PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Blachovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Augusto Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Blachovich
vs
Vera

188 cm
23
210 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

205 cm
19
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Blachovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Augusto Vera!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vera tries to clinch up but Blachovich circles away and keeps his distance.
Blachovich tries to clinch but Vera moves away

and Vera counters by moving into the clinch.
Blachovich scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Blachovich has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Vera uses from the top position.
Vera wants to control from the top but Blachovich keeps moving.

Blachovich working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vera doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vera manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Blachovich looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Vera decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Blachovich, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera moves away from the strike by Blachovich.

Blachovich closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Blachovich slows the pace down in half guard.
Blachovich trying to pass the guard but Vera defending well.
Blachovich missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Vera is trying to control but can't.
Vera is not content to let Blachovich control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blachovich is really struggling to control Vera but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vera tries to keep at a distance but Blachovich has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

Blachovich gets a clinch.

Vera ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Vera no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vera is on top in guard.
Vera controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera trying to control the position from guard on top but Blachovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vera controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Blachovich is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Blachovich keeping moving, preventing Vera from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Blachovich looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Vera passes into side control.
Blachovich sneaks back into half guard.

Vera stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Blachovich will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Vera.
Blachovich throws a head kick but Vera moves out of range.
Vera shoots for a double leg takedown but Blachovich sprawls well. He's pushed Vera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Blachovich gets a clinch.
Vera is looking to control Blachovich's arms but Blachovich gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vera has his back to the cage.
Blachovich is struggling to control the position.
Vera takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Augusto Vera has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blachovich dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Blachovich drops down looking for an ankle pick but Vera pulls his leg out and moves away.
Vera keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blachovich circles away from the clinch attempt

and Blachovich counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Blachovich slows the pace down in half guard.
Vera avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Blachovich.
Vera is refusing to be controlled, as Blachovich sits in half guard.
Blachovich is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Vera is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blachovich is looking for a kimura here.

Blachovich is looking for a kimura but Vera is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Blachovich to get the leverage.
Vera makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Vera.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Blachovich accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Blachovich trying to stand up but can't free himself from Vera's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vera gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Blachovich holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blachovich lands a nice shot to the body.

Blachovich breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vera with a poor takedown
and Blachovich counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
John Blachovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Augusto Vera.

Blachovich takes the fight into the clinch.

Blachovich jumps into guard, dragging Vera to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vera sitting in guard here, content to control.

Blachovich throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Blachovich has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Vera can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vera wants to control from the top but Blachovich keeps moving.
Vera won't allow Blachovich to get back to his feet.

Blachovich has his foot on Vera's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Vera works his way back into a safe position though.
Vera wants to control from the top but Blachovich keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Blachovich dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Augusto Vera's cut.
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!

Vera swats away the attempt to clinch by Blachovich.
Blachovich with a lazy takedown attempt

and Vera counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blachovich's guard now.
Vera is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Vera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blachovich swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vera slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Vera trying to control the position from guard on top but Blachovich is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blachovich might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Blachovich looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Vera passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blachovich trying to hold on to Vera's head to control him but Vera postures up.
Vera is controlling the pace.

That's two 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.
Vera's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Vera is trying to control. Blachovich wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Augusto Vera just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blachovich misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vera circles away from the clinch attempt

and Vera counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Vera.
Stalling in the clinch from Vera.
Blachovich tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.
Blachovich manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Vera manages to break the clinch.

Vera feints and as Blachovich raises his hands in defense, Vera changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Blachovich pushes Vera off and scrambles back to his feet.
John Blachovich is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blachovich is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Blachovich closes the distance and clinches.
Vera wants to get back to striking at distance but Blachovich won't allow it.
Blachovich gets underhooks to prevent Vera's takedown attempt.
Vera wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Vera decides to pull guard.
Blachovich looking to sit in guard and control but Vera gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Blachovich doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Augusto Vera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Blachovich has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Blachovich!