PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rocky Blackburn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robben Von Arhart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robben Von Arhart has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Blackburn
vs
Von Arhart

213 cm
18
151 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

160 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rocky Blackburn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Robben Von Arhart!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Paul Aken and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Blackburn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Von Arhart looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Blackburn decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Blackburn really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Von Arhart throws a nice looking combination but Blackburn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Blackburn throwing a counter right hand but Von Arhart manages to avoid it.
Von Arhart throws a head kick that misses

and Blackburn decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Von Arhart's guard.
Von Arhart wants to get back to his feet but Blackburn passes into half guard.

Blackburn seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Ground and pound from Blackburn.
Von Arhart taking some punishment here, with Blackburn in his half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Blackburn winds up and cracks Von Arhart with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Blackburn stands up and beckons Von Arhart to join him on the feet.

Blackburn forces Von Arhart back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Blackburn tries to circle away but Von Arhart has him pinned against the cage.
Von Arhart has had enough of the clinch but Blackburn keeps him there for the moment.
Blackburn's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Blackburn displaying some good clinch control by pressing Von Arhart up against the cage.
Blackburn wants to break free but Von Arhart has control.

Blackburn breaks from the clinch.

Blackburn closes the distance and clinches.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Von Arhart throws a right and a left that both miss.
It looked like Blackburn wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Blackburn closes the distance and pushes Von Arhart back into the cage.
Blackburn tries to circle away but Von Arhart has him pinned against the cage.
Blackburn has had enough of the clinch but Von Arhart keeps him there for the moment.

Blackburn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blackburn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Von Arhart unleashes a big counter combination but Blackburn bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Blackburn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Von Arhart's guard.
Blackburn stands up over Von Arhart, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Blackburn stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Blackburn changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Von Arhart looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blackburn is chipping away with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blackburn decides to stand back up. Blackburn steps back and let's Von Arhart get back to his feet.

Blackburn forces Von Arhart back against the cage and clinches.
Blackburn can't break the clinch.
Blackburn wants to get back to striking at distance but Von Arhart won't allow it.
Blackburn manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Blackburn.

Blackburn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Von Arhart closes the distance but Blackburn moves to the side
and Blackburn counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Blackburn looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Blackburn stands and steps away. Von Arhart gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Von Arhart with a lazy takedown attempt

and Blackburn moves into the clinch.
Blackburn stalls.

Blackburn's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Blackburn closes the distance and clinches.
Blackburn is trying to break free.
Blackburn tries for a takedown. No joy.
Blackburn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Blackburn dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Blackburn gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Blackburn is trying to break the clinch but Von Arhart has him pressed against the cage.

Blackburn breaks the clinch.
Von Arhart with a poor takedown
and Blackburn counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Blackburn rushes Von Arhart and presses him up against the cage.

Blackburn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Blackburn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Blackburn showed some decent athleticism there.
Rocky Blackburn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Blackburn is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Blackburn is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Von Arhart defends it well.
Von Arhart is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blackburn controlling the action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Blackburn stands up from half guard.

Blackburn closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Von Arhart did well to prevent Blackburn getting side control.
Von Arhart is trying to escape back to his feet but Blackburn uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Von Arhart felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Blackburn decides to stand back up.

Blackburn rushes Von Arhart and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Blackburn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Blackburn fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Von Arhart to the ground. Blackburn is now in Von Arhart's guard.
Blackburn working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Blackburn stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Blackburn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Blackburn showed some decent athleticism there.

Blackburn postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Von Arhart to stand up.
Robben Von Arhart seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Blackburn closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Blackburn lands in his opponent's guard.

Von Arhart is working an open guard so Blackburn takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Blackburn moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blackburn tries to break free but Von Arhart pushes him back against the cage.

Blackburn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Von Arhart throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Blackburn drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Blackburn decides to stand back up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Blackburn has managed to clinch.
Blackburn wants to get back to striking at distance but Von Arhart won't allow it.

Blackburn manages to break the clinch.
Blackburn stuffs the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rocky Blackburn dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Blackburn instigates a clinch.
Blackburn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Von Arhart avoids it.
The referee is keeping an eye on Blackburn - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Von Arhart has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Blackburn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blackburn slaps away a takedown attempt from Von Arhart, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Von Arhart gets caught napping as Blackburn dives in and scores a takedown. Von Arhart manages to retain guard.
Von Arhart is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Blackburn dives into side control.
Von Arhart takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Blackburn stands up and beckons Von Arhart to his feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Blackburn.

Blackburn decides to stand back up. Blackburn steps back and let's Von Arhart get back to his feet.

Von Arhart gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Blackburn is standing up over Von Arhart. Von Arhart looks to escape but Blackburn dives into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Von Arhart is trying to get back to half guard.
Blackburn controlling from side mount.

Blackburn decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Von Arhart tries for a takedown but Blackburn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Blackburn shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Von Arhart manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Von Arhart is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Blackburn dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Von Arhart is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Blackburn's leg. Oh but that's left an opportunity for Blackburn! He's got an arm triangle... it looks tight! He's rotating and Von Arhart has tapped! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Rocky Blackburn!