PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hector Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drake Bledsoe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alvarez kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is No Easy Way Out. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Alvarez
vs
Bledsoe

188 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
203 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent knees
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hector Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Drake Bledsoe!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez shoots in but Bledsoe avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Bledsoe rushes Alvarez and presses him up against the cage.
Bledsoe can't break the clinch.
Alvarez has Bledsoe pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bledsoe manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Bledsoe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but Bledsoe shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hector Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alvarez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bledsoe.

Bledsoe moves into range and clinches up with Alvarez.
Bledsoe can't break the clinch.
Alvarez can't get the takedown.

Bledsoe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bledsoe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alvarez swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Alvarez tries to keep at a distance but Bledsoe has taken the fight into the clinch.
Alvarez tries for a takedown. No joy.
Bledsoe wants to break free but Alvarez has control.

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

Bledsoe clinches up with Alvarez and pushes him back against the cage.
Bledsoe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Alvarez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bledsoe avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Alvarez prevents Bledsoe from breaking the clinch.
Bledsoe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bledsoe prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bledsoe breaks from the clinch.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.
Alvarez fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Alvarez is breathing heavily.
Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bledsoe tries to clinch up but Alvarez circles away and keeps his distance.
Bledsoe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bledsoe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Bledsoe has taken the fight to the clinch.
Alvarez wants a takedown but no success here.

Bledsoe breaks from the clinch.
Bledsoe scores with a jab. Alvarez acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Bledsoe misses with a two punch combination.
Bledsoe tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.

Alvarez tries to keep at a distance but Bledsoe has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bledsoe can't break the clinch.

Bledsoe breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bledsoe swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Bledsoe.
Bledsoe should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Bledsoe rushes Alvarez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Bledsoe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Some wild striking there from Bledsoe.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Bledsoe.

Bledsoe gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Alvarez stops Bledsoe from standing up.
Alvarez connects with a couple of short punches.
Bledsoe wants to stand but Alvarez is controlling the position.
Alvarez pushes down on Bledsoe's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Alvarez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Alvarez lands a nice short elbow.
Alvarez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Alvarez looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Bledsoe wants to get back to his feet.
Alvarez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Alvarez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bledsoe's waist but Bledsoe gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Alvarez off to one side.

Bledsoe has Alvarez up against the cage in a clinch.

Bledsoe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez shoots in and drives through. Bledsoe sprawls well.
Bledsoe fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Bledsoe throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Alvarez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bledsoe swivels and escapes.
Alvarez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Alvarez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Nice sprawl there from Bledsoe as Alvarez shoots in.
Bledsoe tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.

Bledsoe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Alvarez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Bledsoe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice takedown defense from Bledsoe. No joy for Alvarez on that attempt.

Bledsoe forces Alvarez back against the cage and clinches.
Alvarez goes for a takedown attempt but Bledsoe pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Drake Bledsoe dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bledsoe tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bledsoe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alvarez doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Bledsoe doesn't manage to clinch there - Alvarez circles away.
Bledsoe tries to clinch but Alvarez is having none of it.
Bledsoe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Alvarez shoots in but Bledsoe avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bledsoe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Alvarez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alvarez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bledsoe's waist but Bledsoe gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Alvarez off to one side.
Bledsoe tries to clinch up but Alvarez circles away and keeps his distance.

Bledsoe closes the distance and clinches.
Bledsoe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Alvarez has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alvarez has Bledsoe pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bledsoe manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hector Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bledsoe wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Bledsoe manages to break the clinch.
Bledsoe wants to clinch up but Alvarez keeps it at a distance.
Bledsoe tries to clinch but Alvarez is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bledsoe tries to clinch but Alvarez is having none of it.
Bledsoe tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.
Alvarez closes the distance and clinches up with Bledsoe, looking for a takedown. Alvarez pushes Bledsoe against the cage but Bledsoe circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hector Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Bledsoe moves into the clinch.
Bledsoe has had enough of the clinch but Alvarez keeps him there for the moment.
Bledsoe gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Bledsoe manages to break the clinch.
Bledsoe tries to clinch there but Alvarez circles away.
Bledsoe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Alvarez shoots in but Bledsoe avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Alvarez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Alvarez scores with a takedown into Bledsoe's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez working some strikes from top position.
Alvarez landing some decent shots from guard.
Alvarez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alvarez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alvarez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Bledsoe is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Alvarez can't get the takedown.

