PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Franck Damedou (ranked 6187 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ashton Black (ranked 4918 p4p, 0 weight class). Franck Damedou looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Damedou
vs
Black

194 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

193 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Franck Damedou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ashton Black!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Andrew Berry and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Damedou closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Black throws an elbow that doesn't really do any damage.
Black tries to bench press Damedou off him but Damedou keeps the position.
Damedou trying to control the position but Black is working away.
Black tries to buck Damedou off but Damedou is having none of it.
Black keeps trying to improve his position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Black can do anything to dispel that myth.
Damedou trying to control the position but Black is working away.
Black is looking to reverse the position.
Black really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Damedou. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Black regains half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Black is looking to improve his position.
Black is still trying to improve position.
Damedou is breathing heavily.
Damedou has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Damedou trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Damedou thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Black is working to get back to half guard.
Damedou thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Black is trying to escape the mount.
Damedou looking to control but Black is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black is trying desperately to improve position.
Black sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Black is looking for a sweep. Damedou is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Black wants to control but Damedou is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Black wants to sweep but Damedou has passed to side control!
Black is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Black wants to control but Damedou postures up.
Black is looking to regain half guard here but Damedou keeps moving and retains side control.
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.
Damedou trying to control the position but Black is working away.
Black gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Black moves into full guard.
Black is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Black looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Black is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Damedou trying to control the position from guard on top but Black is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Black wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Black thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Damedou's head.
Black is trying to control the action in half guard but Damedou is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Black wants to free his trapped foot but Damedou is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Damedou is refusing to be controlled, as Black sits in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Black is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Damedou!
Black breaks from Damedou's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Damedou is squirming around, avoiding Black's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ashton Black will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Black gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Black successfully pulls guard.
Damedou pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Black is keeping the position for now.
Black lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Damedou keeping full guard, as Black tries to pass.
Black trying to control but Damedou is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Damedou keeping full guard, as Black tries to pass.
Black trying to control the position from guard on top but Damedou is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black cracks Damedou with a solid left hand.
Black is looking to work some ground and pound but Damedou has wrist control.

Black thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Black accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Damedou keeping full guard, as Black tries to pass.
Black controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Black trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Damedou manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Black bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Damedou's guard.

Black content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black postures up in Damedou's guard and throws a big left but Damedou blocks it.
Black in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Black throws a big elbow that misses.
Black controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Let's hope that Black has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Black must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Black trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black with a nice head shot there.
Black throws a big right hand that misses.
Black looking to pass the guard.
Black is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Black throwing strikes from guard but Damedou blocks nicely.
Black lands a couple of digs.
Black trying to control but Damedou is working from the bottom.
Black working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Damedou's head.
Black working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Damedou looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Black is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Black postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Black not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Black wants to pass the guard but Damedou is keeping the position.
Black landing with the ground and pound.
Ashton Black has got the better of the ground game so far.
Black looking to pass the guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Black postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ashton Black showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Black instigates a clinch.

Black has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Damedou uses from the top position.
Black is looking to sweep but instead, Damedou has passed into half guard.
Black tries to roll over but Damedou keeps him under control.
Black regains full guard. Nicely done.
Black looking for a sweep. Not yet Black, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Black has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black striking off his back but it's not causing Damedou any problems.
Black controls Damedou momentarily but Damedou frees himself.
Black looking to hit a scissor sweep but Damedou is one step ahead there.
Black pulls Damedou in close to prevent any damage.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Black bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Damedou's guard.

Black looking to pass the guard.
Black looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Still in half guard, Black seems content to control.
Black trying to control the action but Damedou is working from the bottom.
Black looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Damedou is refusing to be controlled, as Black sits in half guard.
Damedou is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Black scores with a couple of nice shots.
Damedou taking some punishment here, with Black in his half guard.
Ground and pound from Black.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Damedou defending well though.
Black working the head and body with strikes.

Damedou is rocked!
Black not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Oh Damedou is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Black trying to control the pace.
Black working Damedou over with strikes.
Franck Damedou has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Black is sitting in half guard. He's postured up and lands a nice elbow. Oh, Damedou is hurt! He's hurt bad - Black fires away with more strikes and the referee jumps in to save Damedou from any more punishment! Congratulations to Black! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ashton Black!