920 p4p, 579 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Alphonse Coco enters the cage!

Blackwell
vs
Coco

171 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lucas Blackwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alphonse Coco!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blackwell looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Coco!
Blackwell could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Coco is looking for a sweep.
Coco keeping his opponent close.
Blackwell landing a few strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Coco manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Coco pushes Blackwell off looking to stand but Blackwell dives back in and keeps control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Coco avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Blackwell.
Coco blocking the ground and pound attempt from Blackwell.

Blackwell is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Coco defends it well.
Coco trying to control but Blackwell postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackwell throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Coco wants to get back to his feet.
Blackwell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Coco keeps working.
Coco desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Blackwell is keen to just control but Coco is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Coco avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Blackwell.
Coco wants to control but Blackwell is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Coco has taken the fight to the clinch.

Blackwell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Coco misses with a takedown attempt - Blackwell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Blackwell throwing a counter right hand but Coco manages to avoid it.
Coco misses with a head kick.
Blackwell tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Coco defends well and Blackwell ends up having to push Coco into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Coco.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Coco tries a head kick but it misses.
Blackwell throws a big counter combination but Coco scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Coco shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Blackwell scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Coco manages to mount him!
Coco looks winded!
You get the feeling that Blackwell really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Coco avoids the attempt from Blackwell to control.
Blackwell really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coco tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Coco thowing shots but they're missing.
Blackwell is wriggling around trying to escape.
Coco trying to control but Blackwell is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blackwell gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alphonse Coco will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Blackwell wants to clinch.
Coco avoids the head kick by Blackwell.
Coco changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Blackwell tries to avoid it but Coco manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Blackwell to the ground. Blackwell escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Lucas Blackwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blackwell changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Coco tries to avoid it but Blackwell manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Coco to the ground. Coco escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Coco gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Coco tries for a takedown. No joy.
Coco is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Coco has managed to clinch.
Coco is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Blackwell to keep the fight standing.
Lucas Blackwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alphonse Coco.

Blackwell breaks from the clinch.

Coco fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Blackwell, pushing him back against the cage.

Blackwell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Coco clinches.

Coco's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Coco rushes Blackwell and presses him up against the cage.

Blackwell manages to break the clinch.
Blackwell stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Blackwell wants it to stay on the feet.
Blackwell seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Coco fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Blackwell manages to avoid it.

Coco shoots in and bounces Blackwell off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Blackwell manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Coco is breathing heavily.
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!
Coco wants to get back to striking at distance but Blackwell won't allow it.
Blackwell has Coco pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Coco manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Coco jumps guard and drags Blackwell to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Blackwell has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Blackwell scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Coco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blackwell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Coco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blackwell accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Coco wants to stand up but Blackwell is controlling him.
Blackwell trying to control but Coco is working from the bottom.
Blackwell throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Coco works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Coco working a defensive guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Blackwell changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Coco tries to avoid it but Blackwell manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Coco to the ground. Coco escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Coco shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Blackwell looking to hit a scissor sweep but Coco is one step ahead there.

Blackwell uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Coco fails with a takedown attempt.
Blackwell throws a big counter combination but Coco scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
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 Lucas Blackwell will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Blackwell dodges the punch combination from Coco.
Blackwell shoots in looking for a takedown. Coco tries to sprawl out of it but Blackwell keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Coco manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Coco closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Blackwell did well to prevent Coco getting side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackwell manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackwell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Blackwell is on top in guard.

Blackwell wants to control from the top but Coco keeps moving.
Blackwell throwing strikes from guard but Coco blocks nicely.

Coco has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Blackwell can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Coco takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Coco looking to control.
Coco keeping moving, preventing Blackwell from controlling successfully.
Blackwell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Blackwell cracks Coco with a solid left hand.

Coco has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Blackwell is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Coco trying to land knees to the body.
Coco misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Coco breaks the clinch.
Coco fails with the takedown.
Coco will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A punch combination from Coco misses.
Blackwell went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Blackwell slaps away a takedown attempt from Coco, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lucas Blackwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alphonse Coco.

Blackwell changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Coco looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Blackwell is putting a hurting on Coco here, landing some big shots from side control.
Blackwell throws an elbow but Coco slips to the side and avoids it well.
Blackwell works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

Blackwell is trying to get an arm triangle but Coco is defending well.
Coco sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alphonse Coco.
I think Coco 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Lucas Blackwell!