PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Justin Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Musafa Mearot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mearot has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Musafa Mearot is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Black
vs
Mearot

197 cm
18
273 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
19
255 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Justin Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Musafa Mearot!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mearot dodges the punch combination from Black.
Black scores with the left hand. Mearot knows he should have avoided that one.
Mearot looks gassed!
Black misses with a series of wild punches.

Black scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Black perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Black thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mearot with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Black missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Black is taking a breather. Mearot 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.
Black seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Mearot for as long as he can get away with.
Mearot on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Black lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black is looking to take a break and control but Mearot is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Black not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Black lands strikes from half guard.
Mearot is not content to let Black control the position.
Black content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Nice strikes from Black there.
Black keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Black landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Black stands up out of the half guard.
An inside leg kick lands from Black.

Black decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Black working Mearot over with strikes.
Black working over Mearot with some ground and pound. Mearot looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nice strikes from Black there.
Mearot wants to control but Black is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Black drops an elbow to the side of Mearot's head.
Black slows the pace down in half guard.
Black 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Mearot wants to get back to full guard.
Black looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Black lands strikes from half guard.
Black could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Black trying to control from half guard but Mearot is working away.
Mearot tries to get to full guard but Black has control of the leg.
Black not doing much here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mearot wants to control but Black is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Ground and pound from Black.
Black lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Black stalling.
Black looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mearot with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Black looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Black dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Jab from Black.
Black is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mearot.

Mearot gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Black stands up from Mearot's guard - Black perhaps looking for a knockout.

Black drives through and clinches with Mearot against the cage.
Black wants to break the clinch but can't.

Black breaks from the clinch.
A punch combination from Black misses.
Black misses with a double jab.
Black swings for the body but Mearot moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Black instigates a clinch.
Black makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Black breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black clinches up with Mearot and pushes him back against the cage.
Black lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mearot backwards.

Black pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Black drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Black trying to control the position from guard on top but Mearot is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mearot is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Black is controlling him.
Black seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Black has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Black scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mearot working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Black.
Black wants to control from the top but Mearot keeps moving.
Justin Black overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Black decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Mearot misses with a takedown attempt
and Mearot takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Black throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mearot takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Black shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mearot wants to stand but Black is controlling the position.
Black with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black trying to control but Mearot is working from the bottom.
Black with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Black connects with a couple of short punches.
Mearot is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Black is controlling him.
Black scoring with punches to the head and body.
Black connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Black is working Mearot over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Black postures up and lands a big shot to Mearot's brow.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Black's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Black working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mearot's head.
Black throwing strikes but missing.
Mearot is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Black wants to control from the top but Mearot keeps moving.
Mearot can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Black controls the pace.
Black looking to pass the guard.
Mearot looking for a sweep. Not yet Mearot, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Black dominated that second round.
That's time! Black's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Black clinches up against the cage.
Black controlling the action here for a moment.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Black.
Black is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mearot can do to turn this around?
Black presses Mearot against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Black breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Black drops Mearot with a left right combo! Black follows him down to the ground into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mearot is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Black scoring with punches from side control.
Black scoring with punches from side control.
Black is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Mearot's shoulder. That is not cool.
Mearot is working to avoid the ground and pound but Black connects with a decent elbow.

Black stands up.
Justin Black is winning the standup battle so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mearot moves forwards but Black connects with a nice, crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black throws out a powerful jab.
Black lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mearot circles away quickly and effectively.
Black looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Black with a nice cross.

Black closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mearot is trying to stand up here but Black is controlling him well.
Black missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Black not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mearot trying to control from the bottom.
Mearot keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mearot is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mearot flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mearot tries to get to full guard but Black has control of the leg.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mearot fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Black throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Black darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Black working Mearot over with strikes.
Mearot is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Black wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mearot keeps working.
Mearot is trying to control but can't.
Black looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mearot with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Mearot wants to control but Black is keeping busy.
Mearot throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Mearot has hold of Black's hands but Black slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Mearot looking for submissions off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Black darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Justin Black is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is keen to just control but Mearot is a slippery customer.
Mearot wants to get back to full guard.
Black looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Mearot is trying to get back to full guard.
Mearot is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Black content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Black showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Black 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:24
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:24
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Black!