PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Blankenship (ranked 7931 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khairul Naim (ranked 5324 p4p, 0 weight class). Naim has chosen Negara ku as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Khairul Naim enters the cage!

Blankenship
vs
Naim

207 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nicolas Blankenship!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Khairul Naim!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Glass and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naim throws a nice looking combination but Blankenship bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Blankenship changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Khairul Naim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Naim closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Blankenship quickly recovers to half guard.

Blankenship has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Naim is on him like a limpet, forcing Blankenship back against the cage.
Blankenship jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Naim walks away with a smile on his face. Blankenship gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Naim tries to clinch but Blankenship is having none of it.
Blankenship's jab looks to have found its range, popping Naim under the eye.
Blankenship connects with the punch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Blankenship enables Naim to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Blankenship manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Blankenship has his feet on Naim's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Naim throws a head kick that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Naim looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Naim walks into a straight right hand from Blankenship.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Blankenship. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Blankenship.

Naim looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Blankenship throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Naim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Blankenship wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Naim manages to pass to side control.
Naim working the head and body with strikes.

Blankenship pushes Naim off and gets back to his feet.
Blankenship scores with a decent looking hook.

Blankenship gets caught napping as Naim dives in and scores a takedown. Blankenship manages to retain guard.
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.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Blankenship wants to stand but Naim is controlling the position.

Blankenship uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Naim closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Naim pulls guard.
Naim looks winded!
Blankenship sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Naim controls Blankenship momentarily but Blankenship frees himself.
Blankenship preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naim tries to strike from the bottom.
Naim throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Blankenship trying to control but Naim is working from the bottom.
Blankenship seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Blankenship postures up in Naim's guard and throws a big left but Naim blocks it.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Naim throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Naim darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship is trying to stand up here but Naim is controlling him well.

Naim is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Blankenship sees it coming and defends easily.
Blankenship trying to control here.

Blankenship manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Blankenship really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Naim scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Blankenship bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The fighters circle momentarily. Blankenship darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolas Blankenship 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.

Blankenship throws out a powerful jab.

Naim looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Blankenship wants to get back to his feet.
Blankenship missing with punches from the bottom.
Nicolas Blankenship overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Blankenship is not content to let Naim control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blankenship throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Naim stops Blankenship from getting back to his feet.

Blankenship makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naim takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Blankenship jabs Naim to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Naim takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The fight stays on the outside here - Naim looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Naim fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Blankenship, pushing him back against the cage.
Blankenship is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Naim can do to turn this around?
Blankenship'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.

Naim manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Naim is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship stopping the sweep attempt from Naim.
Blankenship wants to control from the top but Naim keeps moving.
Blankenship wants to stand but Naim has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Blankenship preventing the sweep.
Blankenship trying to control the position from guard on top but Naim is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Naim has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Blankenship is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Naim.
Naim struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Blankenship.
Blankenship is looking to take a break and control but Naim is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Blankenship taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Blankenship trying to control the position but Naim is working away.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Blankenship will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Blankenship ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Blankenship misses with a wild body shot.
Naim wants to counter with a clinch but Blankenship pushes him away.
Blankenship avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Blankenship instigates a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blankenship just leaning against Naim, taking a breather.
Blankenship avoiding damage as Naim throws knees to the body.
Blankenship content to slow the pace in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolas Blankenship dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Blankenship gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Naim to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Blankenship wants to stand but Naim is controlling the position.
Blankenship pulls Naim in close to prevent any damage.
Naim passes easily into side control. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Check out the look on Naim's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Naim tries for a kimura but Blankenship is defending well.
Blankenship is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blankenship tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Naim wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Blankenship is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Blankenship is not content to let Naim control the position.
Naim takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Blankenship wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Blankenship prevents Naim from moving into mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Check out the look on Naim's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Blankenship tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Naim looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Good control from Naim.
Blankenship is trying to get back to his feet but Naim has full control of the position and if anything, Blankenship has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Naim struggling to keep hold of the position.
Blankenship trying to get back to his feet but Naim is in full control for now.
Naim is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Naim gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Naim gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Naim apologises and we restart here on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship lands a jab.

Naim shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Blankenship is rocked!

Naim has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Blankenship defend it? Naim steps over the head and cranks it - Blankenship is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Naim!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Khairul Naim!
Post fight, Khairul Naim stared into the camera and said 'I never give up'.