PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Blackburn (ranked 5816 p4p, 522 weight class) and Marco Dresdner (ranked 22142 p4p, 606 weight class). Blackburn comes into the arena with Ultra Nate - Free (Super Extended Dance Vocal Mix) blaring out of the sound system. 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.

Blackburn
vs
Dresdner

182 cm
21
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

169 cm
30
190 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Urban Fighter

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Christopher Blackburn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Marco Dresdner!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blackburn shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Dresdner manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Blackburn content to stall in guard here.

Blackburn stands and steps away. Dresdner gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Blackburn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Blackburn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackburn showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dresdner is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dresdner is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Blackburn stops Dresdner from standing up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Blackburn won't allow Dresdner to sweep him here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Blackburn fails with a takedown attempt.
Blackburn shoots in and drives through. Dresdner sprawls well.
Dresdner replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Blackburn blocks it well.
Blackburn has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Death Valley Training Facility in the buildup to the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Christopher Blackburn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Dresdner closes the distance and pushes Blackburn back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Dresdner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dresdner dives in and grabs Blackburn's left leg, looking for a takedown. Blackburn pushes down on Dresdner's head and hops out.
Blackburn fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Dresdner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blackburn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dresdner stuffs the takedown.
Blackburn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Blackburn shoots in and drives through. Dresdner sprawls well.
Dresdner raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Dresdner misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Dresdner should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Dresdner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Blackburn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dresdner tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blackburn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Blackburn shoots and misses

and Dresdner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Blackburn turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Blackburn manages to end up in side control.
Blackburn is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dresdner is trying to work for a sweep but Blackburn has mounted him!
Dresdner is desperately trying to improve his position but Blackburn has a good base and remains in mount.
Blackburn sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Dresdner regains half guard.
Blackburn is thwarting Dresdner's attempts to control the position.
Dresdner moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dresdner is trying to keep Blackburn in close.
Blackburn cracks Dresdner with a solid left hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blackburn sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Blackburn trying to control the position from guard on top but Dresdner is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dresdner being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marco Dresdner 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.

Blackburn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Dresdner's guard.
Blackburn trying to control but Dresdner is working from the bottom.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blackburn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Blackburn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dresdner works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackburn looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Blackburn connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn controlling from the top position.

Dresdner looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Blackburn controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Blackburn tries for a takedown but Dresdner circles away easily

and Dresdner counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blackburn keeping hold of Dresdner's head, controlling as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dresdner not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Blackburn tries to get to full guard but Dresdner has control of the leg.
Blackburn is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dresdner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dresdner's back!
Blackburn really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Dresdner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blackburn is cranking Dresdner's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Dresdner! He's tightened the choke and Dresdner is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Christopher Blackburn!