PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harald Blaatand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikon Holm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Blaatand's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Raining Blood. Nikon Holm has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Harald Blaatand's chin.

Blaatand
vs
Holm

198 cm
23
285 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

186 cm
23
260 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harald Blaatand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nikon Holm!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Holm with that takedown attempt.
Holm takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nice shot lands for Blaatand.

It looks like Nikon Holm has been cut.

Blaatand rushes Holm and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Blaatand escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Blaatand throws out a powerful jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Blaatand rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Holm moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Blaatand moves into the clinch.

Blaatand breaks the clinch.
Blaatand's corner calls for a 1-2. Blaatand obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Blaatand fails with an attempt to clinch.

Blaatand clinches.
Holm is trying to drag Blaatand to the mat but Blaatand just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Blaatand breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A punch lands to the side of Holm 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Holm looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Blaatand!
Holm looks gassed!
Blaatand throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Holm trying to control but Blaatand is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaatand wants to hold on but Holm pushes him away.
Blaatand tries to reverse the position but Holm maintains control.
Holm blocks Blaatand's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Blaatand flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Holm avoids the attempt from Blaatand to control.
Holm tries to control but Blaatand wriggling away.
Blaatand tries to hold on but Holm postures up.
Blaatand is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Holm wants to finish this one by submission but Blaatand is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Holm.

That's two 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.
Blaatand is working to get back to half guard.

Holm looking to secure an arm triangle but Blaatand defends it well.
Blaatand is in all sorts of trouble here.
Holm scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Blaatand tries to lock up and control but Holm gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Blaatand is desperately trying to improve his position but Holm has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holm wants to control the pace but Blaatand is squirming around nicely.
Holm lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Blaatand hang on?

Holm looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Holm is going olschool here, as he tries to force Blaatand to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Blaatand shrugs it off.
Blaatand trying to punch from the bottom. They're landing but they're really not going to hurt Holm.
Blaatand wants to hold on but Holm pushes him away.
Blaatand on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Blaatand tries to get out of the position.
Holm thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Blaatand flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Holm wants to control but Blaatand has made it back to half guard. Nice work.

Holm is trying to work for a kimura but Blaatand is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaatand is trying to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Blaatand scores with a jab to the head.
Blaatand fails to land with a series of punches.

Blaatand closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Blaatand prevents a takedown attempt there.
Harald Blaatand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikon Holm.

Blaatand breaks from the clinch.

Blaatand fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Holm, pushing him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Blaatand breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blaatand cracks Holm with a good jab.

That has opened up Nikon Holm's cut even more.
Blaatand tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Holm on the wrong end of a nice hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harald Blaatand dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nikon Holm's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Holm doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Holm fails with a takedown attempt.
Holm will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Holm takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Blaatand cracks Holm with a right hand to the side of the head.
Blaatand connects with a good right hand that stumbles Holm. Holm circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Blaatand has taken the fight to the clinch.

Blaatand breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Blaatand connects with a single shot there.

Blaatand shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holm taking some punishment here, with Blaatand in his half guard.
Holm gets back to full guard.
Blaatand has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Blaatand working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaatand scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Blaatand with a flurry of punches that miss.
Blaatand working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Blaatand wants to control from the top but Holm keeps moving.
Holm trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Holm working a defensive guard here.
Blaatand working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Blaatand in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Blaatand clobbers Holm with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Blaatand's corner calls for a 1-2. Blaatand obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Holm uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Blaatand.
Harald Blaatand seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Blaatand forces Holm back against the cage and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holm is trying to break the clinch but Blaatand has him pressed against the cage.
Blaatand keeps control of Holm as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Blaatand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Holm can do to turn this around?

Blaatand's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Blaatand lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

Holm moves into the clinch successfully.

Blaatand breaks the clinch.
Blaatand keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Harald Blaatand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikon Holm.
Holm takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Blaatand closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Blaatand breaks the clinch.
Blaatand misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Harald Blaatand is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holm tries to clinch up
and Blaatand cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Blaatand slips a jab and a cross from Holm.
Blaatand is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
A bone on bone clash there as Holm blocks the leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaatand works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Holm closes the distance and clinches up with Blaatand, looking for a takedown. Holm pushes Blaatand against the cage but Blaatand circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Blaatand misses with a few strikes there.
Horrible takedown by Holm or perhaps it was just good defense by Blaatand which made him look bad.
Blaatand throws a series of punches but Holm avoids them all with ease.
Holm takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blaatand is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Holm fails with the takedown
and Blaatand counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Blaatand drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Holm is not content to let Blaatand control the position.
Blaatand works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaatand in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Blaatand scoring with punches from side control.
Holm is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Blaatand's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Holm moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holm wants to sweep here but Blaatand controlling him for the moment.
Blaatand postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Blaatand works over Holm with some ground and pound from guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Blaatand throwing strikes from guard but Holm blocks nicely.
Holm tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harald Blaatand dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nikon Holm's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Blaatand tries to clinch up but Holm circles away and keeps his distance.
Blaatand throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Blaatand drives through and clinches with Holm against the cage.
Holm drops down looking for an ankle pick but Blaatand pulls his leg out and moves away.
Holm looks for a takedown but Blaatand sprawls well.
Blaatand throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Holm fails with an attempt to clinch.
Blaatand lands with a cross.
A decent looking cross lands there for Blaatand.

Blaatand scores with a takedown into Holm's guard.
Holm looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blaatand trying to control the position from guard on top but Holm is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Blaatand controls from within his opponent's guard.
Blaatand will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holm had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Blaatand is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Holm Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Blaatand's back instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Holm is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Blaatand knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Blaatand for a finish.
Blaatand trying to control the hands but Holm won't let him.
Blaatand breaks Holm's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Holm wants to stand and escape but Blaatand is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Blaatand's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Blaatand lands a couple of elbows.
Blaatand thows a big elbow that misses.
Holm is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Blaatand keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Holm's head.
Holm working a defensive guard here.
Blaatand working some strikes from top position.
Holm keeping moving, preventing Blaatand from controlling successfully.
Blaatand throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Holm works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blaatand with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Holm shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Holm showed some decent athleticism there.
Holm not doing much here.
Blaatand trying to control here.
Blaatand tries to get to full guard but Holm has control of the leg.
Holm trying to pass the guard but Blaatand defending well.
Harald Blaatand is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Holm trying to control the action but Blaatand is working from the bottom.
Blaatand moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaatand seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Blaatand keeping moving, preventing Holm from controlling successfully.
Blaatand is controlling Holm's posture.
Holm wants to control from the top but Blaatand keeps moving.

Blaatand pushes Holm off and scrambles back to his feet.
Blaatand with a lazy takedown attempt

and Holm counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Holm.
Blaatand looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Nikon Holm has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holm trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Harald Blaatand.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Blaatand, 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harald Blaatand!