PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Blake Leopoldo (ranked 1869 p4p, 5796 weight class) and Kyle Durston (ranked 254 p4p, 604 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Leopoldo
vs
Durston

185 cm
27
180
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
26
178
5 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Core Combat

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 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Blake Leopoldo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kyle Durston!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Leopoldo gets caught napping as Durston dives in and scores a takedown. Leopoldo manages to retain guard.
Durston trying to control the position from guard on top but Leopoldo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Leopoldo pulls Durston in close to his closed guard and prevents Durston from doing any damage or advancing position.
Leopoldo keeping moving, preventing Durston from controlling successfully.
Leopoldo pulls Durston in to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leopoldo keeping moving, preventing Durston from controlling successfully.
Leopoldo lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Leopoldo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durston working a defensive guard here.
Durston wants to control but Leopoldo passes easily into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Leopoldo seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Durston for as long as he can get away with.
Durston trying to control but Leopoldo postures up.
Leopoldo trying to pass the guard but Durston defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Durston trying to control but Leopoldo postures up.
Durston told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

Durston is defending against the submission attempts here by Leopoldo.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Leopoldo is thwarting Durston's attempts to control the position.

Durston looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durston misses with a head kick.

Durston closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Durston lands in his opponent's guard.
Leopoldo has his hands on Durston's head, controlling the position.

Durston postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Leopoldo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Durston, into his guard.

Leopoldo trying to control but Durston is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leopoldo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Durston is on top in guard.

Leopoldo looking for a guillotine here but Durston defends easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Durston lands a couple of digs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Durston throws a left and a right that both miss

and Leopoldo counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Leopoldo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Durston trying to keep a closed guard but Leopoldo is proving a slippery customer.
Leopoldo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Durston is keeping the position for now.
Durston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Leopoldo trying to control but Durston is working from the bottom.
Leopoldo 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 one minute gone in the round.
Leopoldo wants to control from the top but Durston keeps moving.
Leopoldo forces his way into half guard.
Leopoldo trying to control from half guard but Durston is working away.
Leopoldo prevents Durston from improving his position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Leopoldo seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Durston misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Leopoldo closes the distance and clinches.
Durston is trying to break the clinch but Leopoldo is controlling him.

Leopoldo pulls guard successfully.
Leopoldo has control of Durston's left arm, preventing Durston from doing any damage.

Leopoldo is looking for a triangle but Durston pushes his legs off easily.
Durston must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Durston wants to pass the guard but Leopoldo is keeping the position.

Leopoldo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Durston is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leopoldo controls Durston momentarily but Durston frees himself.
Leopoldo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Durston postures up.
Durston wants to control from the top but Leopoldo keeps moving.

Leopoldo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Durston defends it easily.
Durston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Leopoldo is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Leopoldo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Durston defends well.
Durston trying to control the position from guard on top but Leopoldo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Leopoldo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Leopoldo pulls Durston in close to his closed guard and prevents Durston from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Leopoldo dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Leopoldo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Durston avoids it really well and circles away.
Durston throws a head kick but Leopoldo moves out of range.

Leopoldo forces Durston back against the cage and clinches.
Leopoldo tries to pull guard but Durston won't allow it.

Durston has hold of one of Leopoldo's legs. Leopoldo is fighting the takedown attempt but Durston gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Leopoldo has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Durston trying to control but Leopoldo is working from the bottom.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leopoldo 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.
Durston stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Leopoldo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Durston throws an elbow that misses. Leopoldo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Durston's guard. Nice move by Leopoldo!

Leopoldo won't allow Durston to sweep him here.
Durston being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Durston keeping moving, preventing Leopoldo from controlling successfully.
Leopoldo wants to pass the guard but Durston is keeping the position.
Durston is trying to keep Leopoldo in close.
Durston can't keep his opponent in guard - Leopoldo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leopoldo uses his free foot to push down on Durston's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Durston.
Durston is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Durston wants to control but Leopoldo is having none of it.

Leopoldo looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Leopoldo controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durston is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Leopoldo tries to control but Durston wriggling away.
Durston tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Leopoldo controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blake Leopoldo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Leopoldo 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blake Leopoldo!
Blake Leopoldo decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.