PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jan Columbar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alistair Overeem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Columbar
vs
Overeem

175 cm
29
199 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

180 cm
27
193 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Popeye’s Spinach - 159 + 158 Proof Supps

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jan Columbar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alistair Overeem!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Tarja Halkonen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Columbar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Overeem is fending him off so far but Columbar persists. Nope, Overeem circles away and we're back to standing.
Columbar slips under a jab.
Nice sprawl there from Overeem as Columbar shoots in.
Columbar shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Columbar will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Overeem ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Columbar moves away.
Columbar cracks Overeem with an open hand slap.
Overeem cracks Columbar with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Overeem attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Overeem.
Columbar throws out a leg kick but Overeem moves out of range and Columbar only half commits.
Columbar throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Columbar checks a leg kick.
Overeem ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Columbar throws a half hearted mid kick.
Columbar fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jan Columbar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Overeem scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Columbar rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Overeem counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Columbar thinking.
Nice cross by Overeem.
Overeem connects with a leg kick. Columbar looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A head kick misses from Overeem.
A decent looking cross lands there for Overeem.
Overeem throws a leg kick
and Columbar counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Columbar throws out a leg kick but Overeem moves out of range and Columbar only half commits.
Overeem takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Columbar misses with a kick to the body.
Overeem delivers a nice body kick.
Columbar misses with an attempted mid kick.
Columbar shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Overeem pinned against the cage. Overeem gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Columbar takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Columbar shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Overeem but Overeem pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Overeem turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Columbar looks to score with a jab to the body but Overeem is just out of range.
Columbar shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Columbar takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Columbar throws a shot from downtown. Overeem moves away and avoids it.

Columbar bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Overeem is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Columbar's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Columbar is trying to control the action in half guard but Overeem is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Overeem tries to kick Columbar off but Columbar keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Overeem is looking for a sweep. Columbar is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Overeem keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Overeem wants to get back to full guard.
Overeem avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Columbar.
Overeem wants to improve his position but Columbar is controlling well.
Columbar prevents Overeem from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Columbar is trying to control the action in half guard but Overeem is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Columbar not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Columbar thows a huge punch but Overeem dodges it nicely.
Columbar not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Overeem is doing well to control the position and prevent Columbar from advancing to side control.
Overeem wants to get back to his feet.
Columbar 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Overeem keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
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!
Overeem is trying to maintain the position but Columbar is very close to passing his half guard.
Overeem looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Alistair Overeem will probably get the nod.
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.

A big right from Columbar misses.
Overeem avoids a kick to the body.
Columbar connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Columbar tries a low kick but Overeem avoids it.
Overeem misses with a wild body shot.
Overeem connects with a nice looking jab.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Overeem checks a leg kick.
Columbar wants to land a leg kick but Overeem is out of range.
Overeem lands with a shot to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Overeem.
Overeem fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Overeem connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Columbar uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Overeem.
Alistair Overeem seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Overeem crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Columbar - the referee stops the clock and Overeem gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Columbar. Overeem manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Overeem checks a leg kick.
Jab, jab by Columbar - just one landing.
Columbar does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Columbar throws a leg kick
and Overeem counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Columbar throws a leg kick
and Overeem counters with a slapping leg kick.
Columbar misses with an attempted mid kick.
Nice sprawl there from Overeem as Columbar shoots in.
Overeem throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Columbar.
Overeem comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Overeem connects with a high kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Overeem moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Overeem scores with a crisp jab that stopped Columbar in his tracks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Columbar shoots in but no luck this time.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Overeem.
Alistair Overeem is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Overeem.
Overeem checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Columbar lands a slapping body shot.
Overeem throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Columbar gets a takedown into half guard.
Overeem is doing well to control the position and prevent Columbar from advancing to side control.
Overeem is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Columbar wants to pass the guard but Overeem is defending well.
Columbar thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Overeem trying to control from the bottom.
Overeem blocking the ground and pound attempt from Columbar.
Overeem is trying to stand.
Columbar is thwarting Overeem's attempts to control the position.
Columbar not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Overeem is trying to maintain the position but Columbar is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Overeem blocking the ground and pound attempt from Columbar.
Columbar is trying to control the action in half guard but Overeem is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Overeem is pressing down on Columbar's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Overeem is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Overeem wants to pass the guard but Columbar is defending well.
Columbar is in trouble now - Overeem has advanced to mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Overeem tries to control but Columbar wriggling away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Columbar is in all sorts of trouble here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alistair Overeem will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Overeem takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
An inside leg kick lands from Columbar.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Columbar.
Overeem swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Columbar.
Overeem misses with a wild body shot.
Columbar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Overeem thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Columbar if he has to take too many more of those.
Columbar takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Columbar throws a solid leg kick but Overeem takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Columbar.
Overeem tries a head kick but it misses.
Columbar is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Overeem throws a head kick but Columbar moves out of range.
Overeem throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Columbar tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Columbar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Overeem manages to avoid it.
Overeem misses with a body kick.
Overeem lands a nice shot that snaps Columbar's head back.
Overeem wants to slow Columbar down by chopping away at his legs.
Columbar tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice cross by Overeem.

Columbar decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Overeem wants to get back to full guard.
Jan Columbar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Overeem controlling the position well.
Overeem wants to control but Columbar is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Overeem is trying to stand back up but Columbar is controlling him
Columbar thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Overeem's head.
Overeem is trying to stand back up but Columbar is controlling him
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Columbar with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
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!

Columbar is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Overeem is trying to stand up here but Columbar is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Overeem pushes Columbar off and gets back to his feet.
Overeem misses the shot to the body.
Overeem on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Columbar steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Overeem.
Columbar changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Overeem tries to avoid it but Columbar manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Overeem to the ground. Overeem escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jan Columbar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Overeem.
A punch lands to the side of Columbar 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Overeem misses with an uppercut.
Overeem throws a wild body kick that Columbar sees coming a mile off.
Overeem uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Columbar.
Overeem is looking to land body kicks.
Overeem lands a leg kick that knocks Columbar off balance momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Overeem shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Overeem looks for the body kick but Columbar saw that one coming.
Overeem looks to land a combination but Columbar avoids it well.
Overeem lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Columbar at a distance.
Overeem checks the leg kick nicely there.
Columbar tried to score with a low kick but Overeem checks it.
Alistair Overeem is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Columbar tries a head kick but it misses.
Overeem ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Columbar moves away.
Overeem scores with a head kick. Columbar tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Columbar scores with a head kick. Overeem tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Columbar fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Overeem is out of range.
Columbar does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alistair Overeem.
I've got Overeem 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alistair Overeem!
An out of breath and clearly excited Alistair Overeem thanked Reaper Combatwear for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).