PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Devin Blackwell (ranked 25397 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yuri Rooney (ranked 5791 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Blackwell
vs
Rooney

196 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

185 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Devin Blackwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Yuri Rooney!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rooney moves into the clinch successfully.

Rooney gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Blackwell has his hands clasped together around Rooney's back. He's all about the action.
Blackwell trying to hold on to Rooney's head to control him but Rooney postures up.
Rooney lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Rooney is pressing down on Blackwell's thigh, looking to free his foot. Blackwell is holding on for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackwell manages to get to full guard.
Rooney sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rooney throwing strikes but missing.
Blackwell trying to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Blackwell lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Rooney throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Blackwell controls from within his opponent's guard.
Rooney avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Blackwell postures up in Rooney's guard and throws a big left but Rooney blocks it.
Blackwell makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Rooney is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell preventing the sweep.
Blackwell scoring with some ground and pound.
Blackwell wanted to stand there but Rooney had control of the position.
Blackwell with a nice head shot there.
Blackwell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Blackwell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Blackwell wants to get up but he can't break Rooney's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Blackwell throwing strikes from guard but Rooney blocks nicely.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Blackwell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Blackwell lands a couple of digs.
Blackwell stands up over Rooney, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney looking to control.
Rooney trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Blackwell stands up from Rooney's guard - Blackwell perhaps looking for a knockout.
Rooney tries to close the distance and clinch but Blackwell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rooney looks to clinch

and Blackwell counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rooney wants to stand and escape but Blackwell is having none of it.

Rooney working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Blackwell doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Blackwell manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Rooney is working an open guard so Blackwell takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rooney throws a leg kick but Blackwell moved away.

Rooney shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Rooney was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Devin Blackwell will probably get the nod.
That's time! Blackwell's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Blackwell has managed to clinch.

Blackwell breaks the clinch.

Rooney feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rooney passes into half guard.
Yuri Rooney has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rooney stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rooney looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Rooney shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Blackwell napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Rooney tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney is trying to ground and pound but Blackwell uses the momentary lack of control by Rooney to regain half guard.
Rooney missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Rooney trying to control from Blackwell's half guard. Blackwell has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Blackwell wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Blackwell looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rooney sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Blackwell's guard.
Rooney thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Rooney is working for a kimura here but Blackwell manages to reverse the position and he's now in Rooney's guard.
Blackwell 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.
Rooney working a defensive guard here.
Blackwell's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell cracks Rooney with a solid left hand.
Rooney is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Blackwell is controlling him.
Blackwell is looking to stand up but Rooney won't let him.
Blackwell working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Blackwell is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Rooney is trying to keep Blackwell in close.
Blackwell landing with the ground and pound.
Blackwell loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Blackwell wants to control from the top but Rooney keeps moving.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Rooney fails in his attempt to clinch.

Rooney gets the takedown into side control.
Rooney is breathing heavily.
Rooney wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blackwell keeps working.
Rooney throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blackwell is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Rooney showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Rooney closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Blackwell quickly recovers to half guard.
Rooney thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Blackwell's head.
Rooney throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rooney is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Blackwell is trying to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackwell blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rooney.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rooney is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rooney seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Blackwell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Blackwell tries to close the distance and clinch but Rooney swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rooney is trying to counter with his kicks.

Rooney shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Blackwell is trying to defend but Rooney finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Blackwell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Rooney is working away from the top position though.
Rooney has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Blackwell wants to get back to full guard.
Rooney performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Blackwell wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney is looking to take a break and control but Blackwell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rooney looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Rooney scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Blackwell is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rooney off and has taken his back!
Blackwell has Rooney flattened out and is raining down punches.
Blackwell is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackwell keeps control of the position as Rooney tries to break free.
Blackwell lands shots from the back.

Rooney is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Blackwell gets his way!
Rooney tries to escape but Blackwell has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rooney is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Blackwell.
Rooney is in bad spot here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Devin Blackwell.
I think Blackwell 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!