PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hans Gruber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Holland Churches (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gruber
vs
Churches

180 cm
23
181 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
175 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hans Gruber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Holland Churches!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Patrick Alders and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gruber will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Gruber shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gruber is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Churches keeping full guard, as Gruber tries to pass.
Gruber wants to control from the top but Churches keeps moving.
Gruber passes Churches's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gruber prevents Churches from standing back up.
Gruber trying to control from half guard but Churches is working away.
Gruber slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gruber is looking for a kimura here.
Gruber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Churches keeps working.
Churches trying to hold on to Gruber's head to control him but Gruber postures up.
Churches is trying to stand up here but Gruber is controlling him well.
Gruber wants to control but Churches is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gruber fails with a takedown attempt.
Churches throws a sloppy head kick and Gruber moves out of range easily.
Gruber tries to clinch but Churches moves out of range.
Churches pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Churches dodges the punch combination from Gruber.

Gruber shoots in and bounces Churches off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gruber postures up in Churches's guard and throws a big left but Churches blocks it.

Churches is working an open guard so Gruber takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruber fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Gruber. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Churches connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Churches is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gruber shoots in for a takedown but Churches shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gruber is breathing heavily.
Churches fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gruber manages to avoid it.
Churches scores with a punch to the head.
Churches tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gruber was well out of range. Poor timing from Churches.
Churches attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Gruber will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Churches misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Churches tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hans Gruber seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gruber has Churches up against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Churches's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gruber tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Churches's elbow.
Gruber wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Churches has him pressed against the cage.
Gruber goes for a takedown attempt but Churches pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Churches misses with a hook. Gruber ducked under it nicely.
Gruber takes a head kick and keeps coming.

It looks like Hans Gruber has been cut.
Churches fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gruber shoots in but no luck this time.
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!
Gruber takes a shot right to the bread basket.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holland Churches dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hans Gruber's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gruber avoids the head kick by Churches.

Gruber rushes Churches and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Churches lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gruber lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Churches backwards.
Gruber is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Gruber has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Churches is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Churches working hard to break the clinch.

Churches breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hans Gruber is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gruber ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circle momentarily. Churches darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Churches gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gruber to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Churches looking for a sweep. Not yet Churches, not yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Churches pushes Gruber off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gruber jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Churches throws a sloppy head kick and Gruber moves out of range easily.
Gruber shoots for a takedown but Churches saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Gruber. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Churches misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gruber uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Churches.

Gruber looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Churches!
Gruber looking to finish with strikes here!
Gruber cracks Churches with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gruber is working for a guillotine from mount but Churches frees his head quite easily.
Churches can't escape the position.

Gruber looking for a guillotine from mount but Churches is having none of it.
Churches sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Churches is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Churches is trying to stand.
Gruber wants to stand up but Churches has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Churches tries to kick Gruber off but Gruber keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Churches is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Gruber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Churches keeps working.
Churches is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A good leg kick by Churches.
Nice takedown defense from Churches. No joy for Gruber on that attempt.
Churches throws a quick inside leg kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gruber is defended easily by Churches.
Gruber avoids the head kick by Churches.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gruber crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Churches - the referee stops the clock and Gruber gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Churches. Gruber manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Churches stuffs the takedown attempt from Gruber. Gruber gets slowly back to his feet.
Churches connects with a solid leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Holland Churches will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Hans Gruber's cut.
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!

Churches wants to clinch up but Gruber keeps it at a distance.
Churches misses with the combination.
Gruber keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gruber fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Churches as Gruber shoots in.
Gruber shoots for a double leg takedown but Churches sprawls well. He's pushed Gruber's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Gruber. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gruber shoots in and drives through. Churches sprawls well.
Gruber blocks a head kick by Churches.
Churches scores with a hook.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gruber.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Churches shoots in and bounces Gruber off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gruber wants to improve his position but instead Churches has moved into half guard.
Churches is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Gruber is trying to get back to full guard.
Churches seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hans Gruber has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gruber tries to get to full guard but Churches has control of the leg.

Churches stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Churches has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Gruber takes a kick to the side of the head.
Gruber blocks a head kick by Churches.
Holland Churches seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gruber tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Churches counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Churches lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Churches.
Churches throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gruber.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruber misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Churches throws a sloppy head kick and Gruber moves out of range easily.

Gruber clinches.
Gruber fails to pull guard.
Churches cracks Gruber with a nice body shot.
Gruber avoiding damage as Churches throws knees to the body.
Gruber fails to pull guard.

Churches breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Churches lands with a cross.

Gruber scores a takedown into full mount!
Gruber pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Churches is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gruber throwing strikes here but Churches is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

Gruber looking to secure an arm triangle but Churches defends it well.
Gruber fails to take his opponent's back.
Holland Churches is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Churches manages to regain half guard. Good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Holland Churches comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Churches winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Holland Churches!