PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lazaro Wheeler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler Blackburn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Wheeler
vs
Blackburn

153 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

202 cm
20
231 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lazaro Wheeler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyler Blackburn!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Colin Fray and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wheeler clinches up with Blackburn and pushes him back against the cage.
Blackburn jumps guard but Wheeler stands there with Blackburn around his waist. Blackburn gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Wheeler using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Blackburn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Wheeler slows down the pace here.
Blackburn is looking for a takedown.
Wheeler keeps control of Blackburn as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Wheeler lands a hook that snaps the head of Blackburn backwards.
Blackburn tries to pull guard but Wheeler holds him up against the cage and eventually Blackburn drops back down to his feet.
Lazaro Wheeler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Blackburn.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Blackburn drags the fight down to the ground.
Blackburn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wheeler is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Wheeler is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Blackburn wants to hit a switch here but Wheeler passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Blackburn there!
Blackburn is trying to escape the mount.
Blackburn is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Wheeler trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wheeler 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Blackburn wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Wheeler.
Blackburn keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Wheeler pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Wheeler there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Wheeler looking to ground and pound but Blackburn is blocking nicely.
Blackburn really wants to buck Wheeler off and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Blackburn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wheeler.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wheeler seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Blackburn does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Blackburn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Wheeler thows a huge punch but Blackburn dodges it nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wheeler thows a huge punch but Blackburn dodges it nicely.
Wheeler drops an elbow to the side of Blackburn's head.

Blackburn looking for submissions off his back.
Wheeler takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler is controlling the pace.
Wheeler prevents Blackburn from improving his position.
Wheeler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blackburn keeps working.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blackburn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wheeler.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lazaro Wheeler dominated that round.
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.

Wheeler throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Blackburn closes the distance and clinches.
Wheeler lands an elbow that stopped Blackburn in his tracks for a moment.
Wheeler is trying to pull guard but Blackburn has him pressed against the cage.
Wheeler has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Wheeler tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Blackburn smiles and moves away.
Blackburn is looking to clinch but Wheeler is avoiding it.
Wheeler feinted with a counter takedown.
Blackburn shoots in looking for a takedown. Wheeler tries to sprawl out of it but Blackburn keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Wheeler manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Wheeler really is a fat lump.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Wheeler pushes Blackburn up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn blocks the elbow strike.

Wheeler breaks the clinch.
Blackburn is looking to clinch but Wheeler is avoiding it.
No luck for Blackburn with that takedown attempt.
Blackburn throws a body kick that misses.
Wheeler attempts a counter takedown but Blackburn avoids it well and moves away.
Blackburn fails with the takedown.
Lazaro Wheeler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Blackburn.
Wheeler pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Wheeler pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn swats away the attempt to clinch by Wheeler.
Blackburn fails with a takedown attempt.
Wheeler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blackburn swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Blackburn moves into the clinch successfully.
Blackburn is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Wheeler gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Wheeler with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Blackburn wants to take the fight to the mat but Wheeler manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Wheeler breaks the clinch.
Blackburn goes for a double leg but Wheeler avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Wheeler continues to drive forward.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler tries to clinch up.
Blackburn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Wheeler as he avoids it easily.
Wheeler drops down looking for a counter takedown but Blackburn sprawls and moves away.
Blackburn is breathing heavily.
Wheeler throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Blackburn shoots in for a takedown but Wheeler shows good takedown defense.

Wheeler closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Blackburn is trying to pull guard but Wheeler turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Wheeler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Blackburn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Wheeler is fending him off so far but Blackburn persists. Nope, Wheeler circles away and we're back to standing.
Wheeler feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Blackburn's calf.
Blackburn fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wheeler clinches up against the cage.
Wheeler tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Blackburn is looking to break free of the clinch but Wheeler has double underhooks.

Wheeler manages to break the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blackburn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Wheeler manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Wheeler lands a nice looking kick to the body. Blackburn takes a step back to recover.
Blackburn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lazaro Wheeler dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Wheeler throws a head kick but Blackburn moves out of range.
Blackburn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Blackburn is looking to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Blackburn is defended easily by Wheeler.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wheeler keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Blackburn's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn jumps guard but Wheeler turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Wheeler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Blackburn wants to clinch.
Tyler Blackburn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wheeler throws a wild body kick that Blackburn sees coming a mile off.
Wheeler displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Blackburn.
Lazaro Wheeler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyler Blackburn.

Blackburn moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler has Blackburn pressed against the cage, preventing Blackburn from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Wheeler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Blackburn tries for a takedown but Wheeler circles away easily

and Wheeler moves into the clinch.

Blackburn pulls Wheeler into guard.
Blackburn is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Blackburn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Wheeler connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wheeler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Wheeler postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Wheeler might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Wheeler throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn has momentary wrist control but Wheeler slips an elbow through the middle.
Blackburn controls Wheeler momentarily but Wheeler frees himself.
Blackburn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Wheeler is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Blackburn can do to turn this around?
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wheeler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Blackburn working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Wheeler has passed into half guard!
Wheeler slips a nice elbow through Blackburn's hands, connecting with Blackburn's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Wheeler lands a nice short elbow.
Blackburn pushes Wheeler off looking to stand but Wheeler dives back in and keeps control.
Wheeler is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Wheeler prevents Blackburn from improving his position.
Blackburn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wheeler.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blackburn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Wheeler.
Blackburn wants to get back to his feet.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tyler Blackburn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lazaro Wheeler is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Blackburn is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Wheeler scores with a couple of nice shots.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lazaro Wheeler showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Wheeler has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lazaro Wheeler!