PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Friedrich Bergfried (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Honey Badger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bergfried
vs
Badger

169 cm
25
150 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

173 cm
27
150 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Friedrich Bergfried!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Honey Badger!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, James Ackerman and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Badger closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Bergfried has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Bergfried displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Badger throws out the jab.
Badger jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Badger misses with a lunging right hand

and Bergfried counters by moving into the clinch.
Badger is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bergfried's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
We've been informed that Badger has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Badger lands a hook that snaps the head of Bergfried backwards.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bergfried.
Badger holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Badger breaks from the clinch.
Bergfried throws a sloppy head kick
and Badger counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Badger throws a poor cross that misses

and Bergfried counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Bergfried lands a knee to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Badger.
Badger looking to slow down the pace here.
Bergfried throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Badgers head.
Bergfried dodges an elbow strike from Badger.
Bergfried lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Badger takes an elbow to the temple.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Badger.
Bergfried tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Badger's elbow.
Bergfried misses with a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Badger.
Badger blocks the elbow strike.

Badger breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Badger connects with a right hand. Bergfried shakes it off.
Badger throws out a loose jab but Bergfried uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bergfried paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Bergfried has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bergfried there as he acknowledges the shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Badger throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bergfried sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Badger throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Bergfried counters by clinching up.
Badger wants to stall.
Badger lands with a light punch inside.
Badger avoids the elbow strike from Bergfried, against the cage.
Bergfried with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Bergfried swings wildly with an uppercut but Badger uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bergfried slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bergfried misses with an elbow over the top.
Badger lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Badger avoiding damage.
Bergfried connects with a knee to the head.
Bergfried trying to land knees to the body.
Badger is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Badger prevents a body shot from Bergfried.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Bergfried landing knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bergfried tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Bergfried missing with knees to the body.
Bergfried creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Bergfried lands a left hand.
Bergfried lands with a short shot to the head.
Badger dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
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!
Bergfried throws a punch but it's blocked by Badger.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Badger tries to break free but Bergfried pushes him back against the cage.
Bergfried looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Bergfried misses with some punches.
Badger taking a breather.
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 Friedrich Bergfried will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Badger swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Bergfried.
Bergfried ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Badger swings for the body but Bergfried moves out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Bergfried.
Bergfried on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Bergfried lands with an overhand left.
Bergfried cracks Badger with a good jab.
Bergfried takes one on the button.
Bergfried fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bergfried moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Badger thuds a left hand into Bergfried's body.
Badger misses with a hook.
Badger fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bergfried ducks under a wild hook from Badger.
Bergfried misses with a lunging right hand
and Badger counters with a stiff right hand.
Bergfried misses with a straight right.
Bergfried scores with the left hand. Badger knows he should have avoided that one.
A jab from Badger does it's job there.
Bergfried moves forwards but Badger connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A swing and a miss from Badger.
Bergfried with a hook.
Badger checks a leg kick.
Bergfried throws out a powerful jab.
Badger keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Badger tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bergfried was well out of range. Poor timing from Badger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bergfried throws out a powerful jab.
Badger lands a jab to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bergfried staying out of range there.
Badger throws a jab but it's blocked by Bergfried.
It looks like Bergfried has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Badger is looking to score with low kicks.
Honey Badger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bergfried moves away from the strike by Badger.
Badger fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bergfried throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Badger sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Badger throws out a powerful jab.
Badger throws a hook to the side of Bergfried's head but Bergfried sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A low kick from Bergfried is predictable there
and Badger counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Badger dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Badger throws a leg kick

and Bergfried counters by clinching up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Badger takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A head punch on the inside from Badger fails to land.
Bergfried tries a knee to the head but Badger blocks it.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Badger blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bergfried tries to work over Badger's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Bergfried cracks Badger with a nice body shot.
Bergfried tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Friedrich Bergfried has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bergfried misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Bergfried misses with a knee strike.
Bergfried misses with the head strike.
A short right from Badger on the inside.
Bergfried landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Badger trying to control the position but instead, Bergfried has worked for underhooks and has pushed Badger into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bergfried.
Badger leaning against his opponent.
Badger blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Badger wants to break free but Bergfried has control.
Badger takes an elbow to the temple.
Badger lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bergfried throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bergfried goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Badger.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bergfried trying to land knees to the body.
Badger is looking to break free of the clinch but Bergfried has double underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Honey Badger showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Badger misses with a hook to the body

and Bergfried moves into the clinch.
Badger lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Badger's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Bergfried throws a punch but it's blocked by Badger.
Badger scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Badger blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bergfried throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Badger blocks it with crossed arms.
Bergfried is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Badger is defending well for now.
Bergfried throws an elbow but it misses.
Bergfried keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Badger's efforts to push away.

Badger's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bergfried doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bergfried misses with a head kick.
Bergfried throws a body kick that misses.
Badger misses with a jab, cross combination.
Badger misses with a looping left.
Bergfried slips a straight right by Badger.
Badger scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bergfried scores with a nice right hand.
Bergfried misses with a wild combination.
A jab from Bergfried finds it's way through Badger's defenses.
Badger lands a jab.
Bergfried connects with a leg kick. Badger looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Bergfried.
Badger takes one to the chin there.
Bergfried falls off balance throwing a combination
and Badger counters with a leg kick.
Bergfried throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bergfried slips under a jab from Badger.
A swing and a miss from Badger.
A jab from Bergfried does it's job there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Badger!
Bergfried steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Badger.
Badger swats away the attempt to clinch by Bergfried.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Badger throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Bergfried counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Bergfried lands a damaging elbow.

Badger breaks the clinch.
Badger misses with a looping left.
Badger avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Badger misses with an uppercut

and Bergfried counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bergfried.
Bergfried trying to land knees to the body.
Badger working aggressively here.
Badger wants to break the clinch but can't.
Badger blocks an elbow strike from Bergfried.
Bergfried has a couple of punches blocked by Badger.
Badger is trying to break the clinch but Bergfried has him pressed against the cage.
Bergfried lands a knee to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Badger managing to block the knees to the body from Bergfried.
Bergfried fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Badger breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bergfried misses with a low kick as Badger jumps back.
Bergfried throws out a powerful jab.
Badger checks the leg kick nicely there.
Badger misses with a head kick.
Bergfried closes the distance looking to clinch
and Badger connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bergfried looks to throw the jab but Badger is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Honey Badger.
I think Badger has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Honey Badger!
After the fight, Honey Badger was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.