PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Bolding (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santa Claws (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Bolding
vs
Claws

180 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Bolding!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Santa Claws!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Claws misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Claws clinches up with Bolding and pushes him back against the cage.
Claws scores with a shoulder strike.
Claws gets through Bolding's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Bolding drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Claws lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Claws stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Still in the clinch, Claws scores with a nice short uppercut.
The referee is keeping an eye on Claws - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
A hook to the body from Claws.
Claws has had enough of the clinch but Bolding keeps him there for the moment.
Bolding tries to land knees in the clinch but Claws avoids the damage to the body.
Claws effectively controlling the action here.
Claws working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Claws on the inside.
Claws pressing his opponent against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Claws.

Bolding drags the fight down to the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Claws with a nice head shot there.

Bolding has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Claws can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Bolding is breathing heavily.
Bolding keeping full guard, as Claws tries to pass.

Bolding escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Claws gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Claws's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Claws throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bolding escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Claws gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Claws postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Bolding is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Claws, into his guard.
Claws trying to control the position.
Bolding trying to control but Claws is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Claws trying to keep a closed guard but Bolding is proving a slippery customer.
Bolding wants to control from the top but Claws keeps moving.
Bolding tries to stand but Claws is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Claws working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Alex Bolding wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Claws scores with a jab to the body.
Bolding tries to move into range but Claws moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Alex Bolding seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Claws moves out of range as Bolding throws a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolding fails with the takedown.
Santa Claws is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bolding doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Bolding tries to clinch

and Claws counters by clinching up.
Claws lands with a left to the head.
Claws lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A hook to the body from Claws.
Claws wants to break free but Bolding has control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Claws dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Claws works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Claws is trying to break the clinch but Bolding is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santa Claws dominated that 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.

Claws gets a clinch.
Bolding is trying to force a seperation but Claws has the dominant position.
Claws misses with a punch to the body.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Claws wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Claws.
Claws scores with a shot to the side of Bolding's head.
Claws tries a body shot but Bolding blocks it.
Claws managing to block the knees to the body from Bolding.
Claws prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bolding takes a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Claws has Bolding pressed against the cage, preventing Bolding from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Claws gets through Bolding's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Bolding tries to break free but Claws pushes him back against the cage.
Claws lands a shot to the body.
Claws scores with a shot to the side of Bolding's head.
Claws scores with a shoulder strike.
Claws wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Claws lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Bolding is looking to control Claws's arms but Claws gets an underhook and turns him. Now Bolding has his back to the cage.
Claws lands a body shot.
Claws avoiding damage as Bolding throws knees to the body.
Claws lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Claws lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Claws.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Claws lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Claws leaning his opponent against the cage.
Bolding takes a shot to the head.
Claws is pushing Bolding up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Claws presses Bolding against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short left from Claws.
Bolding has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Claws is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Claws lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Claws scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Claws scores with a nice hook to the head.
Claws is stalling here.
A short right from Claws.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolding takes a shot to the head.
Claws lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short body shot lands from Claws as the two fighters clinch.
A hook to the body from Claws.
Claws works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Claws is leaning against Bolding and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Still in the clinch, Claws scores with a nice short uppercut.
Claws scores with a shot to the side of Bolding's head.
Claws lands a right hand.
Claws lands on the inside with an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A short body shot lands from Claws as the two fighters clinch.
Santa Claws seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A body shot lands from Claws.
A bit of stalling here from Claws.
Claws scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Claws.
Claws lands with a light punch inside.
Claws lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bolding backwards.
Claws lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bolding backwards.
Claws leaning his opponent against the cage.
Claws makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Claws lands a body shot in the clinch.
Claws lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Claws stalling the fight.
Bolding jumps guard but Claws stands there with Bolding around his waist. Bolding gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Bolding. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Claws stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santa Claws showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bolding swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Claws counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Bolding shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Claws as he jumps to the side.

Claws closes the distance and clinches.
Claws lands a left hand.
Claws is trying to break the clinch but Bolding has him pressed against the cage.

Claws breaks the clinch.
Bolding wants to clinch up but Claws keeps it at a distance.
Bolding tries to clinch but Claws moves out of range.

Claws closes the distance and pushes Bolding back into the cage.
Claws wants to get back to striking at distance but Bolding won't allow it.
Claws stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Bolding tries to break free but Claws pushes him back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolding tries to pull guard but Claws won't allow it.
Claws throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Claws lands a nice uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bolding fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Bolding. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Claws throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Claws makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Claws is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Claws receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Claws lands with a left to the head.
A short uppercut from Claws.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Claws breaks from the clinch.
Claws fails to land with a series of punches.
Claws checks a leg kick nicely.
Claws fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bolding closes this distance looking for a takedown but Claws circles away.
Claws cracks Bolding with a good jab.
Claws moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Alex Bolding is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Claws throws a series of strikes that have Bolding backpedaling.
Claws scores with a nice strike.
Bolding on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Claws stuns Bolding with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Claws has taken the fight to the clinch.
Claws displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bolding up against the cage.
Good body shot from Claws.
Bolding takes a shot to the head.
Claws digs a right hand into Bolding's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Bolding's gas tank.
Claws'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.
Claws lands a hook that snaps the head of Bolding backwards.
Claws throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Boldings head.
Claws lands a hook to the side of the head.
Claws leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Claws lands a body shot.
Claws stalling.
Claws lands a body punch in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Claws lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Claws softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bolding takes a shot to the head.
Claws tries to circle away but Bolding has him pinned against the cage.
Claws displaying some good clinch control by pressing Bolding up against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Claws.
Alex Bolding has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bolding keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Claws's efforts to push away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santa Claws comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Claws 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight for Santa Claws!
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight for Santa Claws!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Santa Claws!

Santa Claws wins by unanimous decision!