PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Vince Bartone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phillips has chosen Optimus Bellum Domitor as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bartone
vs
Phillips

182 cm
18
163 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Grappling Pro Gear

5th Round
Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vince Bartone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Blake Phillips!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, John Kavanagh and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phillips misses with a two punch combination.

Phillips is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bartone's half guard.
Bartone trying to hold on to Phillips's head to control him but Phillips postures up.
Phillips prevents Bartone from improving his position.
Phillips is keen to just control but Bartone is a slippery customer.

Bartone is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.

Phillips is trying to work for a kimura but Bartone is defending well.
Phillips wants to take a breather but Bartone is having none of it.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Bartone tries for a takedown but Phillips circles away easily

and Phillips counters with a nice double leg into side control. Bartone won't be happy with that.
Phillips controls the position from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bartone is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Bartone can't do much from the bottom here.
Phillips trying to control the position but Bartone is working away.
Bartone tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bartone is working hard here to advance position.
The strikes coming from Phillips are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Bartone is looking for a sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Bartone shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Phillips is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bartone defends well.
Phillips looks gassed!

Phillips had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Bartone is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Phillips Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Bartone's back instead.
Bartone manages to reverse the position and now he's in Phillips's guard. Nice work there by Bartone.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bartone thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Bartone chips away with some ground and pound.

Bartone thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Bartone drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Phillips manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Bartone has Phillips in his guard.
Phillips wants to control from the top but Bartone keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips wants to pass the guard but Bartone is keeping the position.
Phillips with a flurry of punches that miss.
Phillips is looking to work some ground and pound but Bartone has wrist control.

Phillips avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Bartone has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Phillips can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Phillips passes Bartone's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bartone looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Phillips is trying to control. Bartone wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Bartone is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.

Bartone looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bartone wants to improve his position but Phillips is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Phillips dominated that round.
That's time! Bartone's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Phillips shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phillips wants to control but Bartone is keeping him busy.
Phillips thows a huge punch but Bartone dodges it nicely.
Bartone throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Bartone looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bartone regains full guard. Nicely done.
Blake Phillips has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bartone looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Phillips has picked Bartone up and slammed him! Bartone can't keep hold of the triangle and Phillips manages to pass to side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bartone keeps working.
Bartone tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Phillips wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The strikes coming from Phillips are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Sloppy strikes there by Phillips.
Phillips trying to control the position but Bartone is working away.
Bartone sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Phillips wants to take a breather but Bartone is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bartone tries for a takedown but Phillips circles away easily

and Phillips counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bartone is looking for a triangle here but Phillips uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
You can see the frustration on Bartone's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Phillips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bartone keeps working.
Bartone manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phillips wants to take a breather but Bartone is having none of it.

Bartone is defending against the submission attempts here by Phillips.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
The fighters circling - Bartone throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Bartone gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Bartone is looking for a triangle here but Phillips uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Bartone is trying to improve his position.

Phillips tries for a kimura but Bartone is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bartone throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Bartone gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Bartone manages to get to full guard.
Bartone keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
Bartone controls Phillips momentarily but Phillips frees himself.
Phillips throws a big right hand that misses.

Phillips drops back looking for a leg! Bartone is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bartone manages to kick Phillips off! Phillips jumps back into Bartone's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Phillips showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Left hook, right uppercut from Bartone.
Bartone slaps away a takedown attempt from Phillips, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bartone lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A right-left combo lands from Bartone.
Bartone shoots in for a takedown but Phillips shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Phillips wants to clinch up but Bartone keeps it at a distance.

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

Phillips is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bartone defends well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bartone trying to control the position from guard on top but Phillips is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bartone is working Phillips over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bartone trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Bartone is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Phillips trying to control the position.

Phillips throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

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

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Bartone scores with a takedown into Phillips's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bartone is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Phillips is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Phillips has escaped and now he's on top!

Bartone is looking for a triangle here but Phillips uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Phillips tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bartone regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bartone is not content to let Phillips control the position.

Phillips is looking for a kimura here.
Bartone trying to control from the bottom.

Bartone looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bartone is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.

Bartone looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bartone is refusing to be controlled, as Phillips sits in half guard.
Blake Phillips is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Bartone moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Bartone with a lazy takedown attempt
and Phillips counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Bartone looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Vince Bartone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bartone with a lazy takedown attempt

and Phillips moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vince Bartone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Phillips lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Bartone wants to get back to striking at distance but Phillips won't allow it.
Phillips is pressed up against the cage. Bartone has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Phillips down to the mat. Phillips avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Bartone misses with a combination

and Phillips counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Bartone working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Phillips doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Phillips manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Phillips slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Bartone is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Phillips defends well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vince Bartone showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Phillips has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Blake Phillips!