PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thorvald Nansen (ranked 2301 p4p, 2532 weight class) and Dick Niaz (ranked 283 p4p, 304 weight class). Nansen kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Benny Jamz - Torden. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nansen
vs
Niaz

176 cm
19
165
2 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
165
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thorvald Nansen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dick Niaz!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nansen lands a glancing blow to the side of Niaz's head.
Nansen throws a leg kick that is checked

and Niaz counters with a takedown into side control.
Niaz advances nicely into full mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nansen prevents Niaz from taking his back.

Niaz has control of Nansen's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Nansen regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Nansen defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Niaz.
Nansen wants to try and get back to his feet.
Nansen regains half guard.
Nansen is trying to stand back up but Niaz is controlling him
Nansen tries to get to full guard but Niaz has control of the leg.
Niaz wants to control but Nansen is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Niaz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Nansen tries to get to full guard but Niaz has control of the leg.
Nansen won't allow Niaz to pass to mount.

Nansen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Niaz wants to pass the guard but Nansen is defending well.
Niaz moves into full mount! Nansen won't be happy about that!
Niaz wants to take his opponent's back but Nansen doesn't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nansen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nansen prevents Niaz from taking his back.
Niaz works his way to his opponent's back.

Niaz looking for the choke from the back.
Nansen manages to reverse the position and now he's in Niaz's guard. Nice work there by Nansen.

Niaz working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Nansen has passed into half guard!
Nansen trying to mount his opponent but Niaz defends it.
Niaz slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Nansen trying to control but Niaz is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Niaz is looking for a triangle but Nansen pushes his legs off easily.
Nansen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Niaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Nansen preventing the sweep.
Nansen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nansen looking to sit in guard and control but Niaz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Nansen is trying to control the position but Niaz postures up.
Niaz trying to control the position from guard on top but Nansen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Nansen looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Niaz passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Niaz is looking for a kimura here.
Niaz passes to full mount!
Nansen sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Nansen is looking to regain full guard. He's left an arm up in the air though and Niaz has latched onto it... Big trouble! Niaz pivots for an armbar - it's in tight and it Nansen is tapping in no time flat! Great counter grappling there from Niaz!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dick Niaz!
Dick Niaz spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.