PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bill Ermey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jean Claude Van Damme is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Ermey
vs
Claude Van Damme

186 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
26
174 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bill Ermey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jean Claude Van Damme!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Damme ducks under a wild hook from Ermey.
Van Damme looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Van Damme gets a clinch.
Van Damme using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ermey has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Van Damme tries to score a body lock takedown but Ermey shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ermey lands a hook to the side of the head.
Van Damme misses with a knee strike.
Van Damme has Ermey pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Ermey manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Bill Ermey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.
Ermey swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Damme uses good head movement to avoid it.

Van Damme has picked Ermey up - he's going for a ride! Van Damme dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ermey manages to get to full guard.
Ermey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ermey is looking to stand up but Van Damme isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ermey looking for a sweep. Not yet Ermey, not yet.
Ermey working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Van Damme.

Van Damme thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Ermey manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Van Damme manages to get himself to full guard.
Ermey trying to stand up but can't free himself from Van Damme's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ermey controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme wants to stand up but Ermey is controlling him.
Ermey pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Van Damme is keeping the position for now.
Ermey trying to stand up but can't free himself from Van Damme's guard.

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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ermey pushing down on Van Damme's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bill Ermey will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ermey connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Van Damme is trying hard to land a takedown here. Ermey sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Ermey displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Van Damme.
Ermey throws a big shot that misses.
Ermey misses the shot to the body.
Van Damme ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ermey, as that shot connected.
Ermey throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Jean Claude Van Damme is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ermey will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ermey throws a big shot that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Ermey misses.
Van Damme walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Van Damme steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ermey.
Ermey lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Van Damme circles away quickly and effectively.
Van Damme looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bill Ermey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.
Ermey stuffs the takedown attempt from Van Damme. Van Damme gets slowly back to his feet.
Bill Ermey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ermey lands a jab to the nose.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme is looking to clinch.
Ermey lands a lovely overhand right.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ermey sprawls well. Ermey wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Van Damme gets slowly back to his feet.
Van Damme shoots in looking for a takedown. Ermey tries to sprawl out of it but Van Damme keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ermey manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Van Damme looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Van Damme prevents Ermey from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme throwing shots but Ermey is blocking nicely.

Ermey is defending against the submission attempts here by Van Damme.
Van Damme is breathing heavily.

Ermey kicks off Van Damme and gets to his feet.

Van Damme shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Ermey looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Van Damme is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Ermey doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Van Damme.
Ermey pushes Van Damme off looking to stand but Van Damme dives back in and keeps control.

Van Damme wants to work for an arm triangle but Ermey is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Van Damme not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Ermey makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bill Ermey dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Van Damme shoots in for a takedown but Ermey shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ermey throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Jean Claude Van Damme has been cut.
Ermey thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ermey fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Damme changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ermey tries to avoid it but Van Damme manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ermey to the ground. Ermey escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ermey keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice sprawl there from Ermey as Van Damme shoots in.
Bill Ermey has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Claude Van Damme.
Van Damme takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ermey throws a body punch but Van Damme moves out of range.
Van Damme dodges the punch combination from Ermey.
Van Damme fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ermey throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ermey is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Van Damme keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ermey.
Ermey throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Ermey throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Van Damme slips under a jab from Ermey.
Van Damme slips a straight right by Ermey.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ermey fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Ermey lands the left hand.
Van Damme shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ermey misses with a hook. Van Damme ducked under it nicely.
Van Damme is looking to clinch.
Van Damme shoots in for a double leg but Ermey sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ermey leaves Van Damme with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ermey scores with a jab to the body.
Ermey fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Van Damme on the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ermey pivots, looking for a leg kick but Van Damme is out of range and Ermey settles back down.
Ermey throws a looping overhand right but Van Damme ducks down to avoid it.
Ermey throws the left hand but Van Damme avoids the punch easily.
Van Damme takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ermey shoots in but no luck this time.
Ermey connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Van Damme with a lazy takedown attempt
and Ermey counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Van Damme tries to close the distance and clinch but Ermey swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ermey throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Ermey misses its intended target.
Ermey pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Van Damme darts in and clinches Ermey up against the cage.
Van Damme tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ermey wants to break free but Van Damme has control.
Ermey prevents the takedown attempt.
Van Damme misses with a knee strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Ermey.
Ermey working hard to break the clinch.

Ermey gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Ermey decides to stand up.

Ermey darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bill Ermey showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ermey, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bill Ermey!