PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Koos Van Asch (ranked 493 p4p, 910 weight class) and Dick Ekelund (ranked 57 p4p, 106 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Van Asch
vs
Ekelund

167 cm
24
148
8 - 3 - 0

178 cm
24
150
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Chester's Cheap Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Koos Van Asch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dick Ekelund!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Asch throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Ekelund keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Van Asch.
Ekelund wants to counter the offense by Van Asch and move into the clinch position.
Van Asch tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ekelund is able to avoid easily.

Ekelund closes the distance and clinches.
Ekelund throws a head punch that misses.
Ekelund has a couple of punches blocked by Van Asch.
Ekelund lands with a light punch inside.
Van Asch 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.
Ekelund doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ekelund swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Asch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Asch can't find room to land a body shot as Ekelund controls the action.
Ekelund has Van Asch pressed against the cage, preventing Van Asch from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Van Asch is trying to break free.
Ekelund lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Van Asch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekelund doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Van Asch taking a breather.
Ekelund lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Van Asch is trying to break the clinch but Ekelund has him pressed against the cage.
Van Asch is trying to pull guard but Ekelund turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Asch throws a head punch that misses.
Van Asch working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Van Asch breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Asch scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Ekelund throws a lazy right hand but Van Asch sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
It looked like Van Asch wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Ekelund fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Asch throws the left hand but Ekelund avoids the punch easily.
Van Asch is looking to score with low kicks.
Ekelund steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Van Asch.
Ekelund uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Van Asch.
Dick Ekelund seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Asch takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Van Asch connects with a crisp jab.
Van Asch lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Van Asch swats away the attempt to clinch by Ekelund.

Ekelund has managed to clinch.
Van Asch fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Van Asch throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekelund.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ekelund's elbow.
Van Asch lands an uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A body shot lands from Van Asch.

Van Asch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Good shot there by Ekelund.
Ekelund closes the distance but Van Asch moves to the side
letting Van Asch counter with a right hand.

Ekelund has managed to clinch.
Van Asch tries to throw a body punch but Ekelund avoids it by throwing Van Asch back against the cage.
Van Asch working aggressively here.
Van Asch struggles to land a body shot inside as Ekelund controls his hands.
Van Asch tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ekelund's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Van Asch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekelund.
Van Asch blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A short right from Ekelund.
Ekelund misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Van Asch.
A short right from Van Asch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Van Asch manages to break the clinch.
Ekelund is looking to clinch.
Ekelund ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ekelund tries to clinch there but Van Asch circles away.
Van Asch half committed to a counter leg kick.
Van Asch moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Ekelund takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Ekelund misses with a hook
and Van Asch counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ekelund. Van Asch does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ekelund throws a body punch but Van Asch moves out of range.

Van Asch tries to keep at a distance but Ekelund has taken the fight into the clinch.
Van Asch is trying to push Ekelund away but Ekelund has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A right hook to the body lands for Van Asch.
Van Asch tries to work over Ekelund's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Van Asch tries to break free but Ekelund pushes him back against the cage.
A short right from Ekelund.
Ekelund lands with a left to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Asch has Ekelund pushed against the cage.
Van Asch lands with a short shot to the head.
Ekelund lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Van Asch backwards.
Van Asch misses with a punch on the inside.
Van Asch misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Van Asch swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ekelund works on Van Asch's body with a couple of short punches.
Van Asch fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Asch misses with a punch on the inside.
Ekelund throws a head punch that misses.

Van Asch breaks the clinch.
Van Asch throws a nice outside leg kick.
Van Asch with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Ekelund moves into the clinch successfully.
Ekelund lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Van Asch backwards.
Ekelund changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Van Asch fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Van Asch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Van Asch tests Ekelund's chin there with a solid looking shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Koos Van Asch will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

A nice inside leg kick there by Van Asch. That's going to slow Ekelund down.
Ekelund displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Van Asch throws out the jab.
Ekelund steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Van Asch.
Ekelund swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ekelund swings widly with a right hand
and Ekelund takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ekelund tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Van Asch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Van Asch does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ekelund is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Van Asch scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Van Asch.
A chopping leg kick lands by Van Asch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Van Asch tests Ekelund's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ekelund connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Ekelund has managed to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Van Asch breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ekelund blocks a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Ekelund.
Van Asch paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Van Asch swats away the attempt to clinch by Ekelund.
Ekelund fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Asch is looking to counter punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ekelund. Van Asch does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little feinted left hand from Van Asch on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ekelund moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A solid leg kick lands there for Van Asch.
Ekelund slips a straight right by Van Asch.
Ekelund bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Van Asch's head.
Van Asch bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A big left from Van Asch misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Van Asch misses the target.
Some bone on bone action there as Ekelund checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Ekelund fails in his attempt to clinch.
Van Asch feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Ekelund throws a left and a right that both miss
and Van Asch counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch misses with a looping left.
Van Asch misses with a low kick as Ekelund jumps back.
Ekelund wants to counter with a clinch but Van Asch pushes him away.
Ekelund staying out of range there.
Van Asch connects with a solid leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ekelund tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Van Asch tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ekelund is able to avoid easily.
Ekelund slips a straight right by Van Asch.
Ekelund steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Van Asch.
Van Asch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Van Asch scores with a sloppy right hand. Ekelund should have avoided that one.
Van Asch tries a low kick but Ekelund avoids it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Van Asch.
Van Asch throws a low kick but Ekelund avoids it.
Ekelund wants to counter the offense by Van Asch and move into the clinch position.
Ekelund misses with a hook
and Van Asch counters with a low kick, right behind Ekelund 's knee.
Ekelund blocks a low kick nicely.
Ekelund swings for the body but Van Asch moves out of range.

