PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Quinn Blackburn (ranked 4712 p4p, 3990 weight class) and Steve Gore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Blackburn
vs
Gore

172 cm
20
135
4 - 1 - 0

168 cm
22
135
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Quinn Blackburn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Gore!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Illya Tyunina and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gore wants to clinch

and Blackburn counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Blackburn.
Gore is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gore bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Blackburn's guard.

Gore trying to control but Blackburn is working from the bottom.
Gore is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackburn keeping moving, preventing Gore from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn keeping full guard, as Gore tries to pass.

Gore gets to his feet. Blackburn looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Gore tries to clinch up

so Blackburn counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Gore scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Gore shoots for a takedown but Blackburn saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Blackburn attempts a counter takedown but Gore avoids it well and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gore looks to clinch

and Blackburn counters with a shoot takedown. Gore fights it but they end up in guard.

Gore scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gore closes the distance looking to clinch

and Blackburn counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Blackburn is breathing heavily.
Gore wants to control but Blackburn is keeping busy.
Gore is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Blackburn scores with a couple of nice shots.
Blackburn missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Blackburn throwing shots but Gore is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gore is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Blackburn's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Blackburn's back!
Gore is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Blackburn. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gore is looking for the choke from the back position but Blackburn is controlling his hands well.
Blackburn staying busy and making it hard for Gore to control.
Gore throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
A lull in the action here.
Gore controls the action.
Gore missing with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gore loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Blackburn hold on?

Gore is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Blackburn knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Blackburn for a finish.
Gore scores with strikes from the back.
Blackburn takes a big shot to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gore takes the fight into the clinch.
Blackburn blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Gore jumps guard.
Blackburn has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gore is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gore is trying to control the action in half guard but Blackburn is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blackburn is trying to maintain the position but Gore is very close to passing his half guard.
Gore tries to pass the half guard into mount. Blackburn knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gore postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Blackburn to stand up.
Gore closes the distance looking to clinch

so Blackburn counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Gore wriggles free and stands up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steve Gore seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gore tries to close the distance and clinch but Blackburn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Blackburn swats away the attempt to clinch by Gore.
Blackburn drops down looking for a counter takedown but Gore sprawls and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gore shoots in and drives through. Blackburn sprawls well.
Gore wants to clinch

and Blackburn counters with a shoot takedown. Gore fights it but they end up in guard.

Gore uses the cage to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gore jumps into guard, dragging Blackburn to the mat.
Gore manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Blackburn manages to get himself to full guard.

Blackburn is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Blackburn keeping moving, preventing Gore from controlling successfully.
Gore wanted to stand there but Blackburn had control of the position.
Blackburn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gore tries to free his leg and advance position but Blackburn is retaining full guard.
Blackburn keeping moving, preventing Gore from controlling successfully.
Gore loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gore sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gore drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Gore seems to have locked his on tight now - Blackburn screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Gore, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Steve Gore!