Bledsoe manages to break the clinch.
Bledsoe with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Alvarez to score with a decent uppercut.
Bledsoe moves in looking to clinch but Alvarez pushes him off.

Alvarez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Bledsoe bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alvarez swats away the attempt to clinch by Bledsoe.
Bledsoe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Alvarez circles away quickly and effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez jabs Bledsoe right on the nose. Bledsoe blinks but takes it well.
Alvarez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bledsoe circles away.
Alvarez fails with a takedown attempt.

Bledsoe clinches up with Alvarez and pushes him back against the cage.
Bledsoe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Bledsoe is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Alvarez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Bledsoe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Alvarez tries to score a body lock takedown but Bledsoe shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Bledsoe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Alvarez.
Bledsoe tries to close the distance and clinch but Alvarez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bledsoe wants to clinch up but Alvarez keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.

Bledsoe clinches up against the cage.

Bledsoe breaks from the clinch.
Bledsoe is looking to clinch.

Alvarez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Bledsoe is trying to buck Alvarez off.
Alvarez lands an elbow.
Alvarez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Alvarez working the ground and pound from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Drake Bledsoe will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! 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.

Bledsoe closes the distance and clinches.

Bledsoe manages to break the clinch.
Alvarez shoots in for a double leg but Bledsoe sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alvarez shoots in looking for a takedown. Bledsoe tries to sprawl out of it but Alvarez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bledsoe manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bledsoe tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Bledsoe gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Bledsoe escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bledsoe throws a series of punches but Alvarez avoids them all with ease.

Bledsoe clinches up against the cage.
Bledsoe wants to get back to striking at distance but Alvarez won't allow it.

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

Alvarez darts in and clinches Bledsoe up against the cage.
Bledsoe wants to break free but Alvarez has control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bledsoe gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Alvarez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hector Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Bledsoe breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bledsoe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Alvarez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alvarez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Bledsoe wants to clinch up but Alvarez keeps it at a distance.
Alvarez throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bledsoe moves into the clinch.

Bledsoe breaks the clinch.
Alvarez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but Bledsoe shows good takedown defense.
Bledsoe stuffs the takedown attempt from Alvarez. Alvarez gets slowly back to his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Bledsoe!
Bledsoe throws a shot to the body.

Alvarez drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alvarez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Alvarez stands up over Bledsoe, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Bledsoe has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Alvarez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bledsoe as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bledsoe swivels and escapes.
Alvarez with a poor takedown

and Bledsoe holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Bledsoe breaks from the clinch.
Alvarez fails to land the takedown.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bledsoe as he jumps to the side.
Bledsoe tries to clinch but Alvarez moves away

and Alvarez counters with a shoot takedown. Bledsoe fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Bledsoe uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Bledsoe is looking to clinch but Alvarez is avoiding it.
Alvarez has a takedown stuffed.

Bledsoe moves into the clinch successfully.

Bledsoe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Bledsoe throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Alvarez.
Alvarez misses with a takedown

and Bledsoe counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bledsoe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Bledsoe avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Bledsoe pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bledsoe fails with an attempt to clinch.
Bledsoe fails with an attempt to clinch.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bledsoe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Alvarez paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Bledsoe takes the fight into the clinch.
Bledsoe gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Alvarez.
Bledsoe wants to get back to striking at distance but Alvarez won't allow it.
Bledsoe is trying to break free.
Alvarez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bledsoe is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Alvarez looking for a takedown.

Bledsoe manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Alvarez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez working the ground and pound from side control.
Alvarez creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Bledsoe takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Bledsoe is trying to get back to his feet.
Alvarez working the head with strikes.
Bledsoe is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Hector Alvarez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Alvarez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Alvarez lands in his opponent's guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Bledsoe pushes Alvarez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Drake Bledsoe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alvarez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

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 Hector Alvarez.
I think Bledsoe 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Drake Bledsoe!