PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arjen Lucassen (ranked 2813 p4p, 342 weight class) and Taiga Jim (ranked 945 p4p, 124 weight class). Arjen Lucassen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Taiga Jim's chin.

Lucassen
vs
Jim

174 cm
33
186 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

189 cm
32
189 lbs
17 - 12 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London

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 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Arjen Lucassen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taiga Jim!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Chris Edwards and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Jim.
Jim drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Lucassen defends it well.
Jim takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Jim slips a jab from Lucassen.
Jim drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Lucassen defends it well.
We've been informed that Jim 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.
Jim throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lucassen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lucassen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Jim.
Lucassen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Lucassen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Lucassen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Jim.
Jim throws a body shot but no joy.
Jim pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lucassen thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lucassen takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Jim scores with a body shot.
Lucassen looks to land a left hand but Jim moved out of range nicely.
Lucassen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Jim connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jim fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lucassen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Jim.

Jim looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Lucassen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jim.
Jim sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lucassen wants to stand but Jim is controlling the position.
Jim throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lucassen works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jim is stalling in the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucassen wants to stand up but Jim is controlling him.
Lucassen is looking to stand back up but Jim counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Lucassen.
Jim wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lucassen keeps working.
Lucassen wants to get back to his feet.
Jim is trying to control. Lucassen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Jim content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucassen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice takedown defense from Lucassen. No joy for Jim on that attempt.
Lucassen moves out of range of the strikes.
Taiga Jim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Lucassen does it's job there.
Jim on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Jim is rocked!
Jim scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Jim is still on wobbly legs! Can Lucassen finish him?
Jim throws a shot to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Jim there.
Jim seems to have recovered his senses.
Jim shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Lucassen defends it nicely.
Arjen Lucassen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taiga Jim.
Jim fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Lucassen lands a big right hand that sends Jim crashing to the mat! Lucassen stays standing though and waves Jim back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lucassen takes one to the chin there.
Lucassen throws a lazy right hand but Jim sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lucassen misses with a left hand
and Jim connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lucassen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Jim moves out of range as Lucassen strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Jim! But no joy.
Jim throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lucassen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Nice shot by Jim.
Jim looks to score with a jab to the body but Lucassen is just out of range.
Arjen Lucassen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jim sizes up Lucassen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Lucassen misses with a looping left.
Lucassen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lucassen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jim looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
An attempted straight right counter from Lucassen misses the target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Taiga Jim will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lucassen misses with a shot to the body
and Jim counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lucassen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Jim darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Jim throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Lucassen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Jim looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Lucassen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Still in half guard, Jim seems content to control.
Jim stops Lucassen from getting back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jim with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Lucassen tries to kick Jim off but Jim keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucassen is refusing to be controlled, as Jim sits in half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Jim connects with a jab.
Jim fails with the takedown.
Jim misses with a takedown
and Lucassen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Jim has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jim swings widly with a right hand

and Lucassen counters with a nice right hand that sends Jim toppling to the canvas! Jim scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Lucassen finish him?!
Jim slips a jab from Lucassen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A left lands for Jim.
Jim uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lucassen.
Jim looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucassen staying out of range there.
Lucassen throws a big counter combination but Jim scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Jim misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Lucassen counters with a crisp right hand that drops Jim! Lucassen lets Jim back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Jim will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jim misses with a looping left.
Jim waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lucassen.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lucassen enables Jim to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lucassen manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jim is stalling in the full guard.
Taiga Jim has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lucassen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jim scoring with some ground and pound.
Jim working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lucassen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Jim is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Jim catches Lucassen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Jim's corner calls for a 1-2. Jim obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Lucassen shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Lucassen misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jim rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lucassen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jim scores with a one two! Lucassen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Jim connects with a body shot that sends Lucassen's belly button to the back.
Jim throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Lucassen lands a big head kick that sends Jim tumbling to the mat! Lucassen takes a step backwards and waves Jim back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Lucassen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
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!
Lucassen misses with a right hand
and Jim counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lucassen thinking.
Lucassen on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Jim is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Lucassen's half guard.

Lucassen kicks Jim off and gets back to his feet.
Arjen Lucassen is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jim is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
A punch lands to the side of Lucassen 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Good exchange - Jim coming out on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Arjen Lucassen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Jim drives through with a takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Lucassen manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Jim has a couple of punches blocked by Lucassen.
Jim can't find room to land a body shot as Lucassen controls the action.

Lucassen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jim shoots in looking for a takedown. Lucassen tries to sprawl out of it but Jim keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Lucassen manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lucassen looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Lucassen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Nice defenses there by Lucassen.
Lucassen throwing a counter right hand but Jim manages to avoid it.
Lucassen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jim misses with an uppercut
and Lucassen counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jim lands a really nice looking cross but Lucassen seems unphased.
Jim thuds his right hand into Lucassen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Jim swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lucassen with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Jim to score with a decent uppercut.
Jim misses with a right hand
and Lucassen counters with a stiff right hand.
Lucassen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Jim sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lucassen digs a good body shot into Jim's ribs.

Lucassen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Lucassen has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Jim is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Lucassen looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

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

Lucassen gets caught flat footed, as Jim shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jim sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jim throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jim trying to control but Lucassen is working from the bottom.
Jim wants to pass the guard but Lucassen is keeping the position.
Jim throwing strikes but missing.
Jim stops Lucassen from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lucassen pushes Jim off and gets back to his feet.
Jim thuds a left hand into Lucassen's body.
Lucassen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Lucassen wants it to stay on the feet.
Jim misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Arjen Lucassen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taiga Jim.
Jim misses with a hook. Lucassen ducked under it nicely.
Lucassen takes one to the side of the head.
Jim misses with a right hand
and Jim takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Jim looks to land a combination but Lucassen avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucassen closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Jim throws a sloppy body shot

and Lucassen counters with a nice right hand that sends Jim toppling to the canvas! Jim scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Lucassen finish him?!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jim slips a jab from Lucassen.
Lucassen walks forward and throws a big overhand right! Jim drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes! Lucassen swarms on him with more punches until the referee wrestles him away from Jim's unconscious body! Wow, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Arjen Lucassen!
In his post fight interview, Arjen Lucassen started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.