Van Asch gets tackled into the cage by Ekelund. Ekelund maintains the clinch.
Dick Ekelund seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Van Asch's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Good body shot from Van Asch.
Ekelund can't find room to land a body shot as Van Asch controls the action.
Van Asch lands with a right to the head.
Ekelund is working Van Asch over against the cage.
Ekelund misses with a punch to the body.
Van Asch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Asch lands with a right to the head.
Ekelund prevents Van Asch from breaking the clinch.
Ekelund's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ekelund misses with a punch on the inside.
Van Asch lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ekelund backwards.
Ekelund misses with a punch on the inside.
Ekelund blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Ekelund digs a right hand into Van Asch's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Van Asch's gas tank.
Ekelund tries a body shot but Van Asch blocks it.
Van Asch tries to circle away but Ekelund has him pinned against the cage.
Ekelund lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Ekelund scores with a nice short uppercut.

Van Asch breaks the clinch.
A swing and a miss from Ekelund.
Van Asch throws a leg kick that misses.
Ekelund wants to counter the offense by Van Asch and move into the clinch position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Ekelund has Van Asch up against the cage in a clinch.
Ekelund lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Van Asch blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A hook to the body from Ekelund.
Van Asch is trying to break the clinch but Ekelund is controlling him.
Ekelund goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Van Asch is trying to break the clinch but Ekelund has him pressed against the cage.
Ekelund lands with a short shot to the head.
Ekelund misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekelund lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Ekelund lands with a light punch inside.
Ekelund lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Van Asch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Koos Van Asch dominated that second round.
That's time! Van Asch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ekelund instigates a clinch.

Van Asch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ekelund works the jab nicely.
Van Asch walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Ekelund fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Van Asch, pushing him back against the cage.

Van Asch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Asch moves out of range of the strikes.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ekelund.
Ekelund is looking to clinch but Van Asch is avoiding it.

Ekelund rushes Van Asch and presses him up against the cage.
Ekelund misses with a hook from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ekelund stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Ekelund.
Van Asch blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Asch lands a nice uppercut.
Van Asch wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Van Asch misses with a hook to the ribs.
Van Asch is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Asch has a couple of punches blocked by Ekelund.
A short left from Ekelund.
Van Asch takes a shot to the head.
Van Asch blocks a body shot from Ekelund.
Good body shot from Ekelund.
Ekelund misses with a body punch.
Van Asch softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ekelund struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Asch controls his hands.

Van Asch breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ekelund tries to clinch up but Van Asch circles away and keeps his distance.

Ekelund rushes Van Asch and presses him up against the cage.
Ekelund prevents a body shot from Van Asch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Van Asch as Ekelund tries to tie him up.
Ekelund blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Van Asch tries to pull guard but Ekelund holds him up against the cage and eventually Van Asch drops back down to his feet.
Ekelund gets through Van Asch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Dick Ekelund has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch wants to break the clinch but can't.
Ekelund swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Asch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekelund can't find room to land a body shot as Van Asch controls the action.

Van Asch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Van Asch avoids the body shot from Ekelund.
Ekelund wants to clinch.
Van Asch fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ekelund just manages to avoid it.
Ekelund thuds a left hand into Van Asch's body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ekelund wants to clinch.
Ekelund misses with an uppercut
and Van Asch counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Asch throws out a loose jab but Ekelund uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekelund staying out of range there.
No joy there for Ekelund, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Van Asch with a nice calf kick.
Van Asch avoids the body shot from Ekelund.
Van Asch throws a big shot that misses.
Van Asch with the inside leg kick.
Ekelund pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Koos Van Asch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Van Asch throws a chopping leg kick but Ekelund manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ekelund is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Ekelund digs a good hook to Van Asch's body.
Van Asch misses with a hook.
Ekelund fails with an attempt to clinch.
Van Asch waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Ekelund.
Ekelund swings widly with a right hand
and Van Asch counters with a straight right hand.

Oooooh!!! Ekelund has knocked Van Asch down with a huge combo! Ekelund steps away and waves a wobbly Van Asch back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Van Asch is rocked!

It looks like Koos Van Asch has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Ekelund closes the distance and clinches.
Ekelund works on Van Asch's body with a couple of short punches.
Ekelund tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Van Asch's elbow.
Ekelund misses with a body punch.
Van Asch takes a shot to the head.
Ekelund struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Asch controls his hands.
Ekelund misses with the head strike.
Ekelund misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ekelund misses with the head strike.
Ekelund tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ekelund swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Asch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dick Ekelund comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Van Asch 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Koos Van Asch!
Koos Van Asch decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.