PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Herbert Mullin (ranked 1879 p4p, 2426 weight class) and Thorvald Nansen (ranked 242 p4p, 289 weight class). Nansen has chosen Benny Jamz - Torden as his entrance music. Thorvald Nansen is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Mullin
vs
Nansen

185 cm
38
165
23 - 20 - 1

176 cm
29
165
13 - 12 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 23 - 20 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Herbert Mullin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thorvald Nansen!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mullin takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nansen tries to clinch but Mullin is having none of it.
The crowd cheers as Nansen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mullin doesn't seem phased though.
Mullin plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Mullin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nansen pivots, looking for a leg kick but Mullin is out of range and Nansen settles back down.
Nansen lunges at Mullin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mullin's hand.
Nansen misses with a looping left.
Mullin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Nansen cracks Mullin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A jab lands there for Nansen.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nansen tests Mullin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nansen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A thudding body kick lands there by Nansen!
Mullin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nansen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Mullin seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A telegraphed right hand from Mullin misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Nansen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nansen lands an overhand right.
Nansen on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Mullin takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Mullin throws a body shot but no joy.

Mullin closes the distance and clinches.

Mullin breaks from the clinch.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Nansen crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Mullin - the referee stops the clock and Nansen gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Mullin. Nansen manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

Mullin forces Nansen back against the cage and clinches.

Nansen wants the takedown. Mullin is fighting it off but Nansen persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Mullin's guard against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mullin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nansen is controlling him.
Nansen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Mullin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Nansen is controlling him.
Mullin is trying to control the position but Nansen postures up.
Nansen prevents Mullin from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nansen tries to free his leg and advance position but Mullin is retaining full guard.
Nansen stops Mullin from standing up.
Nansen passes Mullin's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mullin is looking to escape.
Nansen wants to take a breather but Mullin is having none of it.
Nansen wants to pass the guard but Mullin is defending well.
Nansen prevents Mullin from standing back up.

Nansen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mullin is trying to stand up here but Nansen is controlling him well.
Mullin is not content to let Nansen control the position.
Mullin trying to hold on to Nansen's head to control him but Nansen postures up.
Nansen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Nansen stops Mullin from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nansen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Nansen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Mullin tries to get to full guard but Nansen has control of the leg.
Nansen is looking to advance position but Mullin won't allow it.
Nansen prevents Mullin from standing back up.
Nansen trying to control from half guard but Mullin is working away.
Mullin is trying to stand up here but Nansen is controlling him well.
Nansen working Mullin over with strikes.
Mullin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Nansen is working away from the top position though.
Mullin pushes Nansen off looking to stand but Nansen dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Nansen working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.

Nansen is looking for a kimura here.
Nansen stops Mullin from getting back to his feet.

Nansen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Mullin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nansen.
Nice strikes from Nansen there.
Nansen working the head and body with strikes.
Mullin tries to kick Nansen off but Nansen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Nansen wants to pass to mount but Mullin is defending the position.
Mullin wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mullin kicks off Nansen and gets to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Nansen dominated that round.
That's time! Mullin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mullin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The crowd cheers as Nansen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Mullin doesn't seem phased though.
Mullin misses with a jab to the body
and Nansen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mullin tries to clinch there but Nansen circles away.
Nansen throws out a counter right but Mullin avoids it with no problem.
Nansen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nansen misses with a two punch combination.

Mullin clinches up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Nansen.
Nansen misses with a punch to the body.
Nansen takes a shot to the head.
Mullin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Mullin gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Nansen works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mullin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mullin trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mullin stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Mullin misses with a head kick.
Nansen lands a jab.
Nansen looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Mullin takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Nansen throws a jab but it's blocked by Mullin.
Nansen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A head kick misses from Mullin.
Nansen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nansen tries to clinch but Mullin moves out of range.
Mullin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Mullin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Thorvald Nansen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mullin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Nansen throws a punch but it's blocked by Mullin.
Mullin looking to slow down the pace here.

Mullin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nansen dives in for a single leg takedown but Mullin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Nansen closes the distance and clinches up with Mullin, looking for a takedown. Nansen pushes Mullin against the cage but Mullin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head kick misses from Mullin.
Nansen throws a big shot that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Mullin. Those never looked like landing.
Nansen has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Mullin throws a nice head kick!
Nice takedown defense from Mullin. No joy for Nansen on that attempt.
Mullin throws a counter high kick but Nansen was just alert enough to avoid it.
Herbert Mullin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thorvald Nansen.
Nansen explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Nansen has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Mullin finds it's way round the side to connect with Nansen's head.
Mullin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mullin feints a jab promting Nansen to slip. Mullin then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Nansen slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mullin moves in looking to clinch but Nansen pushes him off.
The fighters circling - Nansen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mullin was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Nansen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Herbert Mullin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nansen throws a body punch but Mullin moves out of range.
Mullin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Nansen has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Mullin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nansen follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.

Mullin pushes Nansen up against the cage in a clinch.

Mullin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mullin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mullin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Nansen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nansen lands a slapping body shot.
Nansen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Mullin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Nansen connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mullin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Nansen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mullin moves in looking to clinch but Nansen pushes him off.
Nansen shoots in but Mullin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Mullin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Nansen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nansen throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nansen lands a slapping body shot.
Mullin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Nansen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nansen slips a jab and a cross from Mullin.
A head kick misses from Mullin.
Nansen scores with a punch to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Herbert Mullin dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Nansen wants to clinch.
Mullin tries to clinch but Nansen moves out of range.
Mullin throws a series of punches but Nansen moves out of range.
Mullin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nansen throws a wild body kick that Mullin sees coming a mile off.

Nansen closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Nansen lands in his opponent's guard.
Nansen wants to control from the top but Mullin keeps moving.
Thorvald Nansen has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mullin wants to stand up but Nansen is controlling him.
Nansen forces his way into half guard.

Mullin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nansen cracks Mullin with an open hand slap.

Mullin takes the fight into the clinch.

Mullin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nansen throws a head kick that misses.
Mullin looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Mullin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Nansen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nansen scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Nansen swinging wildly here.
Nansen misses the jab.
Nansen chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Nansen takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Nansen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nansen fails to land a wild elbow strike.

Mullin bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Mullin cracks Nansen with a right hand to the side of the head.
Nansen wants to clinch up but Mullin keeps it at a distance.
As Nansen backs away, Mullin returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Nansen throws out a loose jab but Mullin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nansen moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Nansen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Mullin is rocked!
Herbert Mullin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nansen steps in with a hook that catches Mullin right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Nansen follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Mullin looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Thorvald Nansen!
Our winner, Thorvald Nansen, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.