PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pierre Morel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Van Rijn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Rijn has chosen Francesco Zappalà - No Way Out as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Mike Van Rijn is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Morel
vs
Van Rijn

190 cm
22
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

196 cm
22
210 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pierre Morel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Van Rijn!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Daniel Blasius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morel looks to land a right hand but Van Rijn moved out of range.
Van Rijn moves in looking to clinch but Morel pushes him off.
Van Rijn moves out of range as Morel strikes.
Morel throws a nice looking combination but Van Rijn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Van Rijn rushes Morel and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morel avoiding damage as Van Rijn throws knees to the body.
Morel is trying to break the clinch but Van Rijn is controlling him.
Van Rijn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Van Rijn keeps control of Morel as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Rijn putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Morel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Van Rijn lands a nice knee to the body.
Morel is breathing heavily.
Van Rijn lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Pierre Morel has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Knees to the body from Van Rijn.
Van Rijn manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Van Rijn scores a nice knee to the body.
A short body shot lands from Van Rijn as the two fighters clinch.

Van Rijn's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Rijn tries to clinch up.

Van Rijn closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Van Rijn lands in his opponent's guard.
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.
Van Rijn tries to stand but Morel is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morel looking for a sweep. Not yet Morel, not yet.
Morel keeping moving, preventing Van Rijn from controlling successfully.
Van Rijn tries to stand but Morel is controlling from the bottom.
Van Rijn is looking to work some ground and pound but Morel has wrist control.
Van Rijn would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Van Rijn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Van Rijn wants to clinch up but Morel keeps it at a distance.

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.
Morel on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Van Rijn clinches.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Van Rijn rushes Morel and presses him up against the cage.
Van Rijn scores with a knee to the head.
Van Rijn landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Van Rijn using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Van Rijn.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Rijn tries to close the distance and clinch but Morel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Van Rijn tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A jab from Morel misses.
Morel keeps the fight on the outside.
Van Rijn lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A punch combination from Van Rijn misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn avoids the body shot from Morel.
Morel keeps the fight on the outside.
Morel has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Van Rijn.
Pierre Morel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Rijn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Van Rijn is looking to slow Morel down with leg kicks.

Van Rijn closes the distance and clinches.

Van Rijn breaks from the clinch.
Pierre Morel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van Rijn bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A thudding body kick lands there by Van Rijn!

Van Rijn clinches with his opponent.
Van Rijn lands a right hand.
Van Rijn using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Knees in the clinch landing for Van Rijn.
Van Rijn with a knee to the head.
Van Rijn lands a damaging elbow.
Van Rijn lands an elbow that stopped Morel in his tracks for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Van Rijn clinches up with Morel and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Rijn creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Morel's defenses.
Van Rijn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Morel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Van Rijn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Morel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Van Rijn with a knee to the head.
Van Rijn working Morel over with knees to the body.
Van Rijn landing knees to the body.
Van Rijn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Morel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Van Rijn lands an elbow inside that Morel shrugs off.

Van Rijn breaks from the clinch.
Morel lands a two punch combo.
Van Rijn lunges at Morel with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Morel's hand.
Van Rijn tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Morel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Van Rijn fails with a takedown attempt.
Morel swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Rijn.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Van Rijn dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pierre Morel's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Morel misses with a combination
and Van Rijn counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Van Rijn shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Van Rijn was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Van Rijn wants to control the pace but Morel is squirming around nicely.
Van Rijn is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Morel is desperately trying to improve his position but Van Rijn has a good base and remains in mount.
Van Rijn trying to control but Morel is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Rijn controlling his opponent.

Despite being in the dominant position, Mike Van Rijn just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morel misses with a combination
and Van Rijn counters with a nice leg kick.
Morel falls off balance throwing a combination

and Van Rijn counters by clinching up.
Van Rijn lands an elbow just above Morel 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Morel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Van Rijn obliges.
Knees in the clinch landing for Van Rijn.
Van Rijn lands an elbow just above Morel 's eye.
Mike Van Rijn seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Van Rijn lands an elbow that stopped Morel in his tracks for a moment.
Van Rijn unloads a knee to the mid-section. Morel lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Rijn landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Van Rijn crunches a lovely knee into Morel's ribcage.
Van Rijn connects with a nasty looking knee right to Morel's face.
Van Rijn lands a knee to the head.

