PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James Black (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bradford Whitley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Black
vs
Whitley

175 cm
22
130 lbs
6 - 5 - 1

173 cm
21
145 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Knockout power

Fight Night Nutrition

Red Hand Clothing

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 6 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, James Black!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bradford Whitley!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Black changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Whitley tries to avoid it but Black manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Whitley to the ground. Whitley escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Black takes a swing at Whitley's ribcage but misses.

Black fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Whitley, pushing him back against the cage.
Black keeps control of Whitley as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Whitley crunches a lovely knee into Black's ribcage.
Whitley is leaning against Black and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Black really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Black jumps guard and drags Whitley to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Black seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Black is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Whitley is aware though and is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Black had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Whitley defends it easily.

Whitley avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Black looking for a sweep. Not yet Black, not yet.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Black throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Whitley 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black working for submissions but it's allowed Whitley to get to half guard.
Black is looking to improve his position.

Black looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black is trying to get back to full guard.
Whitley is controlling the pace.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Black is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Whitley pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Black dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Whitley gets tackled into the cage by Black. Black maintains the clinch.

Black drags the fight down to the ground.
Black throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Black is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Black working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Whitley doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Whitley manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
James Black overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Black keeping full guard, as Whitley tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black looking to hit a scissor sweep but Whitley is one step ahead there.

Black has an active guard here but Whitley has managed to pass into half guard.
Whitley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Black. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Whitley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Whitley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Black looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitley perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Whitley trying to mount his opponent but Black defends it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Bradford Whitley wasn't active enough on the ground.
Black tries to clinch there but Whitley circles away.
Black rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
letting Whitley counter with a right hand.
Black falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Whitley counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Black tries to close the distance and clinch up but Whitley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Black misses with a body shot.
Whitley checks a leg kick.
Black shoots in for a double leg but Whitley sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
James Black seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Whitley thumps Black with a low kick.
Whitley chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Black throws a shot from downtown. Whitley moves away and avoids it.
Whitley swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Black misses with a double jab
and Whitley counters with a head kick.
Whitley digs a good hook to Black's body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A looping hook to the body misses from Black. Whitley does a little dance to reset his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Whitley shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Black eats them both and turns towards Whitley to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Black stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Whitley.
Whitley fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Black manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bradford Whitley will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Black fails with a takedown attempt.
Whitley lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Black clinches.
Whitley tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Black's elbow.
A short right from Whitley.
Black trying to stall but Whitley improves his position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Black throws an elbow but misses.

Black successfully pulls guard.

Black has his foot on Whitley's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Whitley works his way back into a safe position though.

Black has his foot on Whitley's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Whitley works his way back into a safe position though.
Whitley is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Whitley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Black swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Black has his foot on Whitley's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Whitley works his way back into a safe position though.

Black is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Black is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Whitley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Black has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Whitley has managed to get both his arms back between Black's legs - danger averted.
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.
Whitley won't allow Black to sweep him here.

Black throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Black looking for a guillotine here but Whitley defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Black swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Black looking for a sweep. Not yet Black, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Black working for submissions but it's allowed Whitley to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitley trying to advance position but Black counters by regaining guard.
Whitley showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
James Black showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Black 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Black!
James Black very nearly forgot to thank Fight Night Nutrition amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.