PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brian Estep (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Blankenship (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Estep comes into the arena with Courageous blaring out of the sound system. Blankenship is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Crazy Train. 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.

Estep
vs
Blankenship

183 cm
19
210 lbs
5 - 13 - 0

183 cm
19
210 lbs
2 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brian Estep!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shane Blankenship!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blankenship stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Blankenship wants it to stay on the feet.

Blankenship looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Estep is breathing heavily.
Blankenship looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Estep is trying to get back to full guard.
Blankenship takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Blankenship wants to free his trapped foot but Estep is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Estep is staying active underneath Blankenship, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shane Blankenship was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Blankenship throws a body kick that misses.

Blankenship lands a left and a right that send Estep crashing to the mat, dazed. Blankenship thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Brian Estep has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blankenship pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Blankenship misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Blankenship looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Shane Blankenship seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Blankenship with that takedown attempt.
Estep has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blankenship fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Estep to the ground. Blankenship is now in Estep's guard.
Estep wants to get back to his feet but Blankenship is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Blankenship controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Blankenship slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Blankenship is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Estep has escaped the position, nice work there.
Blankenship tries to move to mount but Estep blocks the move with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship advances to mount.
Blankenship tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Estep tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Estep is working hard here to advance position.
Estep manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Blankenship working Estep over with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blankenship performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Estep keeping control of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blankenship is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Blankenship dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Brian Estep's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Blankenship throws a head kick but Estep moves out of range.
Blankenship shoots in for a double leg but Estep sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Estep misses with a series of wild punches.

Blankenship takes the fight into the clinch.
Estep has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Estep is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Blankenship is defending well.
Blankenship slowing the pace effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blankenship pushes Estep back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Blankenship breaks the clinch.
Estep tries to clinch up.
Blankenship throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Estep slaps away a takedown attempt from Blankenship, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Brian Estep is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blankenship throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Blankenship keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Blankenship shoots in but Estep avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Brian Estep has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shane Blankenship.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blankenship feints and as Estep raises his hands in defense, Blankenship changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blankenship accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Blankenship stands and steps away. Estep gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blankenship shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Estep as he jumps to the side.
Blankenship shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Estep as he jumps to the side.
Blankenship fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blankenship tries to close the distance and clinch but Estep swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Blankenship is looking to clinch but Estep is avoiding it.
Horrible takedown by Estep or perhaps it was just good defense by Blankenship which made him look bad.
Blankenship throws a half hearted mid kick.
Blankenship tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Blankenship forces Estep back against the cage and clinches.

Estep pulls guard successfully.
Estep wants to stand but Blankenship is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship wanted to stand there but Estep had control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Estep is trying to keep Blankenship in close.
Estep is striking off his back. Blankenship thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Blankenship with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blankenship trying to pass the guard but Estep defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Blankenship showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Brian Estep's cut.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Blankenship closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Blankenship lands in his opponent's guard.
Blankenship is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Blankenship trying to control the position from guard on top but Estep is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Estep is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Blankenship with a flurry of punches that miss.
Blankenship stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Estep swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Estep wants to get back to his feet but Blankenship is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Blankenship stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Estep swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Estep trying to keep a closed guard but Blankenship is proving a slippery customer.
Estep working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Blankenship.
Estep working a defensive guard here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Blankenship shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Blankenship showed some decent athleticism there.
Blankenship has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Estep won't allow Blankenship to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship content to control rather than advance.
Blankenship wants to free his trapped foot but Estep is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Blankenship throws a strike but Estep manages to get a kimura sweep and he's found himself on top with the kimura half locked in! This would be a real turnaround! He's torquing it... Will Blankenship tap??? YES! He's tapped! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Brian Estep!
Brian Estep made sure to mention his sponsor, Nature's Edge Nutrition in his post fight interview.