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

Van Rijn darts in and clinches Morel up against the cage.
Van Rijn lands an elbow inside that Morel shrugs off.
Morel working hard to break the clinch.

Van Rijn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Van Rijn tries to clinch but Morel is having none of it.

Van Rijn moves into the clinch successfully.
Van Rijn with a knee to the head.
Van Rijn is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Morel is keeping busy.
Van Rijn is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Morel has denied him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morel is trying to break the clinch but Van Rijn is controlling him.
Van Rijn lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Van Rijn is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Van Rijn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Van Rijn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Rijn is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morel swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Rijn.
Van Rijn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Morel misses with a hook to the body
and Van Rijn counters with a left to the body.

Van Rijn gets a clinch.
Morel tries to break free but Van Rijn pushes him back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Van Rijn is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn missing with knees to the body.
Van Rijn lands a good knee to the midsection. Morel won't want to take too many of those.
Van Rijn wants to stall.
Van Rijn scores a nice knee to the body.

Van Rijn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pierre Morel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Van Rijn dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Morel. That did some damage!

Van Rijn clinches.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Van Rijn instigates a clinch.
Van Rijn avoiding damage.
Van Rijn utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Morel takes a knee to the side of the body.
Van Rijn lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Van Rijn connects with a nasty looking knee right to Morel's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Van Rijn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Pierre Morel's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Van Rijn is looking to clinch.
Morel misses with a combination
and Van Rijn counters with a series of strikes. Morel will be more careful next time no doubt.
Van Rijn misses with a double jab.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Morel, as that shot connected.
Morel misses with a double jab
and Van Rijn counters with a good, hard body kick but Morel shrugs it off.
Van Rijn lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Van Rijn shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Van Rijn stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Rijn clinches with his opponent.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Morel stalling in the clinch but Van Rijn improves position.
Van Rijn is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Van Rijn lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Van Rijn lands a good knee to the midsection. Morel won't want to take too many of those.
Van Rijn stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Van Rijn has Morel pressed against the cage, preventing Morel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Van Rijn putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Morel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Morel tries a body shot but Van Rijn blocks it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Van Rijn obliges.
Van Rijn lands an elbow that stopped Morel in his tracks for a moment.
Van Rijn with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morel can't find room to land a body shot as Van Rijn controls the action.
Morel is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Van Rijn lands a knee to the head.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Van Rijn landing knees to the head.
Van Rijn can't find room to land a body shot as Morel controls the action.
Morel is trying to break free.
Van Rijn lands a nice knee to the body.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Van Rijn lands a damaging elbow.
Van Rijn trying to land knees to the body.
Morel is trying to force a seperation but Van Rijn has the dominant position.
Van Rijn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Morel is defending well for now.
Van Rijn lands a damaging elbow.
Van Rijn is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Van Rijn creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Van Rijn stalling against the cage.

Morel breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Van Rijn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morel swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morel scores with a body shot.
Van Rijn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morel circles away quickly and effectively.
A solid body kick from Van Rijn.
Van Rijn throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Morel.

Van Rijn has closed the distance and engaged Morel in a clinch.
Van Rijn has Morel pressed against the cage.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Morel misses with a hook to the body
and Van Rijn counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Morel falls off balance throwing a combination

and Van Rijn moves into the clinch.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch.
Morel falls off balance throwing a combination

and Van Rijn counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Van Rijn.
Pierre Morel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Morel is keeping busy.
Morel can't break the clinch.

Van Rijn breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Rijn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Morel tries to keep at a distance but Van Rijn has taken the fight into the clinch.
Van Rijn stalling in the clinch.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Van Rijn lands with a left to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Rijn landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Van Rijn content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Van Rijn landing knees to the body.
A hook to the body from Morel.
Mike Van Rijn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Van Rijn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Van Rijn has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 25:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 25:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Van Rijn!