PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Travis Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Balboa
vs
Black

190 cm
20
210 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
24
205 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rocky Balboa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Travis Black!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Aleksandr Martynov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balboa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Black sprawls well. Black wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Balboa gets slowly back to his feet.
Black will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Black ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice sprawl there from Black as Balboa shoots in.
Black ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Black misses the shot to the body.
Balboa checks the leg kick.
Balboa missing with a left hand there. Black was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Black throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rocky Balboa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Black will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Balboa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balboa wants to clinch.
Black avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balboa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A combination from Black does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balboa gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Black to score an easy takedown into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Balboa is on top in guard.

Black is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Balboa won't allow Black to get back to his feet.
Black looking to hit a scissor sweep but Balboa is one step ahead there.
Balboa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black has his foot on Balboa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Balboa works his way back into a safe position though.
Black looks gassed!
Balboa lands a couple of digs.
Balboa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balboa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Black escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Balboa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Balboa cracks Black with a solid left hand.
Balboa trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Balboa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Balboa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Balboa works over Black with some ground and pound from guard.
Black tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Black preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Balboa throwing strikes but missing.
Balboa throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa landing with the ground and pound.

Black is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Balboa defends well.
Balboa scoring with some ground and pound.

Black is looking for a triangle but Balboa pushes his legs off easily.
Black is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Balboa is controlling him.
Balboa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Balboa cracks Black with a solid left hand.

Black has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Balboa can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Balboa works over Black with some ground and pound from guard.
Balboa is working Black over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Balboa working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balboa working some strikes from top position.
Balboa working some strikes from top position.
Black tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balboa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Balboa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Black throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Balboa postures up and lands a big shot to Black's brow.

Black is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Balboa is aware though and is defending well.
Balboa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Balboa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Black avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Balboa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Balboa tries to clinch but Black moves out of range.
A punch combination from Black misses.

Balboa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Balboa dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Balboa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
No luck for Black with that takedown attempt.
Balboa throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Black on the side of the head.

It looks like Travis Black has been cut.
Balboa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Balboa is looking to clinch but Black is avoiding it.
Balboa pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Black looks to land a combination but Balboa avoids it well.
Black keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Balboa.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balboa.
Balboa slips a jab and a cross from Black.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No luck for Black with that takedown attempt.
Travis Black is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No luck for Balboa with that takedown attempt.
Black blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa tries to clinch but Black is having none of it.
Balboa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Black.
Rocky Balboa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Travis Black.
The fighters circling - Balboa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Black shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Balboa's guard.

Balboa has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Black off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Balboa misses with a body kick.
Balboa closes the distance and clinches up with Black, looking for a takedown. Balboa pushes Black against the cage but Black circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Black avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Black tries to keep at a distance but Balboa has taken the fight into the clinch.
Black is trying to break free.
Black tries to break the clinch but Balboa is controlling the position.
Black pushes Balboa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Black jumps guard but Balboa stands there with Black around his waist. Black gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Black has Balboa pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Balboa manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balboa gets through Black's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Black is trying to drag Balboa to the mat but Balboa just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Balboa lands an uppercut.
Balboa lands a body shot in the clinch.
Black swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Balboa lands a right hand that snaps the head of Black backwards.
Balboa misses with the head strike.
Balboa connects with a nasty looking knee right to Black's face.
Balboa wants a takedown but no success here.
Balboa has Black pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Black manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Balboa has Black pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Balboa pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Black tumbling to the mat - Balboa dives into Black's guard.
Rocky Balboa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Balboa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Balboa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Black looking to control.

Black throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Black is trying to control the position but Balboa postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Black's head.

Black is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Balboa defends well.

Balboa got a little sloppy there for a moment and Black has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Balboa has managed to get both his arms back between Black's legs - danger averted.
Balboa stands up over Black, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balboa trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Balboa won't allow Black to sweep him here.
Balboa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Balboa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Black wants to get back to his feet but Balboa is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Balboa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Black defends it nicely.
Balboa pulls out of a head kick attempt.

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.
The fight stays on the outside here - Balboa looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Balboa fails with the takedown
and Black counters with a series of strikes. Balboa will be more careful next time no doubt.
Black tries to clinch but Balboa moves out of range.
Black does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Black is looking to clinch.

Balboa gets a takedown into half guard.
Black gets full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Black tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balboa with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Balboa looking to pass the guard.

Black pushes a forearm under Balboa's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Balboa is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Travis Black!