PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Blanco (ranked 3790 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tomasz Kownacki (ranked 4769 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Tomasz Kownacki was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Blanco
vs
Kownacki

176 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Alexander Blanco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tomasz Kownacki!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, David Hoff and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blanco has taken the fight to the clinch.

Kownacki breaks the clinch.
Blanco doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Kownacki counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Blanco misses with a body shot.
Kownacki shoots in but Blanco avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Kownacki avoids the head kick by Blanco.
Kownacki shoots and misses

and Blanco counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Blanco.
Kownacki is working for takedown but Blanco is calmly controlling the position for now.
Alexander Blanco has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomasz Kownacki.
Blanco is struggling to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kownacki wants a takedown.

Blanco manages to break the clinch.
Blanco fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blanco moves into the clinch successfully.
Kownacki has Blanco pressed against the cage, preventing Blanco from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kownacki stops a takedown attempt from Blanco.
Blanco is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Kownacki breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kownacki lands a jab-cross combination.
Kownacki throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Kownacki has managed to clinch.
Kownacki drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Blanco pulls Kownacki into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blanco escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kownacki gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Blanco is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kownacki is aware though and is defending well.
Kownacki passes Blanco's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Blanco wants to improve his position but Kownacki is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco pushes Kownacki off looking to stand but Kownacki dives back in and keeps control.
Blanco wants to sweep but Kownacki has passed to side control!
Kownacki trying to control the action but Blanco is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blanco is trying to get back to half guard.
Blanco manages to work his way to half guard, despite Kownacki's best efforts.
Kownacki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Blanco keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Kownacki might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Blanco haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Kownacki slows the pace down in half guard.
Blanco avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kownacki.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blanco trying to control but Kownacki postures up.
Blanco tries to roll over but Kownacki keeps him under control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tomasz Kownacki will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Blanco throws a leg kick
and Kownacki counters with a left to the body.
Kownacki doesn't manage to clinch there - Blanco circles away.
Blanco went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Blanco pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kownacki shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Blanco sprawls well. Blanco wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kownacki gets slowly back to his feet.
Kownacki swinging wildly here.

Blanco fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kownacki, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blanco content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Blanco breaks from the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kownacki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanco tries to buck Kownacki off but Kownacki is having none of it.
Blanco tries to escape but Kownacki is in control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blanco tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kownacki wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kownacki trying to control the position but Blanco is working away.

Kownacki tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kownacki has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Kownacki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Blanco knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Blanco is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Blanco is trying to escape the position but Kownacki is controlling the position.
Blanco is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Kownacki is keen to just control but Blanco is a slippery customer.
Kownacki throwing shots but Blanco is blocking nicely.
Kownacki seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Blanco does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Tomasz Kownacki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Blanco wants to control but Kownacki is keeping busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki throws a low kick, looking for Blanco's leg but Blanco calmly moves out of range.
Blanco went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Kownacki stuffs the takedown attempt from Blanco. Blanco gets slowly back to his feet.

Kownacki moves into the clinch.
Blanco tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kownacki just stands there and leans against the cage.

Kownacki is trying to trip Blanco. He has hold of a leg but Blanco is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Kownacki persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Kownacki postures up.
Kownacki wants to stand but Blanco is controlling his posture from full guard.
Kownacki preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kownacki trying to control the position from guard on top but Blanco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Blanco has an active guard here but Kownacki has managed to pass into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blanco is staying active underneath Kownacki, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Kownacki wants to free his trapped foot but Blanco is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blanco manages to get to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomasz Kownacki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Kownacki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice takedown defense from Blanco. No joy for Kownacki on that attempt.
Blanco fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Kownacki manages to avoid it.
Blanco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kownacki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kownacki has closed the distance and engaged Blanco in a clinch.

Blanco decides to pull guard.
Kownacki trying to control but Blanco is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanco not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Blanco is pulling down on Kownacki's head to control his posture.

Blanco working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kownacki doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kownacki manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Kownacki passes Blanco's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Kownacki missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two 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.
Blanco looks like he's trying to stand up.

Kownacki wants to work for an arm triangle but Blanco is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kownacki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kownacki not landing any meaningful shots this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Blanco tries to clinch but Kownacki is having none of it.
Blanco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kownacki paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kownacki gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kownacki tries to pull guard but Blanco forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kownacki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanco pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Blanco tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kownacki just stands there and leans against the cage.
Blanco has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kownacki avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Blanco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Blanco breaks from the clinch.
Kownacki closes the distance and clinches up with Blanco, looking for a takedown. Kownacki pushes Blanco against the cage but Blanco circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Kownacki stuffs the takedown.
Blanco doesn't manage to clinch there - Kownacki circles away.

Blanco moves into the clinch successfully.

Blanco ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Blanco no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Kownacki wants to control from the top but Blanco keeps moving.
Kownacki wanted to stand there but Blanco had control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blanco had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Kownacki defends it easily.
Kownacki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kownacki's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tomasz Kownacki.
I've got Kownacki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tomasz Kownacki!