PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jean Claude Van Damme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mario Eibegger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Damme comes to the cage accompanied by Fabulous-Bad Guy. This should be a great matchup!

Claude Van Damme
vs
Eibegger

178 cm
19
180 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

181 cm
22
179 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jean Claude Van Damme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Mario Eibegger!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Eibegger. Van Damme does a little dance to reset his feet.
Van Damme uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Eibegger.
Danga de danga de dang - Eibegger scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Jean Claude Van Damme has been cut.
Eibegger walks into a stiff left hand from Van Damme.
Eibegger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Eibegger misses with a straight left.
A low kick from Eibegger is predictable there
and Van Damme counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Damme takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Van Damme closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Van Damme throws a shot to the body.
Van Damme closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Eibegger counter with a right hand.
Eibegger throws a jab when Van Damme was well out of range.
Van Damme throws a head kick but Eibegger moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eibegger throws a jab when Van Damme was well out of range.
Eibegger is looking to score with low kicks.
Van Damme fails with a takedown attempt.
Eibegger takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

It looks like Mario Eibegger has been cut.
Van Damme is looking to clinch but Eibegger is avoiding it.
Van Damme has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Eibegger.
Eibegger looks to throw the jab but Van Damme is out of range.
Eibegger looks to throw the jab but Van Damme is out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Van Damme is defended easily by Eibegger.
Eibegger swats away the attempt to clinch by Van Damme.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme ducks right into an uppercut from Eibegger.
Van Damme avoids the body shot from Eibegger.
Van Damme shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Eibegger pinned against the cage. Eibegger gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Claude Van Damme. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Eibegger.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Eibegger looks to land a right hand but Van Damme moved out of range.
Van Damme tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Eibegger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mario Eibegger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Van Damme is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Eibegger misses the jab.
Van Damme tries to clinch up but Eibegger circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eibegger throws a poor cross that misses
and Van Damme counters with an outside leg kick.
Van Damme tries to score a power double leg takedown but Eibegger sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Van Damme somewhat.
Van Damme shoots in for a double leg but Eibegger sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Van Damme fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Eibegger, pushing him back against the cage.
Eibegger lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Eibegger.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Eibegger just stands there and leans against the cage.
Eibegger has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Eibegger tries to throw a body punch but Van Damme avoids it by throwing Eibegger back against the cage.
Van Damme wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Eibegger has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme jumps guard but Eibegger stands there with Van Damme around his waist. Van Damme gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Van Damme is trying to drag Eibegger to the mat but Eibegger just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Eibegger will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Van Damme up against the cage.
Van Damme is trying to push Eibegger away but Eibegger has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Van Damme is trying to break the clinch but Eibegger has him pressed against the cage.

Van Damme manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Eibegger dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Van Damme staying out of range there.
Eibegger throws a right and a left that both miss.
Eibegger misses the jab.
Eibegger lands a nice shot that snaps Van Damme's head back.
Van Damme looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Eibegger is fending him off so far but Van Damme persists. Nope, Eibegger circles away and we're back to standing.
Eibegger looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Left hook, right uppercut from Eibegger.
Van Damme dodges the punch combination from Eibegger.
Eibegger throws a hook but Van Damme blocks it.
Van Damme looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Mario Eibegger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Damme keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Van Damme shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Eibegger defends it nicely.
Eibegger misses with a hook
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eibegger fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Van Damme blocks a jab.
Eibegger keeps the fight on the outside.
Eibegger throws a right hand that Van Damme ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Damme also avoids with ease.
Van Damme shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Claude Van Damme. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Damme looks to clinch
and Eibegger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Eibegger swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Van Damme counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Van Damme connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Van Damme displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Eibegger throws out the jab.
Eibegger defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Van Damme.
Eibegger misses with a hook. Van Damme ducked under it nicely.
Van Damme throws a nice head kick!
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Van Damme. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme slips a jab from Eibegger.
Van Damme uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Eibegger.
Van Damme ducks under a wild hook from Eibegger.
Van Damme doesn't manage to clinch there - Eibegger circles away.
Van Damme looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Eibegger is fending him off so far but Van Damme persists. Nope, Eibegger circles away and we're back to standing.
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!
Van Damme uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Eibegger.
Eibegger stalks Van Damme and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Van Damme's face. Van Damme staggers backwards, shaken.
A big left from Eibegger misses.
Van Damme misses with a head kick.
Mario Eibegger seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Eibegger fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Eibegger throws an ugly left hook that misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Eibegger throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Eibegger is fending him off so far but Van Damme persists. Nope, Eibegger circles away and we're back to standing.
Eibegger misses with a hook
and Van Damme counters with a good low kick that Eibegger was not able to check.
Van Damme avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Van Damme buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Jean Claude Van Damme is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Eibegger misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Eibegger misses with a right hand
and Van Damme counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Eibegger throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Van Damme counters with an inside leg kick.
Eibegger misses with a left hand
and Van Damme counters with a nice body kick.
Eibegger throws the left hand but Van Damme avoids the punch easily.
Eibegger misses with a wild body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Van Damme looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Van Damme tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Eibegger manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme looks to land a combination but Eibegger avoids it well.
Van Damme checks a leg kick.
Eibegger throws a jab but it's blocked by Van Damme.
Van Damme lands a head kick!
Van Damme slips under a jab from Eibegger.
Eibegger misses with an uppercut

and Van Damme counters by clinching up.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Eibegger.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Eibegger lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Van Damme pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Eibegger showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A jab from Eibegger misses.
Van Damme lands a lovely overhand right.
Eibegger throws a left and a right that both miss
and Van Damme counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Eibegger dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Van Damme is looking to clinch but Eibegger is avoiding it.
A jab from Eibegger does it's job there.
Eibegger throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Eibegger will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Eibegger keeps the fight on the outside.
Eibegger's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
No joy there for Eibegger, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
No joy there for Eibegger, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Eibegger connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Van Damme clinches up with Eibegger and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Damme wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Eibegger tries to work over Van Damme's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Eibegger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Eibegger struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Damme controls his hands.
Eibegger misses with a body punch.
A hook to the body from Eibegger.
Eibegger leaning against his opponent.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Eibegger just stands there and leans against the cage.
Van Damme can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eibegger lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Eibegger doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Van Damme tries to score a body lock takedown but Eibegger shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Eibegger letting Van Damme take a breather here.
Eibegger lands an uppercut.
Eibegger tries a body shot but Van Damme blocks it.
Eibegger stalling.
Eibegger lands a hook to the side of the head.
Van Damme tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Eibegger just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jean Claude Van Damme. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Van Damme avoiding damage as Eibegger throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Damme misses with some punches.
Van Damme is trying to force a seperation but Eibegger has the dominant position.
Eibegger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Mario Eibegger is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Van Damme is trying to break the clinch but Eibegger has him pressed against the cage.
Van Damme misses with a hook from the clinch.
Van Damme is looking to control Eibegger's arms but Eibegger gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Damme has his back to the cage.
Van Damme seems a little flustered. He's come in with the intention of controlling the clinch but Eibegger is preventing him from doing so, at least for the moment.
Eibegger struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Damme controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eibegger working aggressively here.
Van Damme stalling in the clinch but Eibegger improves position.
Eibegger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Eibegger keeps control of Van Damme as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Van Damme tries to score a body lock takedown but Eibegger shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Van Damme tries to throw a body punch but Eibegger avoids it by throwing Van Damme back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Van Damme tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Eibegger smiles and moves away.
Jean Claude Van Damme has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A right-left combo lands from Eibegger.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Eibegger comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Eibegger has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Eibegger!