PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leif Blankenship (ranked 6363 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Third (ranked 4636 p4p, 0 weight class). Leif Blankenship has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Blankenship
vs
Third

213 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Leif Blankenship!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rafael Third!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Saam Ante and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Third shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Third tries to stand but Blankenship is controlling from the bottom.
Third trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Blankenship manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Third keeping moving, preventing Blankenship from controlling successfully.
Blankenship controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Third is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Blankenship is controlling him.
Third really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Blankenship. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Third looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Blankenship passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Third is looking to control Blankenship's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Third avoid being mounted?

Blankenship is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Blankenship wants to take a breather but Third is having none of it.

Blankenship decides to stand up.

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.
Blankenship has a takedown stuffed.
Rafael Third seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Blankenship gets caught napping as Third dives in and scores a takedown. Blankenship manages to retain guard.
Blankenship controlling Third's posture.

Third gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Third gets a clinch.
Blankenship wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Third has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship prevents the takedown attempt.
Third has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Blankenship avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Third tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Blankenship just stands there and leans against the cage.
Leif Blankenship has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Third.
Blankenship lands an uppercut.
Blankenship prevents a takedown attempt there.

Third wants the takedown. Blankenship is fighting it off but Third persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Blankenship's guard against the cage.

Blankenship uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Third looks winded!

Blankenship tries to sprawl but Third drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Blankenship manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Third tries to close the distance and clinch up but Blankenship swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Third defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Blankenship.
Third has a takedown stuffed.
Third darts in trying to clinch
and Blankenship counters with a one-two to the body.
Blankenship dives in for a single leg takedown but Third sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Third closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Blankenship did well to prevent Third getting side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leif Blankenship dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Blankenship slaps away a takedown attempt from Third, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Blankenship changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Third tries to avoid it but Blankenship manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Third to the ground. Third escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Third lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Third gets a takedown into half guard.
Third throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Third stalling away here and it's allowed Blankenship to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Blankenship tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Third stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blankenship swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Third wants to get up but he can't break Blankenship's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Third is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Blankenship staying out of range there.

Third moves into the clinch.
Blankenship gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Third.
Third is breathing heavily.
Blankenship looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Third should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

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.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Third's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Blankenship keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Leif Blankenship has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Third.
Blankenship circles away from the clinch attempt.
Blankenship tries to counter with a takedown but Third is quick to defend against it.
Third tries to close the distance and clinch but Blankenship swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Blankenship scores with a head kick. Third tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Third moves to clinch but Blankenship breaks away
and Blankenship counters with a big head kick but Third shrugs it off.
Leif Blankenship is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Third tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Blankenship defends well and Third ends up having to push Blankenship into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Blankenship seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Third shoots for a takedown but Blankenship saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Blankenship gets a takedown into half guard.
Third wants to control but Blankenship passes into side.

Blankenship decides to stand back up. Blankenship steps back and let's Third get back to his feet.
Blankenship shoots in for a takedown but Third shows good takedown defense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Third defends well and Blankenship ends up having to push Third into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Blankenship gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Third to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Blankenship kicks Third off and gets to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Third is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Blankenship's half guard.
Blankenship keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Blankenship moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leif Blankenship dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Blankenship shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Third pinned against the cage. Third gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Blankenship shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Third counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Blankenship is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Third with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blankenship manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Third is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Third is continuing to stall.

Blankenship manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Third pulls guard successfully.
Third pulls Blankenship in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Third swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Blankenship wants to control from the top but Third keeps moving.
Blankenship is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Third can do to turn this around?
Blankenship is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Third is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Third is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Third is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship lands a couple of elbows.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Third fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Blankenship to the ground. Third is now in Blankenship's guard.
Third trying to control but Blankenship is working from the bottom.
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.
Blankenship keeping full guard, as Third tries to pass.
Third throws a strike but Blankenship rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blankenship wants to control from the top but Third keeps moving.
Blankenship working some strikes from top position.
Third wants to sweep here but Blankenship controlling him for the moment.
Third seems keen to control Blankenship's posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Blankenship wants to control from the top but Third keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leif Blankenship.
Well Blankenship has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leif Blankenship!