PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michiel Kortenhorst (ranked 1701 p4p, 749 weight class) and Franco Fajardo (ranked 207 p4p, 98 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kortenhorst
vs
Fajardo

185 cm
27
200
10 - 6 - 0

185 cm
28
190
13 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Michiel Kortenhorst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Franco Fajardo!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Alyssa Summers and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kortenhorst misses with a takedown attempt
and Fajardo counters with a nice body shot.
Kortenhorst doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Fajardo counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kortenhorst takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Kortenhorst tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Fajardo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Kortenhorst shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Kortenhorst is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fajardo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Fajardo trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kortenhorst trying to control but Fajardo is working from the bottom.
Fajardo is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Kortenhorst slips nicely into half guard.
Fajardo is in trouble now - Kortenhorst has advanced to mount!
Fajardo tries to hold on but Kortenhorst postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo is trying to escape the mount.
Fajardo slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Kortenhorst is working for a submission of some sort.
Fajardo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kortenhorst trying to control the position from guard on top but Fajardo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fajardo seems keen to control Kortenhorst's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kortenhorst wants to control from the top but Fajardo keeps moving.
Fajardo wants to hit a sweep here but Kortenhorst passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Fajardo there!

Kortenhorst moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Fajardo has worked his arm free - good work by Fajardo!
I wouldn't like to be where Fajardo is right now.

Kortenhorst wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Fajardo, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Fajardo is not content to let Kortenhorst control the position.
Fajardo holding on.
Fajardo is trying to control Kortenhorst's posture but Kortenhorst avoids it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kortenhorst works to advance to full mount. Fajardo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Kortenhorst moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Fajardo has worked his arm free - good work by Fajardo!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Michiel Kortenhorst dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Donk. Fajardo catches Kortenhorst right on the button with a cross.
Fajardo scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fajardo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fajardo throws a lazy right hand but Kortenhorst sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Fajardo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kortenhorst fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Kortenhorst gets a takedown into half guard.

Kortenhorst is looking for a kimura but Fajardo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kortenhorst to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fajardo is trying to control but can't.

Kortenhorst is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Fajardo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Kortenhorst.

Kortenhorst is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Kortenhorst is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Fajardo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Kortenhorst trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Kortenhorst controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fajardo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Fajardo keeping moving, preventing Kortenhorst from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fajardo is controlling Kortenhorst's posture.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo scores with a jab to the body.
Kortenhorst needs to keep his hands up - Fajardo had a free shot at his head there.
Kortenhorst seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Kortenhorst walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Kortenhorst fails with a takedown attempt.
Fajardo lands a right hook to the body.
Fajardo throws a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo cracks Kortenhorst with a good jab.
No luck for Kortenhorst with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michiel Kortenhorst. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kortenhorst gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Fajardo counters with a straight right hand.
Kortenhorst takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kortenhorst walks into a straight right hand from Fajardo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kortenhorst wants to clinch but Fajardo slips to the side
and Fajardo counters with a stiff right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kortenhorst has his takedown stuffed
and Fajardo counters with a stiff right hand.
Fajardo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Fajardo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Fajardo lands a nice looking body shot.
Kortenhorst gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
letting Fajardo counter with a right hand.
Franco Fajardo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Fajardo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Kortenhorst shoots in and gets a takedown into Fajardo's guard.
Kortenhorst trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Fajardo manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Fajardo advances to half guard.
Kortenhorst is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fajardo scores with a couple of nice shots.
Kortenhorst tries to get to full guard but Fajardo has control of the leg.
Kortenhorst is trying to control but Fajardo manages to pass to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fajardo content just to control the position here.
Fajardo's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Kortenhorst tries to hold on but Fajardo postures up.
Fajardo takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kortenhorst tries to hold on but Fajardo postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fajardo controlling the pace for now.
Fajardo lands a big elbow.
Kortenhorst is looking to get to half guard.
Fajardo tries to control but Kortenhorst wriggling away.
Kortenhorst can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Kortenhorst is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Kortenhorst is in a horrible position here. Fajardo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Kortenhorst working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo controlling the pace for now.
Kortenhorst tries to hold on but Fajardo pushes him away.
Kortenhorst is in all sorts of trouble here.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Fajardo working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fajardo landing strikes from the mount and Kortenhorst is in trouble!
Fajardo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Fajardo controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franco Fajardo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Fajardo 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franco Fajardo!