PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andreas Metzger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Blackhill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Metzger
vs
Blackhill

199 cm
27
260 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

199 cm
28
246 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Andreas Metzger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Blackhill!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Metzger pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Metzger has closed the distance and engaged Blackhill in a clinch.
Metzger is trying to force a seperation but Blackhill has the dominant position.

Blackhill has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Metzger is trying to keep an underhook but Blackhill manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Blackhill wants to take a breather but Metzger is having none of it.
Blackhill not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Metzger manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Blackhill is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Blackhill 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.
Blackhill's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Blackhill tries to free his leg and advance position but Metzger is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackhill is in close to Metzger's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Metzger keeping moving, preventing Blackhill from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blackhill sitting in guard here, content to control.

OK we're going to have a standup here. James Blackhill hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Blackhill throws an overhand right that lands on Metzger's shoulder, as Metzger tries to avoid the shot.
Blackhill fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Blackhill throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Blackhill fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Blackhill lands a leg kick that knocks Metzger off balance momentarily.
Blackhill throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Metzger ducks right into an uppercut from Blackhill.

It looks like Andreas Metzger has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blackhill swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Blackhill or perhaps it was just good defense by Metzger which made him look bad.
Metzger scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Good work by Metzger as he checks the leg kick.
Blackhill scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Metzger on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Blackhill swats away the attempt to clinch by Metzger.
Blackhill throws a nice inside leg kick.
Blackhill misses with a takedown attempt
and Metzger counters with a nice body shot.
Blackhill doesn't manage to clinch there - Metzger circles away.
Blackhill uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Metzger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Metzger slips a jab and a cross from Blackhill.
Blackhill misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Blackhill fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Metzger checks it well.
Blackhill slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Metzger walks into a left hand.
Metzger will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Blackhill avoids a punch combination nicely.
Blackhill moves in looking to clinch but Metzger pushes him off.
Metzger is looking to clinch.
Metzger slips a jab from Blackhill.
Metzger keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Blackhill does it's job there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackhill misses with a two punch combination.
Blackhill is looking to score with low kicks.
Blackhill shoots in looking for a takedown but Metzger manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Blackhill's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Andreas Metzger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Blackhill.
Blackhill fails with the takedown.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Metzger avoids the body shot from Blackhill.
Blackhill throws a hook to the side of Metzger's head but Metzger sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Blackhill tries to close the distance and clinch but Metzger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
James Blackhill seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Metzger looks to land a combination but Blackhill avoids it well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Metzger throws a right and a left that both miss.
Metzger tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Blackhill.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Blackhill dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andreas Metzger'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.

Metzger swats away the attempt to clinch by Blackhill.

Metzger shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Blackhill is trying to defend but Metzger finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Blackhill is trying to maintain the position but Metzger is very close to passing his half guard.
Metzger not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Blackhill looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Metzger working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Blackhill is trying to get back to full guard.
Blackhill is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Metzger is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Blackhill sees it coming and defends easily.

Metzger is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Blackhill is trying to get back to full guard.
Metzger is trying to control the action in half guard but Blackhill is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Blackhill trying to hold on to Metzger's head to control him but Metzger postures up.
Blackhill wants to get back to full guard.
Blackhill wants to control but Metzger is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Metzger missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Blackhill has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Metzger is working away from the top position though.
Metzger lands with a punch from half guard.
Blackhill wants to get back to full guard.
Metzger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blackhill keeps working.
Blackhill slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Metzger trying to stand up but can't free himself from Blackhill's guard.
Blackhill is controlling Metzger's posture.
Metzger working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Metzger throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Metzger preventing the sweep.
Metzger trying to control the position from guard on top but Blackhill is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Metzger passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Blackhill is trying to get back to half guard.
Metzger working the body and head with strikes.
Metzger misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
A lull in the action here as Metzger stalls from top position.

Metzger is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Blackhill has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackhill defending against the ground and pound.

Metzger tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Metzger has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Blackhill tries to buck Metzger off but Metzger is having none of it.
Metzger misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Metzger working the ground and pound but Blackhill is defending the strikes.
Blackhill is trying to control Metzger's posture but Metzger avoids it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Metzger tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Metzger has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Blackhill is trying to control Metzger's posture but Metzger avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andreas Metzger dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andreas Metzger's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Blackhill closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Metzger to the mat! Metzger manages to get full guard.
Blackhill advances position into side control!
Metzger misses with a strike from the bottom.
Blackhill wants to control but Metzger is keeping him busy.
Metzger gets back to half guard.
Metzger is trying to maintain the position but Blackhill is very close to passing his half guard.
Blackhill blocks the strikes from Metzger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackhill wants to take a breather but Metzger is having none of it.
Metzger is looking for a sweep. Blackhill is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Blackhill wants to lay and pray for a moment but Metzger keeps working.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Metzger wants to get back to his feet.
Blackhill thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Metzger's head.
Metzger tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Metzger pushes Blackhill off but Blackhill dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackhill is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Blackhill throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Metzger taking a bit of punishment here - Blackhill scoring with strikes.
Blackhill looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Metzger is avoiding damage well.
Blackhill advances nicely into full mount.
Blackhill sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Blackhill can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Metzger is looking to escape.
Blackhill landing shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackhill with a couple of short strikes.
Metzger is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Blackhill scoring with strikes but Metzger is staying in there.
Blackhill looking to control but Metzger is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Metzger wants to hold on but Blackhill pushes him away.
Blackhill controlling the position easily from mount.
Metzger is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackhill is landing with some decent strikes but Metzger is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Metzger is squirming around, avoiding Blackhill's attempts to control the action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Blackhill lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Blackhill wants to control the pace but Metzger is squirming around nicely.
Blackhill in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
James Blackhill has got the better of the ground game so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Metzger is in a horrible position here. Blackhill smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Metzger in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Blackhill comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Blackhill has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Blackhill!
James Blackhill was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.