PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Steve Blackwood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jaka Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Blackwood
vs
Gracie

186 cm
18
212 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Steve Blackwood!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jaka Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie drives through and clinches with Blackwood against the cage.
Gracie slowing the pace effectively.
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Blackwood avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Gracie pulls guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Blackwood is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Blackwood circles away and we're back to standing.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.
Blackwood stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Steve Blackwood has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jaka Gracie.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blackwood swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blackwood leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Blackwood.
Blackwood lands a head shot.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Blackwood, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Blackwood against the cage but Blackwood circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Blackwood works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Gracie darts in trying to clinch
and Blackwood cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jaka Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Blackwood lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Blackwood.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackwood scores with a one two! Gracie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Blackwood scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie throws an overhand right that lands on Blackwood's shoulder, as Blackwood tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Blackwood avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracie looks gassed!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Blackwood.
Blackwood throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Blackwood swivels and escapes.
Blackwood swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Blackwood getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Blackwood throws a combination. Gracie tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Blackwood misses with a few strikes there.
Blackwood scores with a punch to the head.
Blackwood with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackwood leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Blackwood throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Blackwood sprawls well.
Steve Blackwood is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blackwood throws a combination that misses
and Gracie counters with a good, hard body kick but Blackwood shrugs it off.
Gracie tries to clinch up
and Blackwood cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blackwood lands a right hook to the body.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
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 Steve Blackwood will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Blackwood tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Blackwood to the ground. Blackwood escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Blackwood goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Blackwood fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gracie walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie tries to bum rush Blackwood with a series of wild strikes but Blackwood uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Blackwood keeps it at a distance.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Blackwood lands a nice looking body shot.
Steve Blackwood is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blackwood lands a nice shot that snaps Gracie's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
Steve Blackwood has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jaka Gracie.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Blackwood connects with the punch.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Blackwood sprawls well. Blackwood wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Blackwood lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Blackwood.
Steve Blackwood is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie defending well as Blackwood loads up on a big left hand.
Gracie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Blackwood which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Nice sprawl there from Blackwood as Gracie shoots in.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Blackwood.
Blackwood scores with a shot to the body.
Blackwood lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
The fighters circle momentarily. Blackwood darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Blackwood circles away.
Blackwood dips to his left and cracks Gracie with an uppercut!
Blackwood catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackwood avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gracie throws a left and a right that both miss
and Blackwood counters with a stiff right hand.
Blackwood lands with a nice combination. Gracie backs away looking to recover.
Jab from Blackwood.
Blackwood stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Blackwood pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Gracie back to the cage. Blackwood follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gracie has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Blackwood lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Blackwood lands a lovely overhand right.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Blackwood.
Blackwood lands a nice shot to the body.
A punch combination from Blackwood misses.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie misses with a head kick.
Blackwood throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Blackwood dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Left hook, right uppercut from Blackwood.
Blackwood misses with a hook.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Blackwood pushes him off.
Blackwood avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fighters circling - Blackwood throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Blackwood circles away.
Blackwood stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Blackwood misses with a body shot.
Blackwood displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A left and a right from Blackwood both land. Nice combination.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Blackwood ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Blackwood counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Blackwood lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Blackwood tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Blackwood manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Steve Blackwood has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jaka Gracie.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Blackwood.
Blackwood scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Blackwood, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Blackwood against the cage but Blackwood circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Blackwood stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Blackwood wants it to stay on the feet.
Blackwood scores with a body shot.
Blackwood scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a push kick but Blackwood slaps the foot to one side.
Blackwood throws a series of strikes that have Gracie backpedaling.
Blackwood blocks a head kick by Gracie.
Blackwood connects with a nice looking jab.
Blackwood connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Blackwood is working the combinations to good effect here.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Gracie takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Blackwood uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gracie has time to react.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Blackwood misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Blackwood sprawls well.
Blackwood's corner calls for a 1-2. Blackwood obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Gracie tries to clinch up
and Blackwood counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.
Blackwood fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Blackwood scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Blackwood is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Blackwood circles away and we're back to standing.
Jaka Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Blackwood getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Blackwood showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Blackwood, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Blackwood!