PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nelson Blanchard (ranked 4979 p4p, 4047 weight class) and Shavkat Velikan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shavkat Velikan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Blanchard
vs
Velikan

180 cm
18
180
0 - 1 - 0

194 cm
18
182
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nelson Blanchard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shavkat Velikan!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Chris Dean and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blanchard gets a double leg takedown into Velikan's guard.
Blanchard landing with the ground and pound.
Velikan is wriggling around but Blanchard manages to pass to half guard.
Velikan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Blanchard lands with a punch from half guard.
Blanchard is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Blanchard seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Velikan is trying to maintain the position but Blanchard is very close to passing his half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velikan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Blanchard seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Velikan is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Blanchard scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velikan tries to get to full guard but Blanchard has control of the leg.
Blanchard not doing much here.
Blanchard lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Blanchard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two 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.
Blanchard scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Velikan has hold of Blanchard's hands but Blanchard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Well, if Blanchard is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Blanchard connects with a nice short shot to Velikan's temple.
Blanchard not doing much here.
Blanchard lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velikan has hold of Blanchard's hands but Blanchard slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Ground and pound from Blanchard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blanchard winds up and cracks Velikan with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Blanchard drops an elbow to the side of Velikan's head.
Blanchard lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Blanchard slows the pace down in half guard.
Blanchard 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard is taking a breather. Velikan says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Velikan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Blanchard is working away from the top position though.
Blanchard drops an elbow to the side of Velikan's head.
Velikan trying to control here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blanchard is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Blanchard controlling the action here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nelson Blanchard dominated that round.
That's time! Blanchard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Blanchard drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Blanchard is stalling in the full guard.
Blanchard with a nice head shot there.
Blanchard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Velikan's head.
Blanchard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blanchard chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velikan is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Velikan has an active guard here but Blanchard has managed to pass into half guard.
Blanchard is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Velikan can do to turn this around?
Blanchard is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Blanchard scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Velikan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Blanchard. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Blanchard is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Blanchard uses his free foot to push down on Velikan's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Velikan.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Blanchard cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard avoids the attempt from Velikan to control.
Blanchard lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Velikan hang on?
Velikan is working to get back to half guard.
Velikan in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Blanchard lands a couple of good shots and Velikan has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Blanchard controls the action.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blanchard scores with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
Velikan is trapped and Blanchard is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Blanchard biding his time, controlling Velikan.
Nelson Blanchard overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Blanchard has the hooks in. Velikan is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Blanchard connects with a big shot to the side of Velikan's head.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Velikan hold on?!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Velikan trying to control but not successfully.
Blanchard is working the ground and pound. Can Velikan escape?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nelson Blanchard dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A decent looking cross lands there for Velikan.
Velikan lands with a right hand.
Blanchard with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Velikan to score with a decent uppercut.

Blanchard is rocked!
Velikan throws a right and a left that Blanchard avoids nicely.

Blanchard looking to score a takedown here. Velikan is defending well but Blanchard drives through and ends up in Velikan's guard.
Blanchard stands up over Velikan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Blanchard keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Velikan's head.
Blanchard sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Velikan is looking for a triangle here but Blanchard uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blanchard cracks Velikan with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Blanchard working the head and body with strikes.
Blanchard scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Velikan to see if he's OK.
Blanchard looks up at the clock and then as Velikan takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Blanchard smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Blanchard controls the position.
Blanchard cracks Velikan with a big right hand but Velikan just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Blanchard taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velikan taking punishment in the form of punches.
Velikan being controlled for a moment.
Blanchard connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Velikan some visible discomfort.
Blanchard controlling the position from side mount.
Blanchard has control of an arm but Velikan manages to advance to Blanchard's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velikan doesn't have the hooks in and Blanchard manages to turn into his guard.
Velikan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Blanchard sitting in guard here, content to control.
Velikan is trying to hold Blanchard in close to prevent damage but Blanchard has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blanchard working over Velikan with some ground and pound. Velikan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Velikan trying to control from the bottom.
Blanchard takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Blanchard content to control rather than advance.
Blanchard 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.
Blanchard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blanchard 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.
Shavkat Velikan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nelson Blanchard is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Blanchard prevents Velikan from improving his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nelson Blanchard showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Blanchard, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:25
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:25
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nelson Blanchard!