PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Christopher Norman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eric Wessel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Norman
vs
Wessel

175 cm
24
171 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Christopher Norman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eric Wessel!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Joseph Jones and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wessel will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Wessel misses with a head kick.
Wessel finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Wessel throws a head kick that misses.
Norman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A telegraphed right hand from Wessel misses the target.
Wessel avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Wessel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Norman tries to close the distance and clinch but Wessel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Norman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wessel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Norman connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Norman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Wessel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A head kick misses from Wessel.
Eric Wessel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Norman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Norman wants it to stay on the feet.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wessel avoiding damage as Norman throws knees to the body.
Norman lands an elbow just above Wessel 's eye.
Norman comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Eric Wessel has been cut.
Norman softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Wessel wants to get back to striking at distance but Norman won't allow it.
Norman gets underhooks to prevent Wessel's takedown attempt.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Norman.
Wessel looks gassed!
Norman lands an elbow inside.
Wessel avoiding damage as Norman throws knees to the body.
Norman lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Norman scores with a knee to the head.
Norman lands an elbow inside that Wessel shrugs off.
Norman creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Wessel's defenses.
Norman comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Norman lands a damaging elbow.
Norman tries to land a knee to the head but Wessel blocks with his arms.
Norman misses with a knee to the head.
Wessel tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Christopher Norman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eric Wessel.
Norman throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Norman with a knee to the head.
Norman lands an elbow inside.
Norman lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Wessel is pressed up against the cage. Norman has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Wessel down to the mat. Wessel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Norman closes the distance and pushes Wessel back into the cage.
Norman lands an elbow inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wessel wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Norman tries to land a knee to the head but Wessel blocks with his arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wessel takes an elbow to the temple.
Norman putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Wessel in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Norman successfully pulls guard.
Wessel stops Norman from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wessel trying to control the position from guard on top but Norman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wessel wants to stand but Norman has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Norman keeping full guard, as Wessel tries to pass.

Norman pushes Wessel off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wessel throws a head kick that misses.
Wessel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Norman.
Wessel darts in trying to clinch

and Norman counters by clinching up.
Wessel misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Norman.
Norman gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Norman comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Wessel wants to break the clinch but can't.
Norman lands a knee to the head.
Norman using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Wessel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Norman lands an elbow just above Wessel 's eye.
Wessel misses with a punch to the body.
Norman scores with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Nice elbow from Norman.

Wessel breaks the clinch.
A low kick from Wessel is predictable there

and Norman counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Norman.
Wessel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Norman tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Wessel avoids it.
Wessel is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Norman pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Norman creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Wessel's defenses.
Wessel drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Norman lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Norman tries for a takedown but Wessel manages to get underhooks.
Wessel wants to get back to striking at distance but Norman won't allow it.
Norman lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Wessel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Norman has him pressed against the cage.
Norman lands an elbow inside that Wessel shrugs off.
Wessel wants a takedown.
Wessel prevents a takedown attempt there.
Wessel scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Wessel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Norman looking to throw knees to the head but Wessel is blocking nicely.
Norman pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Norman dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Eric Wessel's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Norman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wessel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Norman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Norman wants it to stay on the feet.
Wessel thows a leg kick but Norman checks it
and Norman counters with a stiff right hand.
Wessel avoids the head kick by Norman.
Wessel falls off balance throwing a combination

and Norman counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Wessel!
Norman throws some wild stikes that Wessel manages to avoid easily.
Wessel manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Wessel punching from the bottom.
Norman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wessel keeps working.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norman is really struggling to control Wessel but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Wessel wants to sweep but Norman has passed to side control!
Wessel tries to improve position but can't.
Wessel sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Norman sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Wessel defending well though.
Norman working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

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.
Wessel tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Norman wants to stand up but Wessel is controlling the position.
Wessel punching from the bottom.

Wessel has one foot on Norman's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Wessel throws a lazy body kick

and Norman counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wessel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Norman stands up over Wessel, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Norman stands up and waves to Wessel to follow him.
Wessel swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Norman counters with a two punch combo.
Norman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wessel tries to clinch up

and Norman counters by clinching up.

Wessel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Norman fails to land with a series of punches.
Norman is looking to clinch.
Norman wants to clinch.
Norman tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Wessel counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wessel lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Norman backwards.
Norman keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Wessel's efforts to push away.
Wessel avoiding damage as Norman throws knees to the body.

Wessel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Wessel throws a leg kick
and Norman counters with a two punch combo.
Wessel throws a lazy head kick

and Norman moves into the clinch.
Norman unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Wessel avoiding damage as Norman throws knees to the body.
Wessel takes an elbow to the forehead.

Wessel pulls guard effortlessly.
Norman content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Wessel pushes Norman off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Norman has managed to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Norman dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Eric Wessel's cut.
That's time! Norman's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Wessel throws a left and a right that both miss

and Norman counters by moving into the clinch.
Wessel throws a punch but it's blocked by Norman.

Wessel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Norman is looking to clinch but Wessel is avoiding it.

Norman gets caught flat footed, as Wessel shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Norman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Wessel.

Wessel looking to improve position, pressing down on Norman's thigh with his hand. Norman seems to be working to lock up a guilotine though... is Wessel paying attention? Apparently not! He's locked it up tight! Wessel's face has turned purple! Will he tap? Will he! YES! He's tapped! Norman picked his opening and made it count! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Christopher Norman!