PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Malik Terzic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ethan Blake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Terzic
vs
Blake

181 cm
25
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Malik Terzic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ethan Blake!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Mauricio Rocha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Terzic moves in looking to clinch but Blake pushes him off.

Terzic is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Blake's half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Blake preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Blake trying to control from the bottom.
Blake is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Terzic controlling the action here.
Blake keeps control of the position for the meantime.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ethan Blake hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Terzic throws a combination that misses

and Blake counters with a nice double leg into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Terzic had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Blake defends it easily.
Blake throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blake tries to free his leg and advance position but Terzic is retaining full guard.
Blake postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Blake slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Terzic is looking to regain half guard here but Blake keeps moving and retains side control.

Blake is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Terzic has escaped the position, nice work there.
Terzic manages to work his way to half guard, despite Blake's best efforts.

Blake looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Blake is working for a kimura but Terzic is defending it quite comfortably.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Blake is looking for a kimura but Terzic is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Blake to get the leverage.
Terzic is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Blake's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Blake's back!
Blake staying busy and making it hard for Terzic to control.

Terzic has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Blake has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Blake wants to control his opponent's hands but Terzic gets his hands free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Terzic doesn't have the hooks in and Blake manages to turn into his guard.
Blake postures up in Terzic's guard and throws a big left but Terzic blocks it.
Blake preventing the sweep.
Blake is looking to work some ground and pound but Terzic has wrist control.
Blake working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Blake drops back, looking for a kneebar! Terzic looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Terzic looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Terzic!
Blake looks winded!
Blake is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Terzic wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Blake, who protects the arm well.
Blake wants to control but Terzic postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Blake keeps Terzic under control for a moment.
Blake is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Terzic looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Terzic trying to control the position but Blake is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Terzic is really struggling to control Blake but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ethan Blake will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Terzic shoots for a takedown but Blake saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Terzic fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Terzic shoots in looking for a takedown but Blake manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Terzic's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Malik Terzic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A combination from Terzic does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Terzic or perhaps it was just good defense by Blake which made him look bad.

Terzic closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Blake quickly recovers to half guard.
Blake works his way to full guard. Good work.
Terzic wants to pass the guard but Blake is keeping the position.
Blake controlling the position.
Blake keeping full guard, as Terzic tries to pass.
Blake is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Terzic trying to control the position from guard on top but Blake is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blake managing to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Malik Terzic.
Blake showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Terzic.
Nice cross by Terzic.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Terzic lands with an uppercut that bounces Blake off the cage and back into range.
Terzic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Blake stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Blake wants it to stay on the feet.
Terzic gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Blake counters with a nice double leg into side control. Terzic won't be happy with that.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blake working away.
Blake is trying to ground and pound but Terzic uses the momentary lack of control by Blake to regain half guard.
Blake looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Blake is trying to work for a kimura but Terzic is defending well.
Terzic wants to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Blake not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Blake is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Terzic to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ethan Blake will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Blake slaps away a takedown attempt from Terzic, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Terzic dives in and scores a takedown into Blake's guard.
Blake has Terzic pulled in close to control his posture.
Terzic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Terzic thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Terzic throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Blake has control of Terzic's left arm, preventing Terzic from doing any damage.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Terzic postures up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ethan Blake wasn't active enough on the ground.
Terzic throws an off balance right hand

and Blake counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Blake is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Terzic is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Blake is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Blake takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Blake seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Terzic has recovered full guard.
Terzic trying to keep a closed guard but Blake is proving a slippery customer.
Blake is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Blake tries to free his leg and advance position but Terzic is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Terzic looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Blake throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Terzic utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Blake trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Blake forces his way into half guard.

Blake is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Blake throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Terzic to regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blake is sitting in close to Terzic's body. Terzic has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Blake is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Blake is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Terzic.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Malik Terzic!