PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Smart Move (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thor Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Move
vs
Armstrong

186 cm
18
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
220 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Smart Move!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thor Armstrong!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Move closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Move seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Armstrong avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Move.
Move content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Move prevents Armstrong from standing back up.
Armstrong won't allow Move to pass to mount.
The fighters are battling for position here. Armstrong manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Armstrong trying to keep a closed guard but Move is proving a slippery customer.

Move gets to his feet - Armstrong follows without any prompting.

Armstrong gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Move to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Move lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Armstrong looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Move looking to sit in guard and control but Armstrong gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Move wants to get back to his feet but Armstrong is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Armstrong controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Move keeping moving, preventing Armstrong from controlling successfully.
Move wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Move looking for a sweep. Not yet Move, not yet.
Move wants to stand up but Armstrong is controlling him.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Thor Armstrong wasn't active enough on the ground.
Armstrong misses with a takedown

and Move decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Armstrong's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong trying to control the position.
Armstrong is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Move postures up.
Move stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Armstrong swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Armstrong keeping moving, preventing Move from controlling successfully.
Armstrong wants to stand but Move is controlling the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Move is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Armstrong's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Armstrong is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Move is controlling him.
Armstrong trying to keep a closed guard but Move is proving a slippery customer.
Move is stalling in the full guard.
Armstrong not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Move preventing the sweep.

That's four 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.
Move is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Smart Move wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Move digs a good body shot into Armstrong's ribs.
Armstrong shoots and misses

and Move counters with a single leg into guard. Armstrong didn't expect that.
Move looking to sit in guard and control but Armstrong gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Armstrong preventing the sweep.
Armstrong wants to control from the top but Move keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Armstrong trying to stand up but can't free himself from Move's guard.
Armstrong postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smart Move dominated that round.
That's time! Move's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Armstrong looks to land a body kick but Move moved away.
A good leg kick by Armstrong.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt

and Move counters with a takedown into side control.
Move lands a decent elbow from side control.
Move slows the pace down.
Armstrong is trying to get back to half guard.

Move is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Armstrong has escaped the position, nice work there.
Armstrong gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong tries to get to full guard but Move has control of the leg.
Move is pressing down on Armstrong's thigh, looking to free his foot. Armstrong is holding on for now.
Armstrong wants to get back to his feet.
Armstrong moves into full guard.
Move stopping the sweep attempt from Armstrong.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Armstrong is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Armstrong is trying to control the position but Move postures up.
Move trying to control but Armstrong is working from the bottom.
Armstrong is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Armstrong gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Move counters with a single leg into guard. Armstrong didn't expect that.
Move prevents Armstrong from getting back to his feet.
Armstrong lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Move!
Move holds on to Armstrong as tight as he can, avoiding damage.
Move knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Armstrong on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Move tries to lock up and control but Armstrong gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Move is in a horrible position here. Armstrong smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Armstrong is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Move can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Smart Move overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Move is looking to get to half guard.
The referee warns Move that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Armstrong controlling the position easily from mount.
Move tries to reverse the position but Armstrong maintains control.

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.
Armstrong looking to control but Move is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Armstrong controlling from the full mount.
Move is trying to escape the mount.

Armstrong stands up from mount. Strange move.
Smart Move is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Armstrong wants to clinch up but Move keeps it at a distance.
Armstrong tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Move counters with a shoot takedown. Armstrong fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smart Move dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Move will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Armstrong with a lazy takedown attempt

and Move counters with a shoot takedown. Armstrong fights it but they end up in guard.
Armstrong manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Move manages to get himself to full guard.
Armstrong slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Move is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Move dodges the ground and pound from Armstrong.
Move is trying to buck Armstrong off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Armstrong is trying to get an arm triangle but Move is defending well.
Armstrong throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Armstrong wants to control but Move is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Move's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Move is trying to work for a sweep but Armstrong has mounted him!
Armstrong throws some wild stikes that Move manages to avoid easily.
Move on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Move tries to get out of the position.
Move working to try and regain half guard.
Move holds of for dear life.

Armstrong is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Move has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Move!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Armstrong is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Armstrong wants to control but Move passes easily into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Armstrong trying to control but Move postures up.
Armstrong tries to roll over but Move keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Move not doing much here.
Armstrong is trying to stand up here but Move is controlling him well.
Armstrong trying to hold on to Move's head to control him but Move postures up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Thor Armstrong hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Move fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Armstrong checks it well.

Move drives through with a takedown into guard.
Move tries to free his leg and advance position but Armstrong is retaining full guard.
Armstrong is trying to control the position but Move postures up.
Move is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong is pulling down on Move's head. It's preventing any offense from Move, at least for the moment.
Armstrong avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Thor Armstrong has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Move closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Armstrong tries to kick Move off but Move keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Armstrong trying to control here.
Armstrong is trying to stand.
The fighters are battling for position here. Armstrong manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Move wants to pass the guard but Armstrong is keeping the position.
Smart Move is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Armstrong looking for a sweep. Not yet Armstrong, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Smart Move showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Move, 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Smart Move!