PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henk Horsten (ranked 4405 p4p, 4359 weight class) and Darius Ellis (ranked 0 p4p, 505 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Horsten
vs
Ellis

188 cm
25
177
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
175
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Henk Horsten!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Darius Ellis!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Radbod Blank and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Horsten rushes Ellis and presses him up against the cage.
Horsten is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ellis pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Horsten pushes off an throws an elbow but Ellis leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Come on Horsten - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Horsten misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ellis goes for a takedown attempt but Horsten pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ellis has his takedown stuffed

and Horsten counters by moving into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ellis wants a takedown but no success here.
Henk Horsten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Darius Ellis.
Ellis tries to score a body lock takedown but Horsten shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ellis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ellis throws an elbow but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horsten is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Horsten wants to break the clinch but can't.

Horsten pulls Ellis into guard.

Horsten is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Horsten is looking for a triangle but Ellis pushes his legs off easily.
Horsten is trying to keep Ellis in close.
Ellis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ellis wants to control from the top but Horsten keeps moving.
Ellis preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Horsten pulls Ellis in close to prevent any damage.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Ellis trying to control the position from guard on top but Horsten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Horsten misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Horsten darts in looking for a takedown but Ellis gets double underhooks and turns Horsten into the cage.
The referee calls for Horsten to work.
Horsten is trying to pull guard but Ellis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Horsten avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Horsten successfully pulls guard.
Ellis trying to control but Horsten is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ellis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Ellis is pushing down on Horsten's leg trying to pass to half guard. Horsten is fighting to maintain full guard but Ellis has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ellis winds up and cracks Horsten with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Horsten works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ellis tries to free his leg and advance position but Horsten is retaining full guard.
Horsten keeping moving, preventing Ellis from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horsten has a closed guard, preventing Ellis from standing up.

Horsten escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ellis gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Ellis is in close to Horsten's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Horsten keeping moving, preventing Ellis from controlling successfully.
Ellis trying to move into half guard but instead Horsten has managed to sweep!

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ellis working a defensive guard here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Henk Horsten dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Horsten fails with a takedown attempt.
Ellis drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Horsten defends it well.

Horsten has closed the distance and engaged Ellis in a clinch.
Ellis misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Horsten.
Horsten pressing his opponent against the cage.
Horsten misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ellis.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ellis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Horsten gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ellis drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Horsten gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellis wants a takedown.
Henk Horsten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Darius Ellis.

Horsten pulls Ellis into guard.

Ellis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Horsten pulls Ellis in to control the position.
Ellis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Horsten works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ellis cracks Horsten with a solid left hand.
Horsten trying to control the position.
Ellis trying to control the position from guard on top but Horsten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horsten preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Horsten keeping moving, preventing Ellis from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Horsten shoots in looking for a takedown. Ellis tries to sprawl out of it but Horsten keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Ellis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Ellis looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horsten keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

Horsten pushes Ellis off and gets back to his feet.

Ellis scores with a takedown into Horsten's guard.

Horsten has his feet on Ellis's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Nice takedown defense from Horsten. No joy for Ellis on that attempt.

Horsten moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Horsten fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellis tries to pull guard but Horsten holds him up against the cage and eventually Ellis drops back down to his feet.

Horsten jumps guard.

Horsten has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Ellis can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Horsten pulls Ellis in close to prevent any damage.
Henk Horsten overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ellis postures up in Horsten's guard and throws a big left but Horsten blocks it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ellis trying to control but Horsten is working from the bottom.
Ellis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Horsten is proving hard to escape from.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Henk Horsten dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ellis misses with a takedown attempt - Horsten sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Horsten gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Ellis counters with a nice double leg into side control. Horsten won't be happy with that.

Ellis stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Ellis stuffs the takedown attempt from Horsten. Horsten gets slowly back to his feet.
Ellis looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown attempt by Horsten or perhaps it was just good defense by Ellis, which made it look bad.
Horsten throws the kick towards the body but Ellis avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ellis gets tackled into the cage by Horsten. Horsten maintains the clinch.
Horsten gets underhooks to prevent Ellis's takedown attempt.
Henk Horsten has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Darius Ellis.
Ellis tries to pull guard but Horsten won't allow it.
Horsten can't get the takedown.
Ellis tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Horsten smiles and moves away.
Horsten throws a head kick but Ellis moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Horsten.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Horsten gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horsten is working Ellis over against the cage.

Ellis breaks the clinch.

Horsten closes the distance and clinches.
Horsten can't get the takedown.
Ellis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Horsten lands a hook that snaps the head of Ellis backwards.
Horsten is trying to pull guard but Ellis has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horsten is trying to pull guard but Ellis turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Horsten tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ellis avoids it.

Ellis escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Horsten gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ellis moves into the clinch.

Horsten manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Horsten is working an open guard so Ellis takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Horsten gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ellis controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ellis trying to control the position from guard on top but Horsten is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ellis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Horsten works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Horsten trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Ellis trying to control but Horsten is working from the bottom.
Ellis engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Darius Ellis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Horsten kicks Ellis off and gets to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henk Horsten showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Horsten, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henk Horsten!