PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Magnus Karlson (ranked 3900 p4p, 409 weight class) and Tomasz Rzasa (ranked 5377 p4p, 485 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Karlson
vs
Rzasa

205 cm
25
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

211 cm
25
211 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Magnus Karlson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tomasz Rzasa!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Karlson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Rzasa drives through and clinches with Karlson against the cage.
Rzasa keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Karlson's efforts to push away.
Rzasa looking for a takedown.

Rzasa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rzasa changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Karlson tries to avoid it but Rzasa manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Karlson to the ground. Karlson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rzasa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Magnus Karlson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomasz Rzasa.

Karlson forces Rzasa back against the cage and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rzasa has Karlson pressed against the cage, preventing Karlson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Karlson is pushing Rzasa up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Rzasa breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rzasa looks for a takedown but Karlson sprawls well.
Rzasa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Karlson.
Rzasa tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Karlson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rzasa shoots for a double leg takedown but Karlson sprawls well. He's pushed Rzasa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Rzasa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Karlson has Rzasa up against the cage in a clinch.
Karlson is trying to push Rzasa away but Rzasa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Karlson is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karlson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Karlson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Rzasa darts in and clinches Karlson up against the cage.
Karlson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Karlson wants a takedown but no success here.

Rzasa gets control of Karlson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Rzasa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Rzasa keeping full guard, as Karlson tries to pass.
Karlson trying to control but Rzasa is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karlson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Rzasa has control of Karlson's left arm, preventing Karlson from doing any damage.
Rzasa keeping moving, preventing Karlson from controlling successfully.
Rzasa has a closed guard, preventing Karlson from standing up.
Rzasa pulls Karlson in to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Karlson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rzasa's waist but Rzasa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Karlson off to one side.
Rzasa with a poor takedown

and Karlson counters by clinching up.
Rzasa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rzasa changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Karlson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rzasa shoots in and drives through. Karlson sprawls well.
Rzasa stuffs the takedown.
Rzasa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Karlson defends it well.

Rzasa has closed the distance and engaged Karlson in a clinch.
Rzasa fails to pull guard.
Karlson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rzasa has him pressed against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Karlson dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Rzasa is looking to take this one to the mat.
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 Magnus Karlson 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.

Karlson shoots for a takedown but Rzasa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Karlson fails with a takedown attempt.
Karlson throws a right and a left that Rzasa avoids nicely.
Rzasa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Karlson avoids it really well and circles away.
Rzasa displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Karlson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Magnus Karlson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Karlson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rzasa as he avoids it easily.
Karlson dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rzasa. That did some damage!
Karlson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rzasa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rzasa forces Karlson back against the cage and clinches.
Karlson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Karlson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Rzasa avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Karlson looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rzasa landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Rzasa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rzasa jabs Karlson to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Rzasa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Karlson defends well and Rzasa ends up having to push Karlson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rzasa is looking to clinch.
Karlson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rzasa.
Rzasa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rzasa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Karlson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Karlson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rzasa throws a counter combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rzasa's waist but Rzasa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Karlson off to one side.
Rzasa steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Karlson.
Rzasa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
As Rzasa looks to move away, Karlson throws a big counter combo but Rzasa just gets out of the way.
Karlson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rzasa as he jumps to the side.
Rzasa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Karlson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rzasa as he jumps to the side.
Rzasa goes for a double leg but Karlson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Karlson continues to drive forward.
Magnus Karlson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A lazy left from Rzasa finds it's target.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rzasa misses with a takedown attempt - Karlson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa fails with the takedown.
Karlson shoots in looking for a takedown. Rzasa tries to sprawl out of it but Karlson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rzasa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rzasa takes one to the chin there.
Karlson shoots in and drives through. Rzasa sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Rzasa is defended easily by Karlson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rzasa wants it to stay on the feet.
Rzasa scores with a crisp jab that stopped Karlson in his tracks.
Karlson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Rzasa's waist but Rzasa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Karlson off to one side.
Karlson tries to clinch but Rzasa is having none of it.
Rzasa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Karlson is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Rzasa.
Rzasa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rzasa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomasz Rzasa 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!

Karlson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rzasa momentarily.
Karlson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rzasa.
Rzasa stuffs the takedown attempt from Karlson. Karlson gets slowly back to his feet.
Tomasz Rzasa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Karlson tries to clinch up but Rzasa circles away and keeps his distance.
Rzasa feints the counter takedown.
Rzasa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Karlson counters with a three punch combo that has Rzasa backing up. Rzasa nods at Karlson to acknowledge the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rzasa misses with a takedown attempt - Karlson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Karlson tries to counter with a takedown but Rzasa is quick to defend against it.
Rzasa throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Karlson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karlson misses with a head kick.
Rzasa defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Karlson.
Karlson tries to clinch up.

Karlson has taken the fight to the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rzasa just misses with a elbow thrown towards Karlson's brow.
Rzasa tries for a takedown but Karlson manages to get underhooks.
Magnus Karlson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tomasz Rzasa.
Karlson tries to pull guard but Rzasa forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rzasa wants to take the fight to the mat but Karlson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Rzasa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rzasa is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rzasa fails to pull guard.
Rzasa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Karlson walks away with a smile on his face. Rzasa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Karlson gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karlson has Rzasa pressed against the cage.
Karlson fails to pull guard.
Karlson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Karlson will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rzasa up against the cage.

Karlson pulls guard successfully.
Rzasa slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Karlson.
Rzasa is trying to control. Karlson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rzasa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Rzasa is trying to control. Karlson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Karlson pushes Rzasa off but Rzasa dives into side control.
Karlson tries to improve position but can't.
Karlson tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Rzasa easily slips into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rzasa throws some wild stikes that Karlson manages to avoid easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rzasa jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Karlson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Rzasa staying calm.
Rzasa is looking to take a break and control but Karlson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Magnus Karlson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Karlson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight for Tomasz Rzasa!
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight for Tomasz Rzasa!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Tomasz Rzasa!

Tomasz Rzasa wins by unanimous decision!