PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Colby Strong (ranked 3004 p4p, 5317 weight class) and Matt Bloomer (ranked 375 p4p, 562 weight class). Colby Strong has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Strong
vs
Bloomer

199 cm
19
200
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
21
200
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Colby Strong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matt Bloomer!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bloomer shoots in and drives through. Strong sprawls well.
Strong tries to counter by clinching up but Bloomer breaks away and moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Bloomer as Strong shoots in.
Strong with a nice cross.
Bloomer goes for a double leg but Strong avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Strong continues to drive forward.

Bloomer gets a clinch.
Bloomer prevents a takedown attempt there.
Strong just leaning against Bloomer, taking a breather.
Strong fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Strong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strong is trying to drag Bloomer to the mat but Bloomer just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strong jumps guard but Bloomer stands there with Strong around his waist. Strong gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Strong is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Bloomer gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Bloomer walks away with a smile on his face. Strong gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Bloomer closes the distance and pushes Strong back into the cage.
Strong tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bloomer smiles and moves away.
Strong tries for a takedown but Bloomer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Strong.
Bloomer fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Strong is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bloomer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Strong is breathing heavily.
Strong tries for a takedown but Bloomer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bloomer.

Bloomer gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strong pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bloomer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters circling a little - Bloomer finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Bloomer misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Strong tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bloomer closes the distance and clinches up with Strong, looking for a takedown. Bloomer pushes Strong against the cage but Strong circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bloomer throws a head kick that half lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strong misses with a combination
and Bloomer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Bloomer has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bloomer manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong tries to clinch but Bloomer is having none of it.
Bloomer cracks Strong with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Horrible takedown attempt by Strong or perhaps it was just good defense by Bloomer, which made it look bad.
Strong on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Strong keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Bloomer is looking to clinch but Strong is avoiding it.
Strong with a poor takedown
and Bloomer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Bloomer shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Strong as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bloomer is looking to clinch.
Strong goes for a double leg but Bloomer avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Bloomer continues to drive forward.

Bloomer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bloomer fails to land the takedown.
Strong is looking to counter punch.
Strong closes the distance but Bloomer moves to the side
and Bloomer counters with a series of strikes. Strong will be more careful next time no doubt.
Strong throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Bloomer keeps the fight on the outside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bloomer defending well as Strong loads up on a big left hand.
Bloomer shoots and misses
and Strong counters with a two punch combo.
Bloomer closes the distance and clinches up with Strong, looking for a takedown. Bloomer pushes Strong against the cage but Strong circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Bloomer dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Strong is looking to clinch.
As Strong backs off Bloomer throws a huge counter combo but Strong manages to avoid it all.
Bloomer fails in his attempt to clinch.
Strong fails to land the takedown.
Bloomer scores with a nice body kick.
Strong wants to clinch
and Bloomer counters with a flying knee. Nice.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bloomer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Strong throws a leg kick but Bloomer sees it coming and moves out of range.
Bloomer lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Bloomer fails with an attempt to clinch.

Strong clinches up with Bloomer and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong wants a takedown but no success here.
Bloomer prevents Strong from breaking the clinch.
Strong is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Bloomer to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Strong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bloomer avoiding damage as Strong throws knees to the body.
Bloomer has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Bloomer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice takedown defense from Strong. No joy for Bloomer on that attempt.
Bloomer slips a straight right by Strong.
A head kick by Strong misses
and Bloomer makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Strong really felt that one!
Bloomer throws a one two combo.

It looks like Colby Strong has been cut.
Bloomer shoots in but Strong avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Strong tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Bloomer manages to circle out of the way.
Strong doesn't manage to clinch there - Bloomer circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bloomer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Strong as he jumps to the side.
Bloomer looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Strong is fending him off so far but Bloomer persists. Nope, Strong circles away and we're back to standing.
Strong is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bloomer sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bloomer is looking for the big counter here.
A head kick by Strong misses
and Bloomer counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Strong gets a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Bloomer takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Bloomer jumps guard and drags Strong to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Strong trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bloomer's guard.
Strong looking to sit in guard and control but Bloomer gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong keeping moving, preventing Bloomer from controlling successfully.

Strong looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Bloomer has picked Strong up and slammed him! Strong can't keep hold of the triangle and Bloomer manages to pass to side control!
Bloomer is looking to take a break and control but Strong is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bloomer controlling from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Strong is looking for a sweep.
Strong dodges the ground and pound from Bloomer.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Strong is looking for a sweep.
The referee asks Bloomer politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Bloomer prefers to stall for the moment though.
Strong gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Bloomer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Colby Strong's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Strong shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Strong was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Bloomer struggling a bit here.
Strong is trying to ground and pound but Bloomer uses the momentary lack of control by Strong to regain half guard.
Bloomer tries to get to full guard but Strong has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Strong escapes and gets back to his feet.
Matt Bloomer seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strong shoots in for a takedown but Bloomer shows good takedown defense.
Strong with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bloomer counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Strong is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
No luck for Bloomer with that takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Strong. No joy for Bloomer on that attempt.
Bloomer throws a shot to the body.
Strong closes the distance but Bloomer moves to the side
and Bloomer counters with a good low kick that Strong was not able to check.
Bloomer dives in for a single leg takedown but Strong sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Colby Strong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Bloomer.

Strong clinches.
Strong is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bloomer's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bloomer will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Strong lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Strong is looking to clinch.
Strong misses with the combination.

Bloomer moves into the clinch.
Bloomer wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Strong jumps guard but Bloomer stands there with Strong around his waist. Strong gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bloomer has Strong pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Strong manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strong fails to pull guard.
Bloomer is trying to pull guard but Strong has him pressed against the cage.
Bloomer jumps guard but Strong turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Bloomer gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Strong.

Strong jumps guard and drags Bloomer to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Strong is working an open guard so Bloomer takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Strong doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Bloomer makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bloomer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Colby Strong is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strong slaps away a takedown attempt from Bloomer, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Strong feints and as Bloomer raises his hands in defense, Strong changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Strong sitting in guard here, content to control.
Bloomer is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Strong manages to escape and get back to his feet!

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 Colby Strong.
Well Bloomer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Bloomer!