PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Thorvald Nansen (ranked 816 p4p, 857 weight class) and Romega Vartanein (ranked 110 p4p, 117 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Nansen might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Benny Jamz - Torden. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Nansen
vs
Vartanein

176 cm
31
165
18 - 14 - 1

179 cm
30
130
17 - 21 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Savage Fightwear

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 18 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thorvald Nansen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 21 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Romega Vartanein!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A lazy left from Nansen finds it's target.
Vartanein lands with an uppercut that bounces Nansen off the cage and back into range.
Vartanein takes a swing at Nansen's ribcage but misses.

Nansen dives in and scores a takedown into Vartanein's guard.
Vartanein is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Vartanein looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nansen is looking to work some ground and pound but Vartanein has wrist control.
Nansen won't allow Vartanein to sweep him here.
Vartanein keeps trying to improve his position.

Vartanein uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Vartanein avoids a kick to the body.
Nansen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vartanein misses with an uppercut

and Nansen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Vartanein's guard.

Vartanein is rocked!
Vartanein told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Nansen wants to pass the guard but Vartanein is keeping the position.
Vartanein is still in real trouble! Can Nansen finish him?
Nansen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nansen preventing the sweep.
Vartanein seems to have recovered his senses.
Nansen postures up.
Nansen controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nansen postures up and lands a big shot to Vartanein's brow.
Vartanein managing to control the position.
Vartanein is continuing to stall.
Vartanein is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Vartanein trying to control the position here.
Vartanein keeping moving, preventing Nansen from controlling successfully.
Nansen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nansen pushes down on Vartanein's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Vartanein is looking for a sweep. Nansen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nansen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nansen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Vartanein tries to get to full guard but Nansen has control of the leg.
Nansen controlling the action here.
We've been hearing that Nansen has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Nansen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vartanein keeps working.

Nansen is looking for a kimura here.
Nansen drops an elbow to the side of Vartanein's head.
Nansen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein wants to improve his position but Nansen is controlling well.
Vartanein wants to control but Nansen is keeping busy.
Vartanein is trying to get back to full guard.
Vartanein is not content to let Nansen control the position.
Vartanein gets back to full guard.
Nansen won't allow Vartanein to sweep him here.
Vartanein wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Vartanein keeping moving, preventing Nansen from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Nansen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nansen preventing the sweep.
Nansen trying to control the position from guard on top but Vartanein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nansen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Vartanein wants to stand and escape but Nansen is having none of it.
Nansen looking to pass the guard.
Nansen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Vartanein trying to control the position.
Nansen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nansen content to stall in guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Vartanein is on top in guard.

Vartanein controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Nansen has momentary wrist control but Vartanein slips an elbow through the middle.

Nansen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Vartanein gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vartanein wanted to stand there but Nansen had control of the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Nansen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Nansen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Vartanein misses with a body shot
and Nansen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Nansen tests Vartanein's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vartanein throws an overhand right that lands on Nansen's shoulder, as Nansen tries to avoid the shot.
Vartanein tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Nansen was well out of range. Poor timing from Vartanein.
Vartanein just misses with a punch to the body.
Vartanein lands with a hook. Nansen tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Vartanein connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nansen tries for a takedown but Vartanein sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Vartanein looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Vartanein avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A nice side step and Vartanein releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A nice leg kick lands there from Nansen.
That kick from Nansen tenderised Vartanein's leg. Vartanein is trying to keep his angry face on.
Vartanein takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Nansen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vartanein throws a looping overhand right but Nansen ducks down to avoid it.
Vartanein throws the left hand but Nansen avoids the punch easily.
Nansen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vartanein throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vartanein with a hook.
Vartanein just misses with a punch to the body.

Vartanein gets caught napping as Nansen dives in and scores a takedown. Vartanein manages to retain guard.
Vartanein looking for a sweep. Not yet Vartanein, not yet.
Vartanein is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Vartanein working a defensive guard here.
Vartanein wants to sweep but no luck.
Nansen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Nansen pushes down on Vartanein's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Nansen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Vartanein sees it coming and defends easily.

Nansen is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein won't allow Nansen to pass to mount.
Vartanein is pressing down on Nansen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vartanein preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Vartanein is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Vartanein is controlling Nansen's posture.
Nansen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Vartanein wants to sweep but no luck.
Nansen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nansen preventing the sweep.
Vartanein is adopting a defensive guard.
Nansen pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vartanein is keeping the position for now.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Vartanein holds on and takes a little breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein wants to get back to his feet but Nansen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Nansen drops back looking for a leg! Vartanein is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Vartanein manages to kick Nansen off! Nansen jumps back into Vartanein's guard.
Vartanein wants to sweep but no luck.
Vartanein pulls Nansen in close to prevent any damage.
Let's hope that Vartanein has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nansen works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Vartanein pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Vartanein scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vartanein misses with a hook. Nansen ducked under it nicely.
Vartanein misses with a jab to the body
and Nansen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A looping hook to the body misses from Nansen. Vartanein does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vartanein misses the shot to the body.
Nansen connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Vartanein's hands.
Romega Vartanein seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nansen loads up on a big right hand but Vartanein slips the punch.
Nansen cracks a nice hook into Vartanein's ribs.
Thorvald Nansen is winning the standup battle so far.
Nansen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vartanein throws a sloppy body shot
and Nansen counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
A looping hook to the body misses from Vartanein. Nansen does a little dance to reset his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nansen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Vartanein swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Nansen counter with a right hand.
Nansen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vartanein lands a body shot.
Vartanein throws a body shot but no joy.
A slow jab from Nansen misses its intended target.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Thorvald Nansen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Vartanein misses with a wild body shot.
Jab, jab by Vartanein - just one landing.
Vartanein throws a right hand that misses
and Nansen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Vartanein takes a swing at Nansen's ribcage but misses.
Vartanein ducks right into an uppercut from Nansen.
Nansen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Vartanein manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Nansen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vartanein can do to turn this around?
Nansen throws a big shot that misses.
Nansen throws a leg kick but Vartanein sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Vartanein looks to score with a jab to the body but Nansen is just out of range.
Nansen moves out of range of the body kick.
Nansen works the jab nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Nansen. Vartanein shrugs it off though.
Nansen fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Vartanein to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Vartanein looks to clinch but Nansen throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Vartanein taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Thorvald Nansen!
A victorious Thorvald Nansen thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.