PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ari Birmiski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Orlando Bloom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Birmiski's entrance music is I'm Back - T.I. A fine choice. Ari Birmiski has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Birmiski
vs
Bloom

170 cm
26
140 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

172 cm
26
140 lbs
14 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Milwaukee's Best 159's - $69

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ari Birmiski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Orlando Bloom!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bloom delivers a nice body kick.
Bloom wants to clinch
and Birmiski cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Orlando Bloom seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Birmiski scores with a nice right hand.
Birmiski circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bloom tries to work over Birmiski's front leg with a kick but Birmiski checks it.
Bloom connects with a leg kick. Birmiski looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bloom tries to land a leg kick but Birmiski saw it coming and moves away.
Bloom tries to clinch up
and Birmiski counters with a stiff right hand.
Birmiski misses with a looping right.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Bloom, right into the meat.
Bloom tries to clinch up

and Birmiski counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bloom tries to pull guard but Birmiski forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Bloom throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bloom misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bloom pushes off an throws an elbow but Birmiski leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Birmiski manages to break the clinch.
Bloom tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Birmiski avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Bloom fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Birmiski, pushing him back against the cage.
Birmiski blocks an uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Bloom lands a right hand that snaps the head of Birmiski backwards.
Bloom has a couple of punches blocked by Birmiski.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski lands an uppercut.
Bloom swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Birmiski tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bloom misses with a punch on the inside.
Bloom's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nice elbow from Bloom.

Birmiski manages to break the clinch.
Bloom throws a wild body kick that Birmiski sees coming a mile off.

Bloom gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bloom misses with some punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bloom misses with a punch on the inside.
Bloom misses with a short punch on the inside.

Birmiski gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Birmiski is pressing down on Bloom's thigh, looking to free his foot. Bloom is holding on for now.
Birmiski is trying to control. Bloom wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Bloom is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Birmiski seems content to control.
Birmiski thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bloom's head.
Birmiski wants to control but Bloom is keeping him busy.
Birmiski landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Birmiski looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bloom manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Birmiski stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bloom swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Birmiski pushing down on Bloom's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Birmiski 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.
Birmiski is thwarting Bloom's attempts to control the position.
Birmiski seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bloom does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Birmiski is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bloom defends it well.
Birmiski seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bloom does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Birmiski tries to pass to full mount but Bloom defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bloom is trying to stand back up but Birmiski is controlling him
Birmiski not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Birmiski passes the guard and advances to mount!
Birmiski unloading with bombs!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Birmiski lands a nice shot to the head.
Bloom wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Birmiski dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Birmiski avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Birmiski throws a wild body kick that Bloom sees coming a mile off.
Birmiski takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
An inside leg kick lands from Bloom.
Birmiski shoots in but Bloom avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bloom closes the distance looking to clinch
and Birmiski counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Orlando Bloom is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bloom looks to clinch
and Birmiski counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Bloom moves into range and clinches up with Birmiski.
Birmiski wants to break free but Bloom has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birmiski misses with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Birmiski.
Bloom throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bloom tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bloom tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bloom tries a body shot but Birmiski blocks it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Bloom as Birmiski tries to tie him up.
Bloom pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Bloom tries to pull guard but Birmiski holds him up against the cage and eventually Bloom drops back down to his feet.
Bloom tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Bloom is fighting off a takedown attempt but Birmiski is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Bloom to the mat. Bloom regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Bloom wants to sweep but no luck.
Birmiski trying to control the position from guard on top but Bloom is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Birmiski is really struggling to control Bloom but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Birmiski in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Birmiski wants to pass the guard but Bloom is keeping the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Birmiski trying to control the position from guard on top but Bloom is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Birmiski makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bloom 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.
Birmiski wants to pass the guard but Bloom is keeping the position.
Birmiski landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bloom is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bloom keeping moving, preventing Birmiski from controlling successfully.
Birmiski controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Birmiski wants to pass the guard but Bloom is keeping the position.
Birmiski trying to control but Bloom is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ari Birmiski just wasn't active enough.
Bloom throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Bloom slips under a jab.
Orlando Bloom is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Birmiski has managed to clinch.
Birmiski lands with a short shot to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Bloom.

Birmiski breaks from the clinch.
Bloom throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Birmiski rushes Bloom and presses him up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Birmiski.
Birmiski throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Bloom misses with a punch on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bloom misses with the head strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Birmiski.
Birmiski stalls.
Birmiski looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Birmiski dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Bloom darts in trying to clinch
and Birmiski counters with a nice body shot.
Bloom darts in trying to clinch
and Birmiski counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Bloom turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Bloom cracks the inside of Birmiski's front leg.
Bloom tries to clinch but Birmiski moves away

and Birmiski counters by moving into the clinch.
Birmiski blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Birmiski working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Bloom misses with a hook from the clinch.
Birmiski effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Birmiski lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bloom misses with the head strike.
Bloom tries a body shot but Birmiski blocks it.
Birmiski just leaning against Bloom, taking a breather.

Birmiski has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Bloom is trying to keep an underhook but Birmiski manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Birmiski stops Bloom from getting back to his feet.
Birmiski is trying to control. Bloom wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Birmiski scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Birmiski seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bloom manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Birmiski makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Bloom pulls Birmiski in close to prevent any damage.
Bloom looking to control but Birmiski passes into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Birmiski throwing shots but Bloom is blocking nicely.
Birmiski not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Birmiski looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Bloom with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Bloom kicks Birmiski off and gets back to his feet.
Birmiski tries to score with a low kick but Bloom moves his leg out of the way.
Birmiski scores with a leg kick.
Bloom tries to clinch but Birmiski is having none of it.
Bloom takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Bloom clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bloom prevents the takedown attempt.
Bloom doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Birmiski lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bloom backwards.
Bloom prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bloom lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Birmiski backwards.
Birmiski taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Birmiski prevents a body shot from Bloom.
Bloom lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Ari Birmiski has been cut.
Birmiski is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bloom to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ari Birmiski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Birmiski pushes Bloom back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Birmiski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ari Birmiski is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Birmiski thows a left - swing and a miss!
Birmiski misses with the combination.
Bloom lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Birmiski ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bloom moves away.
Bloom moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Orlando Bloom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A low kick from Bloom is predictable there
enabling Birmiski to counter with a crisp jab.
Bloom tries to close the distance and clinch but Birmiski swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Birmiski lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bloom at a distance.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Bloom, right into the meat.
A telegraphed right hand from Birmiski misses the target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bloom is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Birmiski showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bloom.

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 Ari Birmiski.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Birmiski, 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 Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ari Birmiski!
Ari Birmiski seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.