PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hursten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Rich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Rich is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hursten
vs
Rich

176 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
23
154 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Hursten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Rich!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Radbod Blank and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Rich.
Hursten swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rich circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rich pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rich fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hursten stuffs the takedown.
Rich shoots for a takedown but Hursten saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mike Hursten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Rich.
Rich shoots in and drives through. Hursten sprawls well.
Hursten digs a good body shot into Rich's ribs.
Hursten misses with a wild combination.
Hursten cracks Rich with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Rich has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rich looks gassed!
A jab lands there for Hursten.
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!
Rich throws a combination that misses

and Hursten counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rich!
Hursten controlling from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hursten has control of Rich's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Rich regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Hursten controlling his opponent.
Hursten's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hursten landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hursten takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mike Hursten just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Rich wants to clinch but Hursten slips to the side

and Hursten counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hursten with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Rich is trying to stand back up but Hursten is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hursten controlling the action here.
Rich trying to control here.
Hursten stalling.

That's four 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.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mike Hursten just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Nice uppercut there from Hursten.

Hursten gets a takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hursten in particular looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hursten dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hursten connects with a body shot.
Rich takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Hursten lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rich shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hursten lands a glancing blow to the side of Rich's head.
Hursten paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Hursten looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hursten is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hursten looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rich is working an open guard so Hursten takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hursten, as that shot connected.

Hursten closes the distance and clinches.
Rich tries to break the clinch but Hursten is controlling the position.
Hursten lands with a right to the head.

Hursten jumps guard and drags Rich to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rich looking to pass the guard.
Rich won't allow Hursten to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hursten swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hursten keeping moving, preventing Rich from controlling successfully.
Hursten is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hursten on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hursten tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rich has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rich there as he acknowledges the shot.
Rich takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Rich has closed the distance and engaged Hursten in a clinch.
Hursten has Rich pressed against the cage, preventing Rich from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rich tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Hursten pulls guard effortlessly.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rich accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hursten seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Rich trying to move into half guard but instead Hursten has managed to sweep!
Hursten with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Hursten has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hursten lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hursten stays in close to Rich's body and controls the position.
Hursten seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Rich for as long as he can get away with.
Rich will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Hursten controlling from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hursten dominated that second round.
That's time! Hursten's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Hursten scores with a body shot.
Rich moves out of range of the strikes.
Mike Hursten is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rich tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hursten sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rich somewhat.
Hursten throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hursten thows a body shot but no joy.
Rich with a poor takedown

so Hursten counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hursten stays in close to Rich's body and controls the position.

Rich is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hursten defends well.
Hursten sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hursten has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Mike Hursten just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Hursten closes the distance and clinches.
Rich tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mike Hursten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Rich.
Hursten lands a shot to the body.

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.
Hursten slows down the pace here.

Hursten pulls guard successfully.
Hursten pulls Rich in close to prevent any damage.

Hursten wriggles free and stands up.

Hursten shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rich napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Rich can't do much from the bottom here.
Hursten controlling from side mount.
Rich manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hursten tries to stand but can't do so whilst Rich controls his leg.
Hursten sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Mike Hursten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rich trying to control from the bottom.
Hursten trying to control the pace.

That's four 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.
Mike Hursten is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rich is positioning himself well to prevent Hursten advancing to mount.
Hursten is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Rich is trying to stand up here but Hursten is controlling him well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Hursten showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hursten has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 30:26
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:26

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