PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Grimm Blackroot (ranked 3794 p4p, 5091 weight class) and Carlos Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Carlos Rush is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Blackroot
vs
Rush

182 cm
24
185
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
195
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Grimm Blackroot!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Carlos Rush!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Sandra Marshall and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rush looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Blackroot is fending him off so far but Rush persists. Nope, Blackroot circles away and we're back to standing.

Blackroot closes the distance and pushes Rush back into the cage.
Rush fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rush tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Blackroot's elbow.
Blackroot slowing the pace effectively.
Rush is trying to push Blackroot away but Blackroot has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rush blocks an elbow strike from Blackroot.
Rush is looking to take this one to the mat.
Grimm Blackroot has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rush.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Blackroot closes the distance and clinches.
Rush tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Blackroot smiles and moves away.
Blackroot shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rush lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blackroot closes the distance and clinches.
Blackroot pushes off an throws an elbow but Rush leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Rush is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Blackroot creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

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

Blackroot fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rush, pushing him back against the cage.
Blackroot tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rush avoids it.
Blackroot misses with an elbow strike.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rush shoots in but no luck this time.
Blackroot misses with a leg kick
and Rush counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

Blackroot has closed the distance and engaged Rush in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackroot pressing his opponent against the cage.
Blackroot misses with an elbow over the top.
Blackroot creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rush has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Blackroot avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rush stalling in the clinch but Blackroot improves position.
Blackroot has Rush pressed against the cage, preventing Rush from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Blackroot tries to land knees in the clinch but Rush avoids the damage to the body.
Rush tries for a takedown. No joy.
Blackroot pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blackroot manages to break the clinch.

Blackroot rushes Rush and presses him up against the cage.
Blackroot creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Rush's defenses.
Blackroot throws an elbow but it misses.
Rush tries for a takedown but Blackroot manages to get underhooks.
Rush taking a breather.
Rush misses with a punch on the inside.
Blackroot throws an elbow that misses.
Blackroot throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rush struggles to land a body shot inside as Blackroot controls his hands.
Blackroot keeps control of Rush as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Blackroot has him pressed against the cage.
Blackroot is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rush is defending well for now.
Rush wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Blackroot escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've been informed that Rush has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Blackroot moves into the clinch.
Rush is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Blackroot throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rush tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blackroot just stands there and leans against the cage.
Blackroot displaying some good clinch control by pressing Rush up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rush throws an elbow that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Grimm Blackroot dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Blackroot moves into the clinch.
Rush tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blackroot just stands there and leans against the cage.
Rush on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Blackroot throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rush tries to circle away but Blackroot has him pinned against the cage.
Blackroot tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rush avoids it.
Blackroot lands an elbow inside.
Blackroot is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackroot stops a takedown attempt from Rush.
Grimm Blackroot has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rush.
Rush fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Blackroot's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Blackroot throws a leg kick but Rush checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush wants to clinch.

Rush tries to keep at a distance but Blackroot has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rush changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Blackroot fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Blackroot clinches.

Blackroot escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blackroot misses with a head kick.
Rush shoots in for a takedown but Blackroot shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Blackroot clinches up with Rush and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush working hard to break the clinch.
Blackroot tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rush avoids it.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Blackroot, against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Rush blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Rush managing to block the knees to the body from Blackroot.
Rush tries for a takedown but Blackroot manages to get underhooks.
Rush dodges an elbow strike from Blackroot.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rush throws a leg kick but Blackroot sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Blackroot fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rush is out of range.
Grimm Blackroot seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blackroot forces Rush back against the cage and clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rush tries to pull guard but Blackroot won't allow it.

Blackroot escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blackroot stuffs the takedown.

Blackroot closes the distance and clinches.
Rush wants a takedown but no success here.
Rush is breathing heavily.
Blackroot is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Blackroot pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Blackroot has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Blackroot instigates a clinch.
Rush looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Blackroot breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush is looking to clinch.
Blackroot feinted with a counter takedown.
Rush will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Grimm Blackroot is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Blackroot clinches up against the cage.
Rush wants a takedown but no success here.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Blackroot, against the cage.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Grimm Blackroot is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Blackroot has closed the distance and engaged Rush in a clinch.
Grimm Blackroot has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Blackroot breaks the clinch.

Blackroot takes the fight into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Rush's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Rush jumps guard but Blackroot stands there with Rush around his waist. Rush gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Grimm Blackroot dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Blackroot closes the distance and pushes Rush back into the cage.
Blackroot throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Rush is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Blackroot pulls him back up using the underhooks.

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

Blackroot pushes Rush up against the cage in a clinch.
Blackroot stalling in the clinch.
Blackroot lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Carlos Rush has been cut.
Rush fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackroot slowing the pace effectively.
Rush is trying to pull guard but Blackroot has him pressed against the cage.
Grimm Blackroot has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carlos Rush.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackroot moves in looking to clinch but Rush pushes him off.

Blackroot drives through and clinches with Rush against the cage.
Blackroot has Rush pressed against the cage, preventing Rush from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rush tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rush on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Blackroot as Rush tries to tie him up.
Rush tries to circle away but Blackroot has him pinned against the cage.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Blackroot gets a clinch.

Blackroot manages to break the clinch.

Blackroot gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Blackroot manages to break the clinch.
Blackroot finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Blackroot tries to clinch but Rush is having none of it.
Blackroot looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Rush shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Blackroot moves into the clinch.
Rush is looking to break free of the clinch but Blackroot has double underhooks.
Blackroot comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Blackroot managing to block the knees to the body from Rush.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Blackroot, against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rush tries to score a body lock takedown but Blackroot shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rush takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush wants to break the clinch but can't.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Blackroot rushes Rush and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Blackroot pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rush fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Blackroot lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Blackroot tries to clinch up but Rush circles away and keeps his distance.
Blackroot wants to clinch up but Rush keeps it at a distance.
Blackroot throws a low kick but Rush avoids it.
Rush fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Blackroot breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Grimm Blackroot is winning the standup battle so far.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rush is looking to break free of the clinch but Blackroot has double underhooks.
Rush avoids the elbow strike from Blackroot, against the cage.
Rush on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Blackroot breaks the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rush shoots for a takedown but Blackroot saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Blackroot clinches up against the cage.
Carlos Rush has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Grimm Blackroot is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rush tries to pull guard but Blackroot forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grimm Blackroot showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Blackroot has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:25
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:25
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Grimm Blackroot!