PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Haw Thorn (ranked 219 p4p, 1044 weight class) and Nord Licht (ranked 36 p4p, 133 weight class). Thorn's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, For Heavy Metal we will die!. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Thorn
vs
Licht

190 cm
28
272
16 - 4 - 0

206 cm
29
235
8 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Heavy Metal Drugs
Â© Trap House

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Haw Thorn!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nord Licht!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Licht misses with a kick to the body.
Licht throws a series of punches but Thorn avoids them all with ease.
Licht misses with a series of wild punches.
The fighters circle momentarily. Thorn darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

It looks like Nord Licht has been cut.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Licht throws a body punch but Thorn moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Licht misses with a kick to the body.
Thorn needs to keep his hands up - Licht had a free shot at his head there.
Licht throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Thorn counters with a good, hard body kick but Licht shrugs it off.
Thorn throws a lazy body kick
and Licht counters with a three punch combo that has Thorn backing up. Thorn nods at Licht to acknowledge the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thorn closes the distance and clinches.

Licht pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thorn throws a shot from downtown. Licht moves away and avoids it.
Thorn misses with a kick to the body.
Licht with a nice cross.
The fighters circling - Thorn throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A nice side step and Licht releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Licht lands with a shot to the body.
A head kick misses from Thorn.
Thorn misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Licht counters with a left and a right that stings Thorn.
Licht is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Licht swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Thorn counters with a nice uppercut.
Licht misses with a wild body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A looping hook to the body misses from Licht. Thorn does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thorn seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Licht throws a low kick but Thorn moves out of range easily.
Thorn appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Licht is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Thorn rather than just go for the knockout.
Licht drops his hands momentarily and Thorn takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Licht looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Thorn misses the jab.
Thorn misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn missing with a left hand there. Licht was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thorn swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Licht.

That has opened up Nord Licht's cut even more.
Licht tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Thorn was well out of range. Poor timing from Licht.
Thorn looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Thorn gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Thorn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Licht's coach down at Brooklyn Mixed Martial Arts was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Licht's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
A big left from Thorn misses.
Licht lands with a shot to the body.
Licht scores with a hook to the body. Thorn takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Thorn swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As Thorn backs off Licht throws a huge counter combo but Thorn manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licht ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Licht is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Thorn fails to land with a series of punches.
Thorn lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Thorn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thorn misses with a right hand
and Licht counters with a one-two to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Licht throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thorn throws a counter high kick but Licht was just alert enough to avoid it.
Licht misses with a series of wild punches.
Thorn has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Licht.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nord Licht will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nord Licht's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Licht throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Licht - that will leave a mark!
Licht throws a right and a left that Thorn avoids nicely.
Thorn misses with a double jab.
Licht defending well as Thorn loads up on a big left hand.
Licht avoids the body shot from Thorn.
Thorn throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Licht counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Thorn thinking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Licht turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Licht keeps the fight on the outside.
Licht doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Thorn showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Licht.
Thorn swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thorn instigates a clinch.
Thorn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Licht looking to slow down the pace here.
Licht taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Thorn.
Thorn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thorn swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thorn can't break the clinch.
Licht lands a body shot in the clinch.
Licht lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Thorn or not.
I was talking to Thorn's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn scores with a nice hook to the head.
Thorn gets through Licht's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Thorn lands a hook to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Thorn.
Licht lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Thorn backwards.
Licht tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thorn's elbow.
Licht blocks a body shot from Thorn.

Licht breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Licht swinging wildly here.
Licht looks to score with a jab to the body but Thorn is just out of range.
Thorn is looking to counter punch.
Licht with a nice cross.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Licht. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Licht misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn throws out a loose jab but Licht uses good head movement to avoid it.
Thorn throws a body kick that misses
and Licht counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Licht throws a head kick but Thorn moves out of range.
Thorn throws a body kick that misses.
Thorn misses with the combination.
Licht walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Thorn checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thorn has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Thorn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A head kick misses from Licht.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thorn throws a hook but Licht avoids it easily.
Licht steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Thorn.
A head kick misses from Thorn.
Licht ducks under a wild hook from Thorn.
Licht is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Licht misses with a kick to the body.
Nice jab there from Thorn.
Thorn throws a body punch but Licht moves out of range.
Thorn sets himself, and Licht steps forward looking for the clinch! Thorn avoids it this time.
Thorn thumps Licht with a low kick.
Thorn misses with a jab, cross combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Licht tries to clinch up but Thorn circles away and keeps his distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nord Licht will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Nord Licht's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Licht throws an off balance right hand
and Thorn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Thorn misses with a right hand
and Licht counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Licht lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Licht throws a shot to the body.
Thorn throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Licht counters with a right hand to the body.
Thorn moves forwards but Licht connects with a nice, crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Licht tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Licht bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Licht throws a series of punches but Thorn moves out of range.
Thorn jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Licht swings for the body but Thorn moves out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Thorn checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Thorn is looking to counter with a body kick.
Sloppy strikes from Licht. Those never looked like landing.
And Thorn counters with a quick kick to the body but Licht blocks it.
Thorn tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Licht was well out of range. Poor timing from Thorn.
Licht follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Licht connects with a leg kick.

Licht has taken the fight to the clinch.
Thorn is struggling to control the position.
Thorn pushes Licht back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Thorn misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thorn misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn lands with a short shot to the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Licht.

Thorn pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Licht misses with a straight right.
Licht slips a jab from Thorn.
Jab by Thorn.
Thorn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Licht.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Licht misses with a two punch combination.
Licht has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Licht gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Thorn tries to clinch but Licht is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Licht takes the fight into the clinch.
Thorn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Licht tries a body shot but Thorn blocks it.
Thorn prevents a body shot from Licht.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Thorn.

The cut above Nord Licht's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Licht letting Thorn take a breather here.

Licht manages to break the clinch.
Licht swings for the body but Thorn moves out of range.
Thorn sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Licht tries to close the distance and clinch but Thorn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thorn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Licht swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Licht is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licht fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thorn manages to avoid it.
Licht fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Thorn is looking to counter punch.
A shot to the liver by Licht. Beautiful body shot.
Thorn scores with the left hand. Licht knows he should have avoided that one.
Thorn looks to clinch
and Licht counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Licht throws a good cross that connects.

Licht clinches up against the cage.
Licht working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Thorn blocks a body shot from Licht.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nord Licht really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nord Licht's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Licht avoids the body shot from Thorn.
Thorn moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromLicht.
Thorn looks to land a left hand but Licht moved out of range nicely.
Thorn takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Licht tries a head kick but it misses.
Licht throws a predictable looking body shot
and Thorn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thorn has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Licht finds it's way round the side to connect with Thorn's head.
Nord Licht seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thorn misses the body punch
and Licht cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Licht looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thorn has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Licht throws a series of punches but Thorn moves out of range.

Licht gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thorn will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Licht has a couple of punches blocked by Thorn.
Thorn tries to break free but Licht pushes him back against the cage.
Thorn stalling in the clinch but Licht improves position.
Licht stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Licht pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Licht fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Thorn, pushing him back against the cage.
Thorn goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Licht blocks an uppercut.
A body shot lands from Licht.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Licht misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thorn misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Thorn.
Thorn misses with the head strike.
Thorn blocking some punches.
Licht looking to slow down the pace here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Licht.
Thorn misses with a hook to the ribs.
Licht tries a body shot but Thorn blocks it.
Licht swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thorn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Licht lands a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Licht misses with a short punch on the inside.

Licht manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Licht avoids a kick to the body.
No joy there for Licht, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Licht lands a nice looking body shot.
Thorn throws a lazy right hand but Licht sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Thorn throws a big shot that misses.
Licht misses with a shot to the body
and Licht takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Licht misses with a wild body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from Thorn misses the target.
Licht keeps the fight on the outside.
Thorn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licht uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Thorn.
Licht wants to counter with a clinch but Thorn pushes him away.
Thorn misses with a jab to the body

and Licht counters by clinching up.
Licht presses Thorn against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Thorn manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Licht struggles to land a body shot inside as Thorn controls his hands.
Thorn lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Licht backwards.
Licht content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Thorn swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Licht fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Haw Thorn has scored more points in the clinch so far.
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!
Thorn tries to throw a body punch but Licht avoids it by throwing Thorn back against the cage.
Thorn swings wildly with an uppercut but Licht uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nord Licht dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Nord Licht's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Licht throws a good cross that connects.
Haw Thorn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thorn tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Licht throws a right hand that misses
and Thorn counters with a thumping low kick.
Licht avoids a punch combination nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thorn swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thorn with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Licht gets tackled into the cage by Thorn. Thorn maintains the clinch.
Licht has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Licht throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Thorn.
Thorn tries to stall but Licht uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Thorn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Licht backwards.
Licht lands a body shot in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Licht as Thorn tries to tie him up.
Licht lands a nice shot to the body.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Thorn tries to work over Licht's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thorn throws a punch but it's blocked by Licht.
Licht struggles to land a body shot inside as Thorn controls his hands.
A body shot lands from Thorn.
Thorn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Licht's elbow.
Licht misses with a hook to the ribs.
Thorn struggles to land a body shot inside as Licht controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorn struggles to land a body shot inside as Licht controls his hands.
A right handed body shot lands from Thorn.
Licht tries a body shot but Thorn blocks it.
Licht looking to stall.
Licht digs a right hand into Thorn's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Thorn's gas tank.
Thorn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Licht backwards.
Licht tries to break the clinch but Thorn is controlling the position.
Licht misses with some punches.
Thorn tries to break free but Licht pushes him back against the cage.
Licht struggles to land a body shot inside as Thorn controls his hands.
A short body shot lands from Licht as the two fighters clinch.
Licht wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thorn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Licht scores with a shoulder strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thorn has Licht pushed against the cage.
Licht pressing his opponent against the cage.
Thorn holding his opponent close, against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Licht as the two fighters clinch.
Nord Licht is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Licht tries to stall but Thorn uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Thorn misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Thorn breaks from the clinch.
Thorn throws a right hand that misses
and Licht counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A big left from Thorn misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Licht tries a head kick but it misses.
Licht lands with a nice body punch.
Thorn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Thorn throwing a counter right hand but Licht manages to avoid it.
Thorn tries to clinch but Licht moves away
and Licht counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
No joy there for Thorn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Thorn bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Licht's head backwards.
Licht lands a nice looking body shot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Licht defending well as Thorn loads up on a big left hand.
Licht lands with an uppercut that bounces Thorn off the cage and back into range.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Haw Thorn.
I think Licht has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 46:49
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 48:47
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 47:49

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Nord Licht!
Nord Licht is the new heavyweight champion!
A relieved looking Nord Licht